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LEED ~ Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design:  Widely known program on a national basis. LEED is offered through the U.S. Green Building Council. Similar to Built Green, it offers different levels of green certification, which are based on features in a development.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Who uses LEED?

Architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders and government officials all use LEED to help transform the built environment to sustainability. State and local governments across the country are adopting LEED for public-owned and public-funded buildings; there are LEED initiatives in federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, and State; and LEED projects are in progress in 41 different countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India.

You can make an important contribution to reduce the amount of storm water and pollutants coming from your property by incorporating rain gardens into your yard.

I have found that many people are confused by the numerous terms and acronyms in the world of "Green" real estate.  So, every few days I will post a new term & definition in the world of "Green".

Let's start with a common one these days in real estate (especially new construction): Built Green

Built Green was developed by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.  Developed in partnership with King and Snohomish counties and the city of Seattle. Through Built Green, builders can certify their homes based on features of their project, with a rating system of one to five stars.  Five stars indicating the highest level of "green" achieved.  Starting at four stars, the project must be certified by an independent party.  One to three stars are based on builder provided information.  The MBA uses checklists to help builders determine their rating or to plan for a specific rating in the design phase.

The Seattle area has many builders working within the Built Green parameters.  A great example of a builder doing it right is Greenleaf Construction.  Jim and his crew do amazing work.

Happy Earth Day.  There are many small things you can do around our home to save a few dollars and live a little more lightly.

1) Install a programmable thermostat.  A programmable thermostat prevents the furnace or heating system from running when it is not needed.  You can program the thermostat for a lower temperature while you are away from home or cuddled under your blankets at night.  Prices start at around $50.00 and are an easy do-it-yourself project.

2) Drink tap water.  Go ahead grab one of those stainless steel water bottles and fill it up.  Our tap water in the Seattle region is just fine.

3) Use eco-friendly paint.  Traditional paint options contain VOC's, volatile organic compounds, that release harmful pollutants into the air.  The options in low VOC paints are now numerous and most major paint retailers now offer them.

4) Clean the lint screen in your dryer.  The lint collects in the filter and prevents air flow in the drying process, forcing your dryer to work harder.  Clean out the lint trap and let the air flow.  It is also a safety issue, as it can be a fire hazard.

5) Fix your leaky tap.  A small drip from your leaky tap can waste 3 gallons of water a day!

A few small (and easy) changes can make a difference.