I am pretty late on this but On August 30th, 2007, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recognized 9 Sunset Road, North Truro, MA (close to my old stomping grounds) as receiving a LEED platinum certification under its LEED for Homes pilot program. LEED for Homes is a USGBC green homes pilot program that evaluates the environmental features of single and multi-family homes. LEED certified homes are designed to be energy efficient, environmentally sound, resource friendly, and healthy places for its occupants.

This is the first in the State of Massachusetts and Southern New England that has been certified platinum in the LEED for Homes pilot and the 8th home in the U.S. The home was built by Jeff Rogers of New England Green (www.negreen.com). LEED provides national consistency in defining what constitutes a green home. Rising energy and water costs concern many homeowners, and LEED certified homes are energy efficient and consume fewer resources than conventional houses.

LEED is a national brand that potential homeowners and tenants can look for – to readily identify true green homes. LEED certified homes consume less energy, use less water, and are safe and healthy places for their families to live. All LEED Homes are third party inspected, performance tested, and certified to be higher-performing than conventional homes.

A LEED certified home includes high performance features designed to provide improved heath, safety, comfort, and lower operating costs. LEED certified homes are also more environmentally friendly, more durable, less polluting, and make substantially better use of resources. In addition, the net cost of owning a green home may be no more than the net cost of a conventional home.

Not only did the project achieve Platinum certification but it is designed as a Zero Energy Home, producing annually onsite the electrical and heating needs of the building. New England Green (NE Green), is a division of Conwell ACE Hardware and Lumber, Inc. Conwell Lumber, a family-owned business that has been in the Rogers family for 20 years, located in Provincetown, Massachusetts. NE Green is in the process of opening a Boston showroom and hopes to be operating in the near future.

Eleven local and regional organizations, called LEED for Homes Pilot Providers, have formal responsibility for rating LEED Homes during the pilot phase. Mr. Rogers worked with Conservation Services Group on this project to ensure the LEED for Homes standards were met. Learn more about LEED homes here.