Understanding LEED For Homes Version 4 (V4) Recorded Webinar Series

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LEED for Homes version 4 (V4) will be in full swing October 31st 2016 but it’s important to get started early on understanding the updates from 2008. In anticipation of this we have teamed up with the LEED for Homes lead reviewer and chief rating systems expert  Jay Hall of Jay Hall & LEED4Hversion4-01Associates.

We will cover all 8 sections of the new rating system through 9 online live webinars and review scenarios that explore what happens when 2008 projects update to V4.  The mail focus will be credit by credit interpretations, market acceptance, cost benefit analysis and comparisons to the old rating systems.

Sign up and learn how the system changed and how it applies to single / multi family, low/mid/high rise, new and rehabbed homes and residential buildings, apartments, developments and dorms!

Who?

Builders, Designers, Architect, Developers, Remodelers, Researches and Policy Makers who have past LEED for Homes experience and understanding.

Pre Courses to this course recommended 

Modules 

  1. Overview of V4.0 Changes, IP, LT, and Intro to Process Changes (New Tools)
  2. SS – Sustainable Sites 
  3. WE – Water Efficiency
  4. EA – Prescriptive Energy & Atmosphere Prescriptive Pathway
  5. EA – Performance (New LEED Energy Budget) Pathway
  6. MR – Materials & Resources
  7. IEQ Indoor Environmental Quality
  8. Innovation & Regional Priority

Bonus Course! Application of LH v4.0 to Different Project Types  (i.e., Low Rise, Mid-Rise), and Summary / Next Steps 

LEED V4 is now available to use but you this webinar series is to help you succeed before taking a dive in head first.

Learning Lessons and Outcomes 

  • Know how to migrate your LEED 2008 projects to the new V4 checklist to achieve certification
  • Understand how to use V4 to ensure your next project contributes to the health, safety, welfare and overall sustainability for building residents and the community at large
  • Get up to speed on benefits, draw backs and opportunities with the new HOMES v4 rating system
  • Learn where you can find more resources and expertise for further help in residential green design, construction and rehab opportunities

Don’t get left behind when the rating system changes.  Project teams will no long be able to register homes, multi family or mixed use buildings under the 2008 or 2009 rating systems after 10/31/2016.

Continuing Education  1 AIA LU/HSW, GBCI (LEED Specific), NARI Green* * 9 CEUs for entries series

Presenter & Developer – Jay Hall, Ph.D, LEED APH “Jay has 30 years experience in market transformation, sustainable design of buildings, and energy efficiency. He is an expert in building energy modeling, and green building verification. Jay earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University. In 1989, he began with ICF International as a consultant working on EPA’s

Jay Hall ENERGY STAR market transformation programs. Since 2004, Jay has provided independent consulting services to the US Green Building Council in developing the LEED for Homes program. Jay was Acting Director for LEED for Homes for two years. He is also the lead programmatic and verification consultant for the Green Communities Offset Fund. Jay has served on the Home Depot Foundation Awards of Excellence Selection Committee; the Habitat for Humanity International Partnership for Sustainable Buildings Advisory Committee; and, The Healthy House Institute Advisory Board. Jay is also a LEED Faculty member.  Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, for the past 25 years, Jay and his wife, Kim, have resided with their two sons in Annapolis, Maryland. Jay Hall & Associates.

Before you dive in watch the introduction to LEED for Homes V4 – 1 hour webinar (CEs) – A free course here

Register Now

* Local chapter members of AIA, AIBD, USGBC, HBA, NARI or ILFI get 10% off. Must verify this after payment.

's New Name: GreenHome Institute

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GHI Final JPGThe Grand Rapids based non-profit, formerly the Green Home Institute, has changed their name to the GreenHome Institute. 
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When it comes to sustainability, health, and energy efficiency in our homes, there are so many different options, choices, and conflicting messages. It can be difficult to know what to do. The GreenHome Institute is taking the guess-work out of green through:

  • online and in-person education and training
  • free resources and tools
  • third-party inspection services

Executive Director Brett Little believes consumers have plenty of options when considering sustainable housing. “We are a non-profit that exists to empower people who seek healthy and sustainable choices in the renovation and construction of the places we live. We are very excited to help people make sense of all the green home information, products, and programs out there.” GHI accomplishes their goal by providing timely, relevant, and accurate resources so that the public can compare options and rule out the possibility of ‘green washing.’ 
 
Through their LEED for Homes program and GreenStar Certification, the GreenHome Institute has verified over 5,000 new and existing residential buildings that are now certified healthy, durable, energy, and water efficient. Little believes these buildings improve the communities they are in: “A green home should be attainable to anyone, regardless of socio-economic class or race. It should be the norm in all construction and remodeling in the future.”   
 
As director of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, Dan Schoonmaker says that now is the time for the GreenHome Institute: “The market has evolved significantly over the past 14 years since their inception (as the Green Home Institute) but it’s the next 14 years that I am excited about! McGraw/Hill Construction predicted this year that 30% of the residential market will commit to green activity, equating to nearly a $100 billion industry by 2016. This new name and realigned programming better communicates to the market what the GreenHome Institute is trying to do and how they can help.”
 
