What is LEED?

In the United States, residential and commercial buildings account for nearly 40% of the nation’s CO2 emissions and 70% of its energy consumption. Employing LEED best practices in sustainability and green construction is the simplest way to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings and on average can improve energy efficiency by 25-30%. Developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED rating system is the most distinguished and widely accepted green building certification and an increasing number of builders are opting to pursue LEED Certification. It has gained international recognition in many regions such as Dubai, Chile, Brazil, Italy, India and China and even is being adopted in some local building codes in the United States. In 2011, there were over 40,000 commercial and industrial building projects that had submitted or were in the process of submitting for LEED Certification.

What is LEED Certification?

There are numerous benefits and advantages to seeking LEED Certification for a building project. LEED Certified Buildings are more energy efficient than non-certified buildings and they not only have a reduced carbon footprint but also save owners money on their energy bills.

The application for LEED building certification is evaluated by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). The GBCI was established in 2008 as a subsidiary of the USGBC and is tasked with administering LEED building certifications and professional designations within the framework of the LEED Rating System.

Rating System

The LEED rating system is based on awarding points in six different categories:

1. Sustainable Sites (26 possible points)
2. Water Efficiency (10 possible points)
3. Energy And Atmosphere (35 possible points)
4. Materials and Resources (14 possible points)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality (15 possible points)
6. Innovation in Design (6 points)

Whether or not a building gets certified depends on how many points it scores. The highest form of LEED Certification is Platinum, followed by Gold, Silver, and Certified. To obtain Platinum status, a project must obtain 80 or more points. Studies have found that buildings which achieve Platinum and Gold ratings have delivered close to 50% energy savings!

Certified: 40-49 points
Silver: 50-59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80 points and above

LEED Professional Credentials

In addition to administering and processing project applications for LEED Certification, the GBCI is also responsible for the development of the exams for the LEED Green Associate and LEED Accredited Professional designations. The LEED Green Associate Exam serves as the primer for becoming certified in any of the 5 different specialties under the LEED Accredited Professional umbrella: Building Design & Construction, Operations & Maintenance, Interior Design & Construction, Homes, and Neighborhood Development. The LEED GA and LEED AP designations are vital resources for those involved in LEED projects as their knowledge of each LEED Rating System can ensure that a project is awarded LEED Certification. To learn more about LEED Professional Certifications and LEED Exam Prep, click here.