This is the last part of the Innovation & Design Process section, and I am not yet sure if we will be getting any points. It really should be left to the end, as it fits more into the “other” category. I really like this section because it allows for variations in design and creativity. The overall intent is to give points for “additional green design and construction measures that have tangible and demonstrable benefits beyond those in the LEED for Homes Rating System.”
When we started our project, I had written down a long list of measures which I thought might qualify as “innovative” and for which we could possibly garner extra points:
- Stacked ventilation (we have an operable skylight that is the tallest part of the house, allowing hot air to escape and decreasing our need for air conditioning, which saves energy)
- Ground-source heat pump/geothermal system
- Irrigation well (rather than using Minneapolis city water)
- Shading devices (we have a cantilever shading the entire east side of the house and a trellis on the west and south sides)
- Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting (uses much less power than compact fluorescent lightbulbs)
- HEPA air filter
- Location – within one mile of many community resources, access to bicycle trails, etc.
- Low-emitting furnishings and furniture (such as blinds)
- Energy monitoring system (we have one in the kitchen that tells me how many kilowatt hours we are consuming)
So…I will leave this to the end to see if we can get additional points for what the USGBC terms “exemplary performance” in some areas or innovative design in others. Right now, I will assume we do not have any points here.