The first in a two part series on LEED requirements for homes.

Part One: Ever wondered what the acronym LEED means? Learn what these guidelines are, and how they are forging the way for a new philosophy in urban planning, green building, and how we live.

Have you ever heard of LEED?

I’d heard of it and seen it in ads for new buildings trying to prove their “green-ness”, but I didn’t really know what it was, let alone what it would mean for me.

But then, a few weeks ago I was talking to an engineer friend when he happened to mention he was working towards being a certified LEED member.

Talking about LEED with this friend, he shed some light on what exactly the government entity really does. The more I looked into it the more I realized LEED really is relevant to the everyday homeowner.

LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a set of guidelines made by the government to create a benchmark standard for green building.

Sure, some of the guidelines are just complicated technical things, but what really interested me about it was how many of the guidelines were very simple and encompassed issues beyond just the construction world – it’s more involved in creating a shift in philosophy, a philosophy that is moving towards making buildings and communities that are move livable and useable for everyone.

Here are some aspects of the LEED guidelines that interested me the most:

Home Placement for Better Living and Protection of Land

Many of the guidelines refer to the placement of homes. This can involve many aspects of the location and the site including protecting the surrounding land by not disturbing prime soils or endangered species.

Meeting LEED requirements also calls for home sites to be placed in socially and environmentally responsible ways in relation to the larger community.  Basically this means you want to place your home near already existing resources and infrastructure. Living in an existing neighborhood with close grocery stores, libraries, and churches is good for you because it means you can live a lifestyle where you can walk, bike or take convenient public transportation to things without getting into your car and having to drive. Which for me, would definitely improve my quality of life! And save resources!

Creating Connections with the Outdoors and Maximizing Free Resources

Another LEED guideline is to use materials and building techniques that maximize energy efficiency. In itself this is always smart whether your house is LEED certified or not. One way that LEED emphasizes energy efficiency with smart building design is illustrated by their use of windows.

By installing windows that maximize solar intake you don’t have to use electric lighting as much as you would in a home with few windows. It can also help in winter by encouraging daylighting, or passive heating, from the sun. But the benefits aren’t just about reducing your energy usage.

I have always been happiest in homes which I describe as being “flooded in light.” Homes that have big windows that let in lots of natural light make your home feel bigger, more airy, and allows for people to feel a connection with the outdoors which can often be lost in the day to day shuffle of life. Using natural light in home design seems like a no-brainer, since ultimately the more sunshine a person gets, the happier they tend to be.

Friday: Part 2 – A look at the first LEED Building: 7 World Trade

Here’s the second installment of our new feature from fellow home bloggers talking about what they learned from embarking on their home renovations. Last week we got some insight from the interior design and home renovating wizards at ThisYoungHouse, and today we’re happy to have Leah of HouseObsession.

Leah has a historic home in the seeming-to-get-hipper-everyday city of Philadelphia. With corporate headquarters for pop culture mega store Urban Outfitters in the city, trend setting is woven into the lifestyle here.

Leah is managing to create a home that intertwines current designers and patterns (Orla Kiely wallpaper), with classic historic features. The final product (like this kitchen) is both modern and timeless — a difficult feat to accomplish.

Read on for Leah’s take on doing your own window installation, removing old paint, and the one thing that totally irks her about her gorgeous kitchen:  

1. What has been your greatest accomplishment while working on your home?

Installing my living room windows myself.  I hired someone to do several windows when I first purchased the house, but now I’ve learned how to do it myself, and I wish I’d tackled it on my own beforehand.  I’d have saved a lot of money.

2. What is one thing you wished you would have done differently?

I think there are always things you wish you’d done differently.  There are quite a few things in my bathroom I wish I’d done differently…but one small thing that constantly bugs me involves my kitchen countertop.  The seam in my marble counter is right in the center of my sink.  Because it’s right there, it is very small…as opposed to being on the side and being quite large.  However, it drives me nuts that it’s right there in the front.  My eye always goes to it.  I sometimes also wish I’d gone with Corian.  (Oh, wait…that’s two things.)  

3. Has there ever been a project you started where you realized it might have been way over your head?

Trying to remove the paint off my banister.  I thought it would be easy to remove.  We purchased Peel Away, and although we got down to the wood in many places, it’s not been so easy to remove overall.  There is still a ton of pain left on it, and I finally gave up.  I need to get back to that soon.  It’s horribly ugly at the moment.

4. If you had one piece of advice for someone starting out on major renovations, what would you tell them?

I’d tell them to meticulously budget every single detailed item they can think of to get a sense of what the costs will be, then I’d tell them to expect to add another 20% on top of that for things they didn’t see coming.

5. What are some of your favorite remodeling resources?

Charles & Hudson blog, Re-Store Philadelphia for recycled house parts, HGTV for fun projects and inspiration, my local True Value Hardware Store (never underestimate your local, small hardware store!), Apartment Therapy for inspiration.

Thanks Leah! Good luck on your continued remodeling and renovating!