The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) last week announced that its LEED for Homes program surpassed 20,000 certified homes. The national certification system, which launched in 2008, offers guidance and verification for homes aiming for energy- and resource efficiency. The certified group runs the gamut of the residential market—single-family and multifamily, affordable and market rate. More than one-half of certified homes fall into the affordable category, and the USGBC reports that an additional 79,000 units are in the pipeline.

“There are green homes, and then there are LEED homes. This milestone is evidence that the residential market is increasingly recognizing this fact,” Nate Kredich, USGBC’s residential market development vice president, states in a release. “LEED for Homes is moving the residential market further and faster toward high-performing, healthy homes that save residents money.”

In a USGBC blog post June 13, Kredich broke down the length and capacity of each building phase:

  • 1-1,000 (pre-pilot) took 31 months, averaging 32 homes per month

  • 1,001 – 5,000 took 18 months, averaging 222 homes per month

  • 5,001 – 10,000 took 12 months, averaging 416 per month

  • 10,001 – 20,000 took 13 months, averaging 769 per month