LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Created in 1998 by the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is used in the United-States and 30 other countries. It is a Green Buiding rating system, for which any building who wants to obtain the certification must be evaluated according to different key areas.

What is LEED?

This internationally recognized green building certification system was created in order to define the term "Green Building" thanks to measureable standards. Evidently, if the expression "green building" remained undefined, any building could simply identify themselves as being green all the while not making any profitable changes for the environment. Therefore, the certification is attributed on a 100 point base with 4 level possible qualifications. This allows building to determine how much greener they actually are in comparison to others.

With LEED, USGBC intends to recognize and promote leadership for sustainable building design practices. In consequence, green competition is stimulated and the building market is transformed by the increased consumer awareness of green building benefits for people and the environment. The USGBC offers an online directory of certified projects you can look up for free. It is always interesting to surf through and see the amazing green buildings that exist around us.

What are the Advantages?

The buildings obtaining the LEED certification use less energy than code required. This results in lower long term costs for occupants in terms of utility costs. The initial project development and construction expenses are usually higher than normal buildings but the savings linked to the optimized usage of resources allows the costs to be alleviates over time. Depending on the country, LEED certification may permit the building to qualify for a variety of governmental incentives.

The occupants will also benefit from living or working in a LEED certified building. The indoor environmental quality is also taken into consideration in the ratings which helps create a healthier environment for people. Better air quality ventilation, low-emitting materials, thermal comfort and daylight optimization result in safe living quarters. This can even create productivity gains in the case of commercial buildings.

What does LEED Measures?:

Sustainability of the Building Site

The credits are attributed according to various standards. Is there access to alternative transportation such as public transportation, bicycle storage and changing rooms, efficient vehicles and parking capacity? Is there a storm water retaining design or heat island effect reduction process?

Water Efficiency

There is a prerequisite of water use reduction. The obtainable credits revolve around water efficient landscaping and wastewater technologies.

Energy and Atmosphere

Optimization of energy performances and the methods of measurement and verification are obviously quite important. One of the critiques of the LEED certification is that there aren’t sufficient credits attributed to on-site renewable energy and green power.

Materials and Resources

The credits are attributed to the reuse of building parts when constructing, the construction waste management, reuse and recycling of the materials. There are also credits accorded to using regional materials, rapidly renewable materials as well as wood from sustainably grown forests.

Indoor Environmental Quality

As mentioned above, the increased ventilation, the use of low emitting materials, thermal comfort and daylight optimization make LEED certified buildings healthier places for us. The materials for paints, flooring and sealants are all considered. There is also a credit attributed to an indoor chemical and pollutant source control.

Innovation in Design and Regional Priority

These are all extra credits a building can obtain. It gives points for an innovative design, the implication of a LEED accredited professional and the consideration of a regional priority.

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

What is LEED?

What are the Advantages?

What does LEED Measures?:

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