LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ was developed by the US Green Building Council and is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED is an independent, third-party certification system that works through committees representing a broad cross-section of the building industry.
The LEED rating systems suggest improvements in five areas — sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. Builders and owners choose which strategies to include. After the buildings are completed and reviewed by a third-party LEED expert, projects are awarded points in these categories. Depending on the number of points, a building can be certified at one of four levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Effective January 2007, the US Green Building Council will rebate certification fees for all buildings that achieve LEED Platinum in recognition of their contribution toward significant carbon dioxide emission reductions.
LEED programs for commercial buildings include:
- New Commercial Construction and Major Renovation projects
- Core and Shell Development projects
- Commercial Interiors projects
- Existing Building Operations and Maintenance
LEED Application Guidelines include:
- Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects
- LEED for Schools
- LEED for Retail
Products under development include:
- LEED for Health Care
- LEED for Labs
Green Guide for Health Care is a self-certifying best practices guide for healthy and sustainable building design, construction, and operations for the healthcare industry. The initiative was sponsored by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the Merck Family Fund.
The Green Guide for Health Care Steering Committee worked closely with the US Green Building Council. By agreement, the guide borrows the credit numbering scheme and structure of LEED—with some modifications that specifically address the challenges of health care facilities. Green Guide is working with the US Green Building Council to develop LEED for Health Care.
Labs for the 21st Century (Labs21) is co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to encourage development of high-performance, green laboratories. Labs21 is not a standard, but rather a tool kit that offers design guidance and best practices, education and training, tools and resources, and case studies. (The US Green Building Council is currently working with industry partners to develop LEED for Labs to provide an industry standard for laboratory buildings.)
Green Schools is a campaign launched by the US Green Building Council to provide an online resource to support development of green schools. In addition, the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities lists federal, state and local green schools initiatives and resources, including the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol, and Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide.
