Did you know that there are several organizations that
have rating systems in place for green heating? Yes, it can get a bit
confusing. I was happy to receive an article in my in-box that defined the
differences between them. Here’s a recap for you:
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program was created by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which is committed to expanding sustainable building practices. Hearth products must not adversely affect indoor air quality to be approved for a LEED green building.
The REGREEN Residential Remodeling Guidelines were created by a partnership with the American Society of Interior Designers’ Foundation and the USGBC to develop best practice guidelines. REGREEN’s heat distribution option calls for space heaters, including hearth products, to heat additions, as opposed to running additional duct from a central heating system, which if run, could affect indoor air quality.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cleaner Burning Wood Stoves and Fireplaces is the joint effort of the U.S. EPA and the hearth industry to educate consumers on clean burning gas, wood and pellet hearth appliances to heat their homes. The modern EPA-certified wood stoves, fireplaces and pellet stoves greatly reduce indoor and outdoor emissions.
The Energy Star program. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that verifies and designates which products meet their strict energy efficient guidelines. Many hearth products meet these guidelines.
The article goes on to note that a hearth appliance that burns without impacting indoor air quality and is vented to the outside will keep the “green” label on a green-built home. “In addition to meeting LEED and REGREEN Indoor Environmental Quality standards, today’s hearth appliances also burn more efficiently, reducing the toll on natural fuel sources, heating budgets and the outdoor environments.”
Rich’s for the Home believes like you do. Making a greener world is important and they have been involved since the beginning to help us all burn cleaner and better. Learn more about Rich’s today.
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