More Energy Efficient, Environment Friendly Homes Being Certified By The U.S. Green Building Council

April 18, 2008 1:18 p.m. EST

New York City, NY (AHN) - More home and building owners are embracing green solutions for their new units in an attempt to cut energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One measure how fast they have embraced the concept is the number of certifications issued by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

According to the New York Post, 500 newly built homes have been given LEED certificates by the U.S. Green Building Council, which runs the national voluntary rating system. Another 11,400 are undergoing evaluation.

To qualify for a LEED certification, the home or building owner must hire LEED builders and architects and a LEED service provider who will prepare the paperwork, documentation and assessment of the home if it would qualify to be called energy efficient and environment friendly.

A LEED provider's fee ranges from $500 to $5,000, but the investment is worth it because aside from tax perks, according to two studies made by the New Buildings Institute and the CoStar Group, cited in the LEED website, LEED-certified units enjoy higher occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates compared to non-certified homes and edifices.

Connecticut resident Etta Kantor, and husband Nate, are one of the over 11,000 home owners seeking a LEED certificate for the $1.5 million home under construction at New Canaan. Etta told the New York Post, "As a mother and a grandmother, I feel worried that we're not leaving a healthy planet for future generations... I thought the least I could do was to build a sustainable house."