LEED AP Homes key terms

A voluntary green building certification framework that scores single-family and multifamily residential projects across categories such as location, water, energy, materials, and indoor air quality, awarding points toward Certified through Platinum levels.

The grouped sections of the rating system, including integrative process, location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation, each containing prerequisites and credits.

A prerequisite is a mandatory requirement a project must satisfy to be eligible for certification at any level, while a credit is optional and earns points that raise the project's total score.

The point totals that separate the four award tiers, commonly Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, expressed as a percentage of available points so the cutoffs scale with the rating system version.

A collaborative early-design approach in which the owner, architect, contractor, and trades set performance targets together before drawings are fixed, allowing systems to be optimized as a whole rather than piecemeal.

The baseline eligibility conditions a project must meet before it can register, covering permanent location, reasonable site boundaries, compliance with environmental laws, and minimum floor area.

The step in which a project team creates the project record in the online platform, selects the rating system and version, and gains access to credit templates and documentation uploads.

The quality-control phase in which a reviewer verifies submitted documentation against credit requirements, may request clarifications, and ultimately issues the awarded point total.

The evidence submitted for each credit, such as invoices, photographs, calculations, signed declarations, or test reports, filed in the project record to demonstrate that a requirement was met.

An organization authorized to deliver verification services for residential projects, including reviewing documentation and performing on-site inspections on behalf of the certification body.

A trained professional who conducts the on-site verification of a registered home, confirming insulation, duct sealing, ventilation, and other installed conditions match what the project team documented.

A systematic process of verifying that building systems and equipment are installed and perform according to the owner's requirements, including testing, adjusting, and documenting results before occupancy.

A calculation that predicts annual energy use by simulating envelope, equipment, and occupancy inputs, used to show percentage improvement over a baseline home of comparable size and configuration.

A standardized score from a residential energy rating where 100 represents a reference new home and lower numbers indicate greater efficiency, with zero meaning net-zero annual energy consumption.

The boundary separating conditioned interior space from outdoors, comprising walls, roof, foundation, windows, and doors, whose airtightness and insulation largely determine heating and cooling loads.

The practice of closing gaps, cracks, and penetrations in the envelope with sealant, foam, or gaskets to reduce uncontrolled infiltration, improve comfort, and lower space-conditioning energy use.

A diagnostic measurement that depressurizes a home with a calibrated fan to quantify air leakage, commonly reported in air changes per hour at a specified pressure difference.

A pressure test of the forced-air distribution system that measures how much conditioned air escapes through joints and seams, expressed as a percentage of system airflow.

The ratio of useful heating or cooling delivered to energy consumed, expressed through metrics such as seasonal efficiency ratings, and improved by right-sizing equipment and sealing distribution systems.

Selection and handling of refrigerants to minimize ozone-depleting and high-global-warming substances, including avoiding certain compounds and ensuring leak-free installation and recovery during service.

Points earned for on-site production such as solar photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, or for approved off-site procurement, measured as a share of the home's total annual energy use.

A plumbing product independently certified to meet federal maximum flow or flush thresholds, such as low-flow showerheads, faucets, and high-efficiency toilets, used to earn indoor water efficiency points.

A percentage decrease in potable water consumed by fixtures and appliances relative to a calculated baseline, achieved through efficient fixtures, appliance selection, and leak-free distribution.

Planting species naturally suited to the local climate and soils so they thrive on rainfall alone after establishment, reducing or eliminating the need for permanent irrigation.

Delivery systems and controls, such as drip lines, pressure regulation, and weather-based controllers, that apply only the water plants need and minimize evaporation and runoff.

Collection and storage of roof runoff in cisterns or barrels for later irrigation or approved nonpotable uses, reducing demand on municipal supply and stormwater discharge.

Design strategies that slow, infiltrate, or detain rainfall on site, such as permeable paving, rain gardens, and swales, limiting erosion and pollution reaching waterways.

Localized warming caused by dark, hard surfaces absorbing solar radiation, mitigated in residential projects by reflective or pervious paving, tree canopy, and vegetated roofs.

Choosing a building parcel to avoid sensitive habitats, floodplains, and prime farmland while favoring previously developed land with existing infrastructure and services.

Concentrating homes at higher density near destinations and transit so residents can walk, bike, or ride instead of driving, reducing transportation energy and infrastructure length.

A location attribute measured by the walking distance from the home entrance to quality public transportation, rewarding projects that give residents practical alternatives to private vehicles.

A neighborhood pattern with connected streets, sidewalks, and nearby daily destinations that makes pedestrian travel safe and convenient for residents of varied ages and abilities.

Reuse of land previously occupied by industrial or commercial uses where contamination or perceived contamination has discouraged development, requiring cleanup and often enabling infill housing.

Building on vacant or underused parcels inside existing neighborhoods, leveraging established streets, utilities, and services rather than extending infrastructure into undeveloped land.

A landscaping rule prohibiting plants known to displace native vegetation in the region, protecting local ecosystems and reducing long-term maintenance and irrigation needs.

Diverting debris from landfill through sorting, recycling, and reuse, tracked by weight or volume against a total generated baseline and documented with hauler receipts.

The proportion of a product's mass made from post-consumer and pre-consumer recovered material, used to compare material specifications and support credit claims.

Purchasing materials extracted, harvested, or manufactured within a defined distance of the project, which shortens transport and supports regional economies.

Products chosen for long service life and low maintenance, such as fiber-cement siding or metal roofing, reducing replacement cycles and the associated resource consumption over a home's life.

Products such as paints, sealants, adhesives, and flooring that meet strict limits on volatile organic compound content, protecting indoor air quality after installation.

Deliberate supply and exhaust of outdoor air to dilute indoor pollutants and control moisture, with residential designs typically meeting a mechanical outdoor air rate based on occupancy and floor area.

Post-construction measurement of contaminants such as formaldehyde, particulates, or total volatile organic compounds to confirm the completed home meets specified concentration thresholds before occupancy.

Removal of combustion byproducts from fuel-burning appliances through sealed, direct-vent, or power-vented systems so flue gases cannot enter conditioned living space.

Installation of alarms near sleeping areas and fuel-burning equipment to warn occupants of dangerous carbon monoxide accumulation from appliances or attached garages.

Designating the entire home and common areas as smoke-free, or sealing and exhausting designated smoking rooms, to prevent secondhand smoke migration into living units.

Detailing of drainage planes, flashing, grading, and vapor control so bulk water and humidity do not accumulate in assemblies, preventing mold and protecting indoor air quality.