Home Depot Foundation Awards Grant to Develop LEED

Washington, D.C., June 22--The Home Depot Foundation has named the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a recipient of a $375,000 grant to help with the development of the LEED for Homes (LEED-H) Rating System. The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes Rating System is a voluntary initiative promoting the transformation of the mainstream home building industry toward more environmentally sound practices. The rating system will provide a much-needed tool for home builders, homeowners and local governments for building healthy and resource-efficient places to live. The grant supports the development of the LEED for Homes Rating System with a special Initiative for Affordable Housing that will include a reference manual; pilot demonstration of LEED for Homes in six markets; and new affordable housing training sessions at the Greenbuild International Conference and Exposition, an annual conference organized by the USGBC, to be held in Atlanta this November. "The Home Depot Foundation’s support will make it possible to fully engage the affordable housing community in the development of LEED for Homes," said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president, CEO & founding chair. "The grant will also help position the LEED for Homes Rating System as the nationally recognized standard for all types of homes at every price point." The grant also includes a venue at the Greenbuild International Conference to announce The Home Depot Foundation's inaugural Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly program. This awards program seeks to identify, recognize and showcase the outstanding work of nonprofit housing developers who have successfully combined affordability with healthy, sustainable measures in the design and construction of housing. "The Home Depot Foundation is extremely pleased to have entered into a national partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council to develop LEED for Homes. The need for a nationally recognized standard in environmentally sound and healthy home construction is critically important," said Kelly Caffarelli, executive director, The Home Depot Foundation.

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