LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. A LEED checklist is used to track project specific prerequisites and points that were determined by the Architect to be feasibly for the project and approved for implementation by the owner.
There are different rating systems based upon the unique needs of building and project type. Each rating system uses a holistic approach and is made up of a combination of credit categories. LEED for Homes has the following categories:
- Innovation in Design Process
- Location & Linkages
- Sustainable Sites
- Water Efficiency
- Energy & Atmosphere
- Materials & Resources
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Awareness & Education
Within each of the credit categories, there are specific prerequisites that must be satisfied and a variety of credits that can be pursued to earn points. The number of points the project earns determines its level of LEED certification.
There are four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification that the project will receive. The number of points for each certification level is adjusted for smaller-than-average homes and larger-than-average homes using the Home Size Adjustment. Listed below is the point structure for Pa Ka Makani Farm.
Certified 65.5 to 80 points
Silver 80.5 to 95 points,
Gold 95.5 to 110 points
Platinum 110.5 to 136 points
Certified projects require the least points and is the easiest to achieve while Platinum requires the most points and incorporates more strategies into the project to achieve the higher level of LEED certification.