LEED

The Home Depot Smart Home at Duke University has earned a Platinum rating in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the United States Green Building Council USGBC. LEED Platinum is widely considered to be the highest possible acheivement in green building. LEED is an opportunity for all team members on a building project to unite around the common goal of building in a more sustainable way. Duke Smart Home is a premier example of focusing team effort on sustainable building techniques.

View the LEED scorecard of the Home Depot Smart Home [Download]

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Sustainable Sites

Green Roof - A green roof (also knows as a vegetated roof) is an area of roof surface that is covered with living plant matter. In the case of the Smart Home, the green roof is populated with sedums that are low maintenance and drought resistant. The Green Roof on the Duke Smart Home was donated by American Hydrotech. Benefits of Green Roofs include:
  • Preventing Heat Gain (Urban Heat Island Effect)
  • Evaporation creates a cooling effect on building
  • Pre-filters rain water (For re-use later)
  • Buffers rain water so that it doesn’t run off-site rapidly carrying pollutants
  • Aesthetically pleasing
LEED Credits Targeted:
    SSp1 - Erosion and Sedimentation Control
    SSc1 - Site Selection
    SSc2 (LEED 2.2) - Development Density and Community Connectivity
    SSc4.1 - Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access
    SSc4.2 - Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms
    SSc4.3 (LEED 2.2)- Alternative Transportation, Low Emitting and Fuel Efficient Vehicles
    SSc4.4 - Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity
    SSc5.1 - Reduced Site Disturbance, Protect or Restore Habitat
    SSc5.2 - Reduced Site Disturbance, Development Footprint
    SSc6.1 - Storm-water Management, Treatment
    SSc7.1 - Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof
    SSc7.2 - Heat Island Effect, Roof
    SSc8 - Light Pollution Reduction

Water Efficiency

Rain Water for Irrigation - The irrigation system for the Smart Home uses 100% captured rainwater. This guarantees that no public water will ever be used to water vegetation on the Smart Home site. The rainwater is collected from roof run-off and stored in two 1000-gallon storage tanks for later use. The Rainwater collection system was donated by BRAE.

LEED Credits Targeted:
    WEc1.1 - Water Efficient Landscaping, Reduce by 50%
    WEc1.2 - Water Efficient Landscaping, No Potable Use or No Irrigation
    WEc2 - Innovative Wastewater Technologies
    WEc3.1 - Water Use Reduction, 20% Reduction
    WEc3.2 - Water Use Reduction, 30% Reduction

Energy & Atmosphere

Photovoltaic Panels - At the Smart Home, there is an array of 18, 160 watt photovoltaic panels which creates a ~3kW solar power station. The energy generated by the panels is connected to the public power grid and puts energy back onto the grid for use by the neighbors. It also reduces the total energy consumed by the Smart Home by about 30%.

LEED Credits Targeted:
    EAp1 - Fundamental Building System Commissioning
    EAp1 - Minimum Energy Performance
    EAp1 - CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment
    EAc1 - Optimize Energy Performance
    EAc2 - Renewable Energy
    EAc3 - Additional Commissioning
    EAc4 - Ozone Depletion
    EAc5 - Measurement and Verification
    EAc6 - Green Power

Materials & Resources

Construction Waste Management - All waste generated at the Smart Home site during construction is placed in a single bin for convenience. When the bin is collected, it is taken to a sorting facility where the waste is separated into disposables and recyclables. Using this process more than half of the total waste is being diverted from landfills.

LEED Credits Targeted:
    MRp1 - Storage and Collection of Recyclables
    MRc2.2 - Construction Waste Management, Divert 50%
    MRc4.1 - Recycled Content - Specify 5%
    MRc5.1 - Local/Regional Materials, 20% Manufactured Locally

Indoor Environmental Quality

Daylight and Views - Research has shown that providing daylight views to building occupants increases productivity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that having access to daylight views creates happier residents. In the Smart Home greater than 90% of locations inside the building have direct daylight views.

LEED Credits Targeted:
    EQp1 (LEED 2.2) - Minimum IAQ Performance
    EQp2 - Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
    EQc1 (LEED 2.2) - Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring
    EQc2 (LEED 2.2) - Increased Ventilation
    EQc3.1 - Construction IAQ Management Plan, During Construction
    EQc3.2 - Construction IAQ Management Plan, Before Occupancy
    EQc4.1 - Low-Emitting Materials, Adhesives and Sealants
    EQc4.2 - Low-Emitting Materials, Paints
    EQc4.3 - Low-Emitting Materials, Carpet
    EQc4.4 - Low-Emitting Materials, Composite Wood
    EQc6.1 - Controllability of Systems, Perimeter
    EQc6.2 - Controllability of Systems, Nonperimeter
    EQc7.1 (LEED 2.2) - Thermal Comfort, Design
    EQc7.2 (LEED 2.2) - Thermal Comfort, Verification
    EQc8.1 - Daylight & Views, Daylight 75% of Spaces
    EQc8.2 - Daylight & Views, Views for 90% of Spaces

Innovation & Design Process

Green Education - The Smart Home is a resource for use by the community for learning about sustainable building techniques. This website is provided as a service, and public tours are available upon request.

LEED Credits Targeted:
    IDc1.1 - Innovation in Design: Exemplary Performance WE 3.2 40% savings
    IDc1.2 - Innovation in Design: Innovative Wastewater Technologies - 0% Potable water use for sewage conveyance.
    IDc1.3 - ENERGY STAR Appliances (from LEED CI)
    IDc1.4 - Green Educational Programs: Tours of building and Informative Website
    IDc2 - LEED Accredited Professional