Research and Development for Original Work:

After designing the inside of my house and all of the basic necessities of a home. I began to focus on the more important portion of a LEED home which is the actual environmentally friendly devices. I began with the most obvious which is solar panels, although they are a big expense, with enough of them you could go complexly off the grid and pay them back in about 10 to 15 years. After this point thought I needed to start researching other possible appliances that will raise my LEED score. One of the first things I found are the many different topics that need to be kept in mind when looking for certification, these include Integrative Thinking, Energy, Water, Waste, Materials, Location & Transportation, Sustainable sites, Health & Human, Experience, Regional Impacts, Innovation, and Global, Regional, Local Context. All of these topics sound difficult to execute some come hand in hand. Some of these possible methods include energy-efficient lighting, an energy management and control system (EMCS), smart HVAC system, low-consumption water appliances, thermal energy storage, a highly insulated facade, and a rainwater harvesting system. I also plan to install natural ventilation which may negatively affect the insulation but this will be seen later.