May 17 2008
Deltec Homes recently announced the completion of a LEED Platinum Home, achieving the highest possible certification from the LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System administered by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
The home was constructed from foundation to finish in 106 hours for the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. One of only 25 Platinum certified homes nationwide, the home also achieved the Gold level awarded by the National Home Builder's Association Green Building Program. Celebrating 40 years of building sustainable, wind resistant, circular homes, Deltec is the first home builder to receive top ranking by both programs.
The construction of the award-winning home was featured on ABC Network's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on May 18. Deltec led a volunteer team of 17 builders from across the country to build a wind resistant home for a New Orleans family whose house was severely damaged twice-first by Katrina, then by a tornado that devastated their neighborhood. The first LEED certified home in Louisiana and the first green certified, hurricane resistant home for Extreme Makeover, the Deltec home was completed in only four days.
USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi presented the LEED Platinum award to the homeowner and building team with high praise for the unprecedented accomplishment.
"The collaborative effort required to create this home is to be commended," said Fedrizzi. "With their leadership and commitment to best practices in green building, Deltec is at the national forefront in the industry, setting an example for us all to reduce our environmental footprint, cut our energy bills, and come home to a healthier place to live."
The LEED certification system is a third party, consensus-based national program for green building. Both LEED and NAHB programs promote a comprehensive, integrated approach to sustainability by recognizing and rating performance in key areas including site selection and development, energy and water efficiency, materials selection, resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and homeowner education. Deltec earned points in all categories to create an environmentally responsible, healthy home.
Deltec's Green Building Coordinator Steve Linton was on site for the duration of the project. "The LEED Platinum project sets the standard for the next generation of homebuilding. The Deltec design was able to provide another dimension to the project, one of safety," said Linton.
Deltec has been providing hurricane resistant eco-friendly homes since 1968. After forty years in the homebuilding business, Deltec has never lost a home to high winds. Eight Deltec homes were in the direct path of Katrina and none suffered any structural damage according to Linton.
Deltec's in-house green building department offers resources and education designed to help customers achieve the desired level of sustainability. As a testament to their dedication to best practices, Deltec uses 100% renewable energy to produce the structural components of its homes, and ships them directly to the job site where they are assembled and finished by local labor. Each home is specifically designed and engineered to meet or exceed the local codes where it is shipped.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is in its 5th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.