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Pennrose Properties LLC is committed to building green homes. A green home is designed to be energy efficient and environmentally responsible. The construction of green homes can have enormous benefits for the environment, as well as for occupants. This is particularly true in New Jersey, where the average household energy expenditure is among the highest in the country. New Jersey households spend on average $3,065 annually on residential energy bills. See http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/2009/state_briefs/pdf/nj.pdf for more information.

Rush Crossing Apartments are green homes and are built to LEED for Homes standards. LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). To be certified under the LEED for Homes program, a home must:

Include several required green measures (“prerequisites”) (e.g., achieve energy efficiency at least 15%better than conventional homes), and
Include many additional green measures. These are chosen by the builder from a variety of optional measures (“credits”) to earn points. A project must earn a minimum number of points to achieve certification.

The program includes several additional requirements such as verification by a LEED for Homes Green Rater. The LEED for Homes Green Rater is not associated with the project team (i.e., this person is a “third-party”) and he or she has training in verifying green homes. In the verification process, the LEED for Homes Green Rater confirms that:

All of the required green measures are installed in the home (by visual inspection), and
The performance level of the home meets the program requirements (by physical testing of the home’s air leakage, duct leakage, etc.).

LEED-Certified homes are:

Built to be energy-efficient, ensuring that the home can be comfortably heated and cooled with minimal energy usage;
Individually tested to minimize envelope and ductwork leakage;
Designed to minimize indoor and outdoor water usage;
Predicted to use an estimated 30 to 60% less energy than a comparable home built to International Energy Conservation Code.

LEED for Homes projects must also meet ENERGY STAR for Homes, which can cut energy bills significantly.

LEED-certified homes are also healthier for occupants because they must have proper ventilation, high efficiency air filters, and other measures to reduce mold and mildew.

For more information on the LEED for Homes program, go to: www.usgbc.org/LEED/homes

For more information about Pennrose’s commitment to sustainability, go to: http://pennrose.com/development/building-green/