LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System was developed by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a national, nonprofit organization with the mission to promote green building.
The LEED system was created to:
- Define “green building” by establishing a common standard of measurement
- Promote integrated, whole-building design practices
- Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry
- Stimulate green competition
- Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits
- Transform the building market
LEED provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.
The first LEED rating system was launched in 2000. Since then it has undergone a number of refinements and revisions, a process that continues to this day.
How LEED works
LEED is a performance-oriented system where points are earned for satisfying certain criteria. Projects can earn points within 5 environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality; additional points can be achieved for Innovation and Design Process. The total number of points earned determines the LEED certification level.
Each category has a set of prerequisites that the building must meet. If these prerequisites are met, points are awarded for meeting additional criteria.
For example, a prerequisite in the Sustainable Sites category is Erosion and Sedimentation control. Points in this category are awarded for meeting conditions such as: avoiding the development of inappropriate areas, rehabilitation of contaminated areas, building close to mass transportation, retaining or creating green space and/or landscaping, and reducing light pollution.
A project must provide complete documentation to safisty the requirements; you can implement LEED principals, but if you can’t prove it, you won’t get a LEED rating.
A maximum of 69 points can be awarded. The LEED certification level is based on the total points a building earns:
Achieving even a Certified level signifies that the builder has gone to significant lengths to make the project environmentally friendly. Needless to say, achieving a Platinum certification requires truly extraordinary planning and execution.
For more information on the LEED rating system, visit the USGBC website: www.usgbc.org.
LEED the GreenBuilt Tour
This year’s GreenBuilt Tour is privileged to have two of those projects on our Tour:
- Sun Harbor Marina is the first marina in the world to be awarded LEED recognition with a Certified rating (26 points).
- Ranch House at Del Sur has received LEED Platinum certification – one of only 15 in the country.
In addition, the EDAW Offices are currently a Registered Project with the USGBC and have submitted their paperwork for certification. This would make the Ranch House the first Platinum structure in San Diego and one of only 15 others in the entire country.
So, while all of our tour sites have something important to offer, at the LEED sites you are guaranteed to find a comprehensive approach to sustainable “green” building.
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