The certification LEED for homes (residential projects) in Spain is at an early stage. A number of projects are already in the certification process and developer interest is growing as the economic, environmental and health benefits that can be achieved become clearer.
LEED for homes registered projects
In Spain there are only 7 registered single-family homes and the Valdemarín development, which consists of 7 more homes. As far as multifamily buildings are concerned, no projects have yet been registered. The prospects for the future are very good, with facilities for certifying developments internationally with new consultants Green Rater outside the US and assessment systems adapted to different building systems. LEED offers three certification levels:
- Silver, 50 to 60 points
- Gold, 60 to 80 points
- Platinum, over 80 points
Are construction costs increasing?
A key factor in keeping construction costs down is to make the decision to certify the building during the earliest phase of the project —the earlier the certification process is initiated, the lower the additional cost involved.
Construction costs using the LEED certification system can vary between -2% and 5%. Indeed, it is sometimes cheaper to build a LEED residential building because by following integrated design processes that require the design and construction team to meet regularly with all stakeholders, key decisions are made with all data and input from all stakeholders, thereby avoiding last minute decisions.
Return on investment and selling price with Energy Star standard
The return on investment varies between 3 and 10 years depending on many factors including: location, cost, energy and strategies that the project wants to take advantage of. According to a study conducted at the University of California at Berkeley between 2007 and 2012, homes certified to the LEED or Energy Star standard had a 9% higher selling price compared to similar homes. The investment is worth more since it is more profitable in the long term; consequently, the operating and maintenance costs are lower. For example, in an international context of constantly increasing energy prices, if the project uses photovoltaics or has a rainwater tank for irrigation, the monthly energy and water use costs will be lower compared to other buildings without such strategies.
Is a LEED for Homes certification worthwhile?
The LEED certification in housing is more cost-effective the larger the project, as it is difficult to justify certain fixed costs that must be paid to the GBCI when it comes to a single-family home project. Although these types of individual certifications can be carried out, it is recommended that developments have at least eight homes to make fixed costs profitable.
What does the promoter need?
If a developer wants to take advantage of the benefits of LEED for Homes certification, they should contact a Green Rater or LEED Consulting as soon as possible to make key project decisions and implement strategies that reduce the impact on the overall budget. Although the decision can be made later, it is advisable to have the kick-off meeting during the preliminary design or schematic design, with the entire team of architects, engineers, the builder, and the Green Rater.
Experience from residential projects in Spain tells us that contracting and developing the consulting of construction details during the design phase and not during the construction period is key to perfectly coordinate all the specialities, particularly the foundations and the structure; on the contrary, if this is not done until the first stage of construction, it can compromise the good design of the thermal envelope and generate the appearance of thermal bridges, dampness and condensation.
