Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) provides a framework for identifying and implementing measurable green building design and construction solutions. LEED-certified homes are energy efficient, water smart and use nontoxic building materials.
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. To earn the ENERGY STAR rating, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are up to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes.
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) to measure energy efficiency. The lower the index number, the more efficient the home.
