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What is LEED?
| LEED Certification |  |
| The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has established a certification process known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental design (LEED). This is the most prominent current measure of "greenness" for building design, renovations, and operations and maintenance. | |
| The most common categories of LEED certification are: New Construction, Commercial Interiors, and Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance. Within these categories, there are four levels defined by the number of credits- Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. A new building project could obtain, for example, a LEED Silver certification if 40 credits were obtained (under LEED version 2.2). | |
| So how do you obtain these credits? The project is evaluated in terms of six types of design considerations as defined by the LEED submission forms- Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation and Design Process. Some credits are required or prerequisites, while others are dependent on certain design decisions. | |
| The LEED certification process is changing in 2009. According to the USGBC there will be greater emphasis on Energy and Atmosphere (energy conservation). The submission and review process will be streamlined to expedite certification. | |
Do you need LEED consulting?
