| LEED Legislation throughout the U.S. | | | | gold certification in December 2009. The recently |
| In just over ten years since its inception, the U.S. | | | | opened California Academy of Sciences received the |
| Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy | | | | highest LEED certification rating of platinum, laying |
| and Environmental Design (LEED) green building | | | | claim to being the world's "greenest" and "most |
| certification program has brought changes to the | | | | sustainable museum." |
| way local and federal governments implement and | | | | Although San Francisco has some notable LEED |
| regulate building development and renovation | | | | buildings, it is not the only city using LEED certification |
| projects. Buildings that are designed and built, or | | | | to create greener and more sustainable city buildings. |
| renovated to obtain LEED designation go beyond just | | | | Cities around the country are using mandates and |
| being energy efficient. LEED certified buildings | | | | incentives as part of local legislation on LEED. |
| incorporate sustainable building techniques and | | | | Huntington, Long Island now offers a partial refund |
| materials from the start of the project, with the site | | | | on the builder's fees once the building's LEED |
| location and use of recycled materials in construction, | | | | certification becomes final. The refund is 80% of the |
| to the lifelong impact of the building on the local | | | | builder's fees paid to the city. In Cincinnati, home |
| environment. LEED certification is becoming a | | | | owners can get a 15 year property tax reprieve if |
| standard in green building that not only creates | | | | their home is LEED certified. Seattle, Scottsdale, |
| sustainable development, but also saves on costs for | | | | Houston, Boston, Atlanta, and dozens of other cities |
| the life of that building. It is for these reasons that | | | | across the country have enacted various legislative |
| there is now active legislation throughout the country | | | | mandates requiring that city buildings and projects |
| to promote and mandate LEED certification buildings. | | | | meet certain levels of LEED certification. |
| It may comes as no surprise that San Francisco was | | | | State governments are also recognizing the value of |
| one of the first cities to mandate that certain building | | | | LEED legislation. In California all new state buildings |
| projects be LEED certified. All city building projects | | | | larger than 10,000 square feet must now be built to |
| must obtain a minimum of a silver level of LEED | | | | a LEED silver. Michigan and several other states have |
| certification. To encourage private builders to work | | | | similar requirements for their state funded buildings. |
| towards LEED the city gives the permit applications | | | | LEED buildings in Nevada are exempt from local |
| for green building projects priority and faster | | | | taxes. The push towards green building and LEED by |
| processing. As a result San Francisco now has several | | | | states and local governments shows that this is a |
| large scale green buildings to be proud of. The city's | | | | green trend that is becoming a standard building |
| famous Transamerica building just received a LEED | | | | construction and land development practice. |