Howdy,

I sure have heard a lot about LEED recently. I keep thinking that LEED classifications pertain to the mass market materials. To be honest, it seems kinda like a good start, but if we are really talking "green" then its not even close. I must admit, that I haven't researched their merits much, and yet I have some prejudice (silly me). Does vernacular architecture (i've been using cypress lately (thumbs up)) fall within the classifications, do their codes recognize rammed earth, is embodied energy taken into account?, etc.

With the good group of people around the TFG it seems the "greenest" of homes could be built....

Nevertheless, LEED has some grasp on the control of the benefits of building "green". Is the Guild trying to enter the conversations with the powers that be on that level? Is our style of building appreciated in that realm?

LEED adds cost to the building process x tens of thousands of dollars.... whatever makes you feel good..... The higher the grade the more cash it will cost you, and that is in the implementation/design of the job, not even bring into the picture the cost of material and labor. I do think a lot of what it does is good stuff, "it just doesn't go far enough".

I think LEED is a slippery slope. It is a balancing act, weighing one thing against another and crossing, sometimes the better choice off, to appease the p.c. side of the equation.

The simpler the building process the better the building in all regards. We as people sure make things complicated.

Tim

I think a lot of us have changed our thinking over time to the practicality of efficient thermal design. Dwelling building started out that way many hundreds or thousands of years ago, and is now coming back with taking advantage of the Earth for heating and cooling and as a thermal mass, and taking the sun into account when it comes to design of facing direction, windows, eave length and height. Individual home builders are taking this more into account, big subdivision builders, much less so it would seem. But this housing bubble burst may allow the opportunity for some education so that the same type of building does not so readily come back when times get better. IF people can be educated enough so that the market demands better quality and more efficient design, it would change how many builders build. Will it happen significantly, don't know, but hope so. We'd hopefully see some better quality houses on the market rather than the match stick Vinyl covered throw away houses that they've build like crazy in my town. These houses are going to be pretty run down in 30 years I think, and no one will want to invest any money in them. Just an opinion.

30 years sound just about right......

http://www.owenscorning.com/leed/pdfs/LEED_vinylsiding.pdf

....and the mortgage is just paid off or you moved and sold it to someone else. A 'dead pledge'. This is the same base for the Mortice, a rectangular, coffin shaped hole. So, as you take out a 30 year mortgage does the note become dead or does the building die at the end of the 30 year process?

How many other LEED products come with a 30 year life cycle?

Clay and wood can be attained within 500 feet of some buildings and will recycle back into resources with in moments.

How many points do you get for using clay? 7 or 8

http://www.examiner.com/x-43343-Energy-Policy-Examiner~y2010m5d31-American-clay-earth-plaster-gains-popularity-in-green-building-projects

Tim

Here is a another link to leed and clay points

http://www.americanclay.com/leed

From vinyl siding to clay you can find material that fits into LEED certification. Is there products that do not fall into the certification or comes with very small points? They all add up to the 90-129 points needed. It now becomes a juggling act to find the products with more points. So, if you build a very simple building with very few products you will not reach the grade needed to certify. Is that a problem? If so, go out and purchase more products and systems to reach the grade.

Tim

I agree with Brad. These match stick vinyl houses here in my neck of the woods frequently get bulldozed and landfilled after only a few decades of life. Couldn't be any LESS green than that! They just don't have any appeal. I call them pho-houses. Half of the materials are pho - trying to mimic "real" materials. Yuck.

after looking into LEED in hopes it would allow me to build "outside of the box" ie. the REMOTE wall system I was having a hard time getting approved, it appears the whole idea is another "carbon credit" scheme for corporations to pat eachothers backs and brag about their LEED scores....

looks like more people are starting to see through the smoke screen....

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blog...-way-litigation

Raff, you really rock my world! And yes, you should be comensated for the work you've done. It's a good system you're using, and I support you 100%.

hey Dave....that's what she said...

support of a timberframer = 200 LEED points