Green Building 101: What is LEED?

You might have seen the acronym LEED used in reference to some of the world’s greenest buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a program of guidelines and standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The program is widely accepted as a benchmark for high-performance buildings, buildings that excel in energy-efficiency, resource conservation, sustainable materials and healthy indoor environmental quality.

LEED provides independent, third-party certification of buildings at different qualifying levels. The program also provides accreditation for professional designation of individuals who have proven comprehension and understanding of LEED principles.

The program covers many aspects of the construction industry including new construction, major renovations, existing buildings, commercial interiors, schools and healthcare among other segments.

LEED promotes integrated design or whole-building approach in five areas related to human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The standards and building certification process are rigorous. Some professionals argue that the program may be too stringent but the LEED program has had a tremendous positive impact on the industry and standardized many aspects of high-performance building.

The USGBC has just launched a wonderful redesign of their website which is now even more user-friendly. You can learn more about LEED at USGBC.

Recent highlights on LEED

• First LEED Platinum Carbon Neutral Building
• HOK’s LEED Gold-certified Straw Bale Building