| What is LEED Certification? | | | | category. Other categories focus on how resources, |
| According to the USGBC, buildings in the United | | | | such as water and energy will be used throughout |
| States are responsible for consuming a significant | | | | the life of the building, recycled and sustainable |
| portion of our total electricity use at 72%. Buildings | | | | products used in construction, and indoor air quality. |
| also use 39% of our total energy and 30% of our | | | | From the start of the project building owners, |
| total waste is from buildings. To reduce the use of | | | | designers, and contractors work together to design a |
| natural resources by buildings, the nonprofit U.S. | | | | structure that will meet the LEED criteria. To start |
| Green Building Council (USGBC) has created an | | | | the certification process, projects are registered and |
| international standard to rate just how green a new | | | | then an extensive application is completed. Meeting |
| or renovated building is. Through the USGBC's | | | | the LEED criteria, from the design phase to the |
| Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) | | | | finished building, is an involved process. Many |
| rating system, most any building built with sustainable | | | | businesses now have staff members that are |
| designs and practices, from schools to large scale | | | | credentialed as LEED professionals to help guide and |
| commercial buildings, can become LEED certified. This | | | | give advice on the project. For final LEED certification, |
| LEED certification process helps developers implement | | | | buildings are given points in each of the nine |
| sustainable building practices as a standard business | | | | categories. Buildings must earn a minimum of 40 (out |
| practice. It is a process is that it takes a holistic | | | | of 100) points to become LEED certified. Buildings |
| approach to address many of environmental issues | | | | that score more points can earn silver, gold or |
| that come with development, without stopping | | | | platinum certification. |
| growth and development. | | | | LEED Impact |
| LEED Certification Process | | | | In a study conducted at the University of San Diego |
| To meet some of the basic requirements for LEED | | | | on green office buildings, of which LEED certified |
| certification the construction of, and the building itself | | | | buildings were included, businesses reported |
| must use water and energy efficiently, and have | | | | improvements to their business as a result of going |
| minimal impact on the local environmental. There are a | | | | green. Employees took fewer sick days than before |
| total of nine categories that buildings are rated in to | | | | the move to a green building, and were overall more |
| achieve LEED certification. The first category | | | | productive in their work. The study also showed that |
| "sustainable sites" grades buildings based on their | | | | green buildings have higher rent values and a lower |
| location, previously developed land is ideal. Locating | | | | vacancy rate than non-green buildings. This is |
| the building close to mass transit to reduce | | | | encouraging news that shows programs such as |
| transportation pollution, reducing pollution during | | | | LEED that standardize green building can, and do |
| construction, and using natural and native landscaping | | | | have a positive impact, not just for the environment |
| are also encouraged through the sustainable sites | | | | but for people and businesses as well. |