I Didn’t Know How Important LEED Labels Were Until I Looked At My Indoor Air Quality
I have never felt the impact of a home project more than I did committing to getting LEED-certified.
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If you’ve ever undergone a home renovation, you know it feels like diving into a deep rabbit hole. I began my journey by exploring energy efficiency. Sustainability has been one of my priorities for a long time, so this was a natural progression. I quickly realized entire organizations and labels are dedicated to advising homeowners on how to be greener.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of them. It is one of the most reputable and critically acclaimed frameworks in the field. Little did I know it would also boost my indoor air quality (IAQ) significantly.
What Is The LEED Certification?
The U.S. Green Building Council is the nonprofit that designed the LEED rating system to help home design become more eco-conscious. This internationally recognized framework immediately gives your house the renown it deserves. Currently, LEED certifications for residential homes are on version 4.1, with more updates to come in the future.
LEED-certified homes strive to balance these sustainable qualities:
- Lessen climate change contributions
- Better health for humans
- Water consciousness
- Consideration of biodiversity and habitats
- Circular and regenerative
- High quality of life
The following guidelines will have numerous benefits, including lower carbon footprints and utility bills. It will also help your home’s air be sparkling clean because it will contain fewer pollutants. Knowing this should bring a smile to every homeowner’s face.
What Is The Problem With Poor IAQ?
If you want to make the healthiest commitment to yourself and the planet, you’ll do some digging on air quality. Fossil fuels like coal and natural gas pollute nature, and these contaminants eventually make their way into our homes.
Indoor air may contain between two and five times the pollutants compared to outside due to air concentration. Building envelopes and insulation are getting stronger to be more energy-efficient, which is a good and bad thing for air quality. On one hand, it keeps the indoors clean and contaminants out. However, if pollutants find their way inside, then they stay there until they enter your airways.
My home is where I spend the most time, so I want it to support my health and the planet. Ignoring IAQ could lead to short- and long-term effects, such as respiratory conditions, fatigue and mental health concerns.
Poor IAQ is often a problem we can’t see. Residents don’t know they’re breathing in pollutants unless they have technology or an auditor tells them otherwise. That’s why it is so important to tackle it now with LEED as a guideline — science-backed recommendations prevent us from inhaling toxic air.
How Do LEED’s IAQ Standards Impact Me?
I know now how much the energy source I use influences the air. LEED doesn’t demand you install solar panels or wind turbines. However, the cleaner the energy source, the cleaner the air. Consider how invisible ash from coal and particulate matter from natural gas make themselves right at home in your house. Solar panels don’t make any of that; they just give you pure electricity, courtesy of the sun.
Additionally, green-labeled homes sell better, so LEED is a joy for your wallet. This is largely because property values rise as homebuyers are starting to prioritize sustainable features, adding them to their wish lists for an upcoming purchase.
The LEED rules also support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, so our contributions don’t just make our houses more eco-friendly; they encourage a better Earth. LEED benefits the UN’s goals of better health and well-being, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and more. Every effort you make toward LEED certification is a win for humanity against air pollution and the climate crisis.
What Do I Need To Do To Get LEED-Level IAQ?
Learning about LEED showed me what to add to my home improvement to-do list to breathe cleaner air. Before you get started, you must understand how LEED grades.
First, you must meet the prerequisites, which include adequate ventilation, garage pollutant protection and radon-resistant construction, among others. Then, you pick what enhancements you’ll make, which LEED calls “credits.” Credits are separated into categories and are worth varying points, which amount to your certification level. Prerequisites don’t count for points.
Currently, you can focus on nine credits for indoor environmental quality such as using low-emitting materials or designs using natural daylight for a total of 16 points. Certification only requires a minimum of 40 points, but you can go over 80 for Platinum status.
I took these steps as recommended by LEED v4.1, though qualifications may differ depending on whether you live in a single-family, multifamily, or core or shell development home. The latter comprises major renovations or new construction projects. For single-family homes, start by:
- Review any prerequisites you need based on the Residential Single Family Homes book.
- Establish credit-based tasks inspired by your priority to improve IAQ and choose additional credits to get more points.
- Assemble a team to install changes, including a LEED Green Rater to verify the site.
- Count how many points you’ve accrued based on chosen credits.
- Review LEED’s deadlines to apply for registration and certification.
- Pay related fees and get registered.
Completing these steps will involve a notable amount of work. I got tons of satisfaction inching closer to my goal point total. It helps keep you motivated, especially when you know it will amount to a better indoor environment for you and your family.
I have never felt the impact of a home project more than I did committing to getting LEED-certified. It is a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air in my lungs and for my peace of mind. I know the changes made benefit everyone walking in my front door and the planet at large. If you have a home, consider starting to improve your IAQ for everyone.
Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, and has been writing in the home living industry for over five years. Her work has been featured on The National Association of Realtors, the American Society of Home Inspectors and other reputable publications.
