Lara Swimmer
Project Details Name: Ellis Residence, Bainbridge Island, Was…
LEED for Homes Summary
Everything about the Ellis Residence was geared to achieve a LEED-Platinum rating, the first in the state outside of Seattle. Per the pilot version of the LEED for Homes rating system, here’s how the house scored:
LEED for Homes Rating: Platinum
Awarded: June 2010
Points Achieved: 100 out of 136
Certified: 52.5 – 67 Silver: 67.5 – 82 Gold: 82.5 – 97 Platinum: 97.5+
Innovation & Design Process (ID)
Points Achieved: 5 out of 11
The project earned three points for third-party durability management verification, as well as credits for an integrated project team and conducting a design charette.
Location & Linkages (LL)
Points Achieved: 8 out of 10
Using a previously developed infill site and reusing existing mechanical service infrastructure earned the bulk of these credits.
Sustainable Sites (SS):
Points Achieved: 16.5 out of 22
The team was careful to limit site disturbance while also reducing turf exposure and installing a landscape plan featuring native plants, permeable paving, and a water-saving irrigation system, among other features.
Water Efficiency (WE):
Points Achieved: 10 out of 15
A rainwater harvesting system garnered three credits alone, while a high-efficiency irrigation system and a slew of water-saving plumbing fixtures and fittings corralled the rest.
Energy & Atmosphere (EA):
Points Achieved: 27.5 out of 38
Exceptional energy performance per a well-insulated and airtight shell, passive solar design, geothermal heating and cooling, a 4-kW PV array that offsets a third of the grid-supplied power, solar water heating, and other features combined to earn these points.
Materials & Resources (MR):
Points Achieved: 12 out of 16
The team specified nearly all of the wood, including framing materials, to be FSC certified and optimized their use to reduce construction waste; environmentally preferred products dominated the spec sheet.
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ):
Points Achieved: 19 out of 21
Enhanced fresh-air and exhaust ventilation, including best-in-class filtration, were third-party verified and performance tested; pollutant control measures during construction and before occupancy and a detached garage also earned credits.
Awareness & Education (AE)
Points Achieved: 2 out of 3
The project team and owners conducted several open houses during construction to build public awareness, while members of the design team became certified in green building and management.