What is LEED®? What makes a building green?
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system was created to answer that question. It’s a nationally accepted benchmark for high performance green buildings that’s administered by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council.
The LEED system establishes standards that measure how green a building is. Different versions of the system apply to different types of construction, but all versions look at five major areas of performance:
- Sustainable site development
- Water savings
- Energy efficiency
- Materials selection
- Indoor environmental quality
The LEED system scores a building’s performance by awarding points for meeting detailed LEED standards. Based on the number of points a building earns, it can be awarded certification at one of four ratings:
- Certified
- Gold
- Silver
- Platinum (highest rating)
The first step to a LEED rating for a building is registering the project with the U.S. Green Building Council.
Click here to learn more about how to get started with a LEED certification project.
Click here to find LEED education and training.
The U.S. Green Building Council has also created a system for certifying knowledgeable building industry professionals as LEED-accredited professionals.
Click here to learn more about how to become a LEED-accredited professional. |