When building and renovating, it can be tough to determine which products or processes lend to a greener project. The GreenHome Institute offers two free online education sessions for both LEED and GreenStar that homeowners, designers, and contractors can use to generate green scopes of work for subcontractors (such as insulators, heating and cooling, electricians, plumber, energy raters, and other professionals). These can be used to prompt design and bidding for light remodels in all areas of a home (including basements, kitchens, or additions) as well as “full gut-rehabs” or even new construction projects. 

The GreenHome Institute serves anyone in the Midwest who lives in a residential building—single-family or multi-family—who seeks design, construction, renovation, or weatherization services. Our mission is to empower people to make healtheir and more sustianable choices in the places we live. 

Holland Partners with GHI for Home Energy Education

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The GreenHome Institute trains and executes home energy audits in partnership with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council and with the City of Holland, Michigan.  The City of Holland has recently been undergoing their major community energy plan which involves all sectors improving energy efficiency through residential, commercial, industrial and major municipal utility support. The City of Holland has also been announced as a quarter finalist in the Georgetown Energy Prize in attempt to win 5 million dollars based on competing to improve residential energy use.  aha_logoGreenHome Institute has be contracted to educate 50 homeowners in Holland on how their homes use energy and give their homes a performance label based on the residential energy performance score. This pilot will help the city assess the best way to help encourage, educate, and genuinely excite their residents to reduce energy, save money, and improve comfort and health. The GreenHome Institute will be giving these MPG-like home energy scores while also assessing homes for water conservation, indoor environmental quality, solar PV energy opportunities, and help with plans for green remodeling if desired. GHI will be provided unique funding opportunities as well to reduce the cost of moderate to deep energy retrofit projects. City of Holland planner Mark VanderPloeg sees the GreenHome Institute as a key partner in achieving their long-term sustainability goals: “In our long-term community energy plan for the city, it is important that we promote an easy to understand ‘miles-per-gallon-like’ rating for a home that has value and recognition in the community and is backed by an affordable, proficient, and easy to understand home energy audit. After a few years of research we believe the GreenHome Institute’s label will provide us with that.” Here are more details about the program in Holland.

Partnership with Blue House Energy for Online Training

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GreenHome Institute has partnered with the Blue House Energy to deliver to deliver convenient online education that earns you CEUs. This is training is ideal for contractors, remodelers, trades, architects, raters, and more.

Building Science Basics is the ‘fundamentals’ course. It covers heat, air, and moisture flows, indoor air quality, ventilation requirements and air sealing fundamentals. Once you’ve completed Building Science Basics, you can pick and choose from a series of modules that build on the basics. GHI members always get special pricing and great offers on all BHE training that relates to GreenStar program requirements.

Building Science Basics Course 

  • House as a System
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Ventilation and Combustion Spillage
  • Bonus Module – Air Sealing Fundamentals

Continuing Education Units – CEs Available 

  • BPI 4.5
  • GBCI 10
  • AIA (HSW) 10
  • NARI Green 10
  • State contractor / designer may be available*
  • NATE – Pending

Register now!

Member – Registration
Non Member – Registration

Wege Foundation Funds Green Affordable Housing

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wegeflogo3In 2015, the GreenHome Institute (GHI) will also be continuing their work with affordable housing developers by replicating a very successful program delivered in partnership with their Chicago office and USGBC Illinois. The Wege Foundation will be supporting the GreenHome Institute’s Green Affordable Housing training with a $20,000 grant. This grant will help thirty to forty affordable housing developer stakeholders become LEED credentialed and trained on how and why to design, build, and rehab multi- and single-family buildings to the new LEED v4 standard, which is due to launch in October of 2016. 

Terri McCarthy, Vice President of Programs at the Wege Foundation says, “We are very excited to continue working with the GreenHome Institute because we are very supportive of LEED in the affordable housing sector in Kent County. This program will help ensure healthier and more energy efficient affordable housing for residents who are most in need, through design and trades training, credentialing along with credible third party inspections and energy testing of these homes.”

feature_v4_mrThe GreenHome Institute is thrilled to continue this partnership with a foundation who has helped them in the past to jump start the LEED for Homes provider-ship with a $36,000 grant. It is clear the foundation wants to see LEED v4 be just as successful as LEED 2008. Without support from the Wege Foundation, it would be near impossible to educate, train, and consult to help overcome the stringency of the new program.

Throughout this project, GHI will be sharing the lessons we learn with the USGBC IL chapter and their programming committee who in the past 3 years attracted nearly 70 participants with roughly 30% going on to become LEED for Homes accredited. Some have even gone forward to develop green- and LEED-registered affordable housing. We believe every USGBC chapter can create partnerships locally to expand Green Affordable Housing in their communities. We hope that what we learn during this process can help reduce the barriers to develop with LEED v4 for Homes.

We plan to start this project in early spring and complete training in the fall of 2015. Stay tuned as we progress!