Distinctly Montana Magazine

MIKE TUSS AND ANYA FIECHTL All LEED rating systems encourage but don’t dictate products and materials such as low VOC paints, recycled content materials, and regional materials (harvested and manufactured within 500 miles of the proj- ect site)...Low VOC products and materials are important for occupant health and well-being. Other materials such as recycled content carpet, concrete countertops, bamboo flooring, re-purposed doors and furniture are not only good for the environment, but they are great ways to make the green building story come to life. People light up when they interact with these exposed materials, which serve as a reminder of the values embodied by that building. 5WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE MOST SIGNIFI- CANT BENEFITS OF LEED CERTIFICATION? LT_BlackBox_DistinctlyMontana_Qtr_final.pdf 10/19/10 4:34:12 PM Discover the Beauty, Convenience and Energy Savings of Lighting Control. User-Friendly and Sophisticated Whole-House Lighting Control C M Y CM MY CY CMY K TODD THESING AND ROB MCRAE Both homeowners and business owners can take advantage of significant tax incentives at the Federal level, as well as potential higher resale values and recognition from peers. We have found that the cus- tom high-end LEED homes we have built only cost 3-6% more at the construction end and operate 50-60% more efficiently. 204 West Third Ave. Big Timber, MT 59011 Experience Lighting Control at LiteTouch.com 406-932-5400 · www.5400.tv BRILLIANT SOLUTIONS IN LIGHTING CONTROL 72 ® KATH WILLIAMS LEED projects do not have to cost more than a conventional project. There is plenty of documentation 6WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INCENTIVES FOR ABOUT ADDITIONAL BUILDING COSTS AND HOW THEY ARE OFFSET BY OPERATIONAL AND MAIN- TENANCE SAVINGS OVER TIME? DOUG AVERILL Pride of doing it right. Long term cost savings. Higher resale. HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS? HOW KATH WILLIAMS: Going for LEED certification creates a tangi- ble, unifying opportunity for the owner and team because it sets a measureable goal. Recognition of leadership and a job “well done” is an extremely important benefit. An often-overlooked benefit is that LEED requires extensive documentation to prove the team did what they said they did. This documentation puts into the owner’s hands the complete story and details of the building or home. In the future, i.e. for operations and maintenance questions, all of the information on design, products, installation, etc. is in one place. Very few building owners have that in their hands at the end of their conventional project. DOUG AVERILL Reaching any level of LEED confirms that your structure has been highly scrutinized to be the best of everything, from materials, to craftsmanship, to thermal efficiency, to minimal lighting and more. A LEED home is highly energy-efficient, which will not only save on monthly energy bills, but also bring a higher resale value. LEED homes are particularly appealing to people with al- lergies. DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SUMMER 2011

• Cover