We welcome you back to Regentview, the contemporary home tucked away in the forested Memorial area of Houston. With clients who fully embrace color and love mid-century design, this project bridges the gap between comfort and functionality.

Another great part about this home is that the homeowners sought LEED certification during the build. LEED certification for homes is no easy task. The certification is based on a point system and it takes a committed team to satisfy each requirement. The team has to make sure every element fits soundly and beautifully. Today, we’re taking a dive into what LEED certification means for residential structures and for Regentview.

Regentview Interior Design Team

Whether it’s a renovation or a furnishings project, a dream team of designers is involved in every step of the process. Here are the creative minds behind this colorful, mid-century inspired home.

• Laura: Creative Director who oversees every design
• Leticia: Principal Designer who guides each project
• Blair and Lexie: Senior and Lead Designers who manage the conceptualization, sourcing, and project installation

Frankel Building Group

Our clients worked with Frankel Building Group on this new construction project. Family owned and operated, Frankel is a full-service custom design-build firm based in Houston. They’re dedicated to building residences that are more energy-efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

Since 2010, they’ve been building all their homes according to LEED for Home standards. Over the years, Frankel Building Group has certified over 125 homes and won several LEED for Homes awards. Their expertise in building LEED homes allows them to help clients select the right products and design for their home.

TruStile Doors

One of the important parts about LEED certification is finding the right products to bring into the design. After using TruStile Doors in my own home, I knew their beauty and durability would make them a perfect fit for our client’s home. They fulfill LEED requirements and are the perfect of blend modern technology and old world craftsmanship. We worked with TruStile Doors for all the interior doors of the home.

Process: LEED Certification for Residential Homes

Designing a sustainable, energy efficient home is something that matters deeply to our mid-century loving clients. Our mission is to design beautiful legacies for our clients, so we love when clients bring us on at beginning of construction. This allows us to assist with making build selections that directly impact the design. Since this was a new construction home, we worked with the build team to ensure our client’s sustainable design preferences were incorporated.

What is a LEED certified home?

LEED, known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building program. Our homes are one of the most important buildings in our lives. LEED certifications for homes is designed to build cleaner, healthier homes for all generations to enjoy.

This certification program encompasses numerous levels and ratings to recognize superior green buildings strategies in residential and commercial buildings. The system is flexible to encourage more environmentally friendly development projects with smaller carbon footprints.

How is a LEED home different from a green home?

Green homes focus on one particular aspect like heating and cooling or energy efficient appliances. LEED homes are all encompassing. They’re green from top to bottom. To acquire a LEED certification, your home is put through a set of rigorous tests. Achieving LEED status is the best there is and means your home meets the toughest standards.

LEED Rating System

There are four certification levels in the LEED rating system – Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Using this LEED for homes checklist, your home earns points for items. The number of points you get is equal to the certification level of your home. Our clients chose to pursue a LEED Gold certification. Here are a few items we focused on during the build phase.

Exceptional Windows

Windows and doors are two common places in a home that experience energy loss. LEED homes are sealed and insulated from top to bottom. In our client’s home, we chose exceptional windows that allow plenty of natural light in without sacrificing the home’s energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR Lighting

ENERGY STAR lighting uses less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. These balloon inspired light fixtures in our client’s entry way add an unexpected touch of color and create beautiful patterns of light. The mid-century inspired lighting throughout the home is modern and makes a beautiful partner to the wood and stone elements in the design.

Efficient Appliances

From the faucets to the kitchen appliances, energy efficient appliances can be found throughout our client’s home. They use less water and energy, without sacrificing the style.

The Construction Begins

Frankel Building Group is an expert in designing LEED homes. The Laura U design team worked closely with them to select products and finishes that aligned with our client’s design preferences and LEED standards. Together, we developed a comprehensive finish schedule to ensure a seamless transition from design to construction.

One thing we didn’t plan for was the arrival of an unexpected visitor to the site. Out of the blue one day a peacock showed up! In Feng Shui, peacocks symbolize love, success, and prosperity in the home. I think the peacock’s arrival was an indication of how beautifully nature and design would come together in our client’s home.

The Big Reveal

I can’t wait to share more details about how everything came together in this luxurious, sustainably designed home. Stay tuned for the full reveal!