LEED for Homes Illinois

On June 30, Illinois will become one of five states in the USA to implement the latest version of internationally-agreed upon energy code standard, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).  This raises the bar in construction design for residential and commercial structures, and as a result, architects / engineers / contractors building to the new code will be affordably offer a choice to their clients for pursuing several above-code certifications such as Energy Star and LEED without too much additional effort or cost.

The new energy code includes mandatory blower-door testing for building air leakage (less than <5.0 ACH at 50 pascals), which will measure how well contractors have sealed up penetrations between the outdoors and indoor conditioned space. This testing is required for all projects permitted after July 1 in municipalities across the state of Illinois. Other aspects such as requiring hot water pipe insulation and mechanical ventilation are new items that projects will need to implement.

So, how do IECC 2012 requirements relate to voluntary above-code programs like Energy Star, LEED and Passive House?  Pretty well actually. AES has assembled a matrix identifying several energy-related items as written in the code and indicated what the impact or requirements would be in one of these above-code third-party green certification programs. Download as PDF.

 Download as PDF

 What does this mean?  Well just by building to code, Illinois projects will be very close to meeting the Energy Star for Homes program requirements, and will score very well in programs that require Energy Star version 3 such as LEED or Green Communities. Other green programs that don’t require Energy Star, such as National Green Building Standard or Chicago Green Homes program will also heavily reward these projects.

LEED for Homes will be requiring Energy Star version 3 beginning at the end of the year, so right now a project can still earn LEED certification by building to Energy Star version 2 requirements which should be easily met on any home that meets IECC 2012.  Take advantage of this sweet spot by pursuing a LEED workshop in Bolingbrook or Chicago, or sign up to earn LEED certification today!

LEED for Homes has always required ENERGY STAR (a HERS rating of 85) as a prerequisite, and rewarded increasingly low HERS ratings with more points in the rating system. However, significant changes in the next iteration of the rating system (LEED 2012) will be even more performance-oriented, which should play well to Passive House customers. Especially those customers who want not only energy-efficient performance and good IAQ, but also those that want to go beyond and incorporate broader aspects of sustainability into their homes. This is where Passive House and LEED become intertwined. Read more » »

The first public comment period is open for LEED for Homes changes that will go into effect in 2012.  The comment period closes at the end of this year – Jan 14, 2011.  You can download the full version at but as a LEED for Homes Provider, AES has distilled some of the highlights for you.  This information comes from the LEED for Homes Specialty Update given Nov. 19 at Greenbuild 2010.

Implementation Timetable: (all dates approximate)
First Public Comment:  NOW  through Jan 14., 2011 download and comment
Second Public Comment:  July 1  – Aug 15, 2011 (tentative schedule)
Revisions released for balloting: August 2012
Implementation: Nov 2012

Note: In addition to the public comment periods, ongoing feedback can be given online via the Stakeholder forum at LEEDuser.com

Let’s go through the major changes section by Read more » »

Builders of ENERGY STAR for Homes will need to learn more about Energy Star v2.5 going into effect January 1, 2011, as it leads us to v3.0 as well as Energy Star Indoor Air Quality options. Changes are coming – now is the time to learn how those changes impact your building model for 2011. Especially with the integration of ESv3 into the new LEED for Homes 2012 requirements. Read more » »