The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system was born out of one architect’s desire to create great design that doesn’t negatively impact the planet. It covers a broad range of categories that include building design and construction, interior design and construction, operations and maintenance, neighborhood development, and homes. Building companies that follow the LEED rating system can earn a certification for their structures that is recognized the world over for resource efficiency and improved air quality. Here are five reasons why the LEED rating system should be the international standard for green building.
#1 Environmental Stewardship is a Global Endeavor
Whether you like it or not, you share natural resources such as fresh water, clean air, and energy with every other living thing that calls this planet home. Animals and plants do their part to maintain the delicate balance in regional ecosystems. People have a responsibility to work together to help.
Structures that are built according to LEED rating system standards allow a wider range of people to actively participate in making our planet green again. You might find an industrial building that uses low-flow plumbing fixtures and condensation capture mechanisms as part of a LEED portfolio of buildings. You’ll definitely encounter commercial spaces that are designed to collect and use renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.
LEED-certified buildings attempt to leave no one behind when it comes to opportunities for conserving natural resources indoors and outdoors. Certifiers give credit for buildings that are constructed on sustainable sites such as those near public transit or handicap mobility transit routes. If your building isn’t located near a train stop, don’t worry. You can make your site more sustainable by adding a few outdoor bicycle stands and a low-flow shower for those who want to commute to work by bicycle.
#2 LEED Uses Rigorous Standards
While the LEED rating system is used in a variety of categories, it helps building contractors to attain sustainable building certifications that are based on their clients’ needs and budgetary constraints. The LEED rating system consists of prerequisites, credits, and points.
The prerequisites for sustainable building in each category ensures that each certified LEED building project meets a baseline of stringent standards. Examples of prerequisites within the LEED rating system include a minimum air quality performance, 20% water use reduction, and storage and collection of recyclable materials.
LEED rating system credits give you the chance to set your eco-friendly building apart from the rest. By choosing credits such as onsite renewable energy and water-efficient landscaping you can create a building with sustainable features that matter most to you and your customers. Credits earn your project points that are used for certification. For instance, you can earn up to seven points by installing onsite renewable energy collection and storage systems.
You can achieve these four levels of certification within the LEED rating system.
– LEED Certified (40 to 49 points)
– Silver (50 to 59 points)
– Gold (60 to 79 points)
– Platinum (80 points and higher)
#3 LEED Employs Third-Party Verification
Today’s customers demand more than building projects that just pay lip service to sustainable principles. They want energy and water-efficient properties that are safe and comfortable. The LEED certification program is bolstered by third-party verification that supports a higher level of stewardship.
Many state and national government officials are aiming for higher levels of sustainability when they send out bids to construct new public structures. While they are willing to invest in green buildings, they must justify the costs to the taxpayers. LEED’s third-party verification program helps government officials assure the public that no corners were cut and that their tax dollars were used to acquire a genuine high-efficiency building.
The LEED rating system lends itself well to the international community since third-party verification ensures that nothing is lost in translation. Customers can be sure that the same high standards that are used to certify green buildings in one country will be used in another country. This holds builders more accountable for their finished construction projects.
#4 LEED Standards Make Indoor Spaces Healthier and More Comfortable
While improved sustainability is an objective for many of the world’s organizations, specific eco-friendly goals vary from region to region. A country that has skyrocketing energy demands will want to focus on renewable energy collection. Those that have populations of people that experience greater levels of illnesses due to indoor air pollution will want green solutions that deliver improved indoor air quality. The LEED rating system supports customized sustainable building design and constructions that meet the requirements of international customers in the public and private sectors.
#5 LEED Standards Increase Property Values
Imagine that you have an office park that uses 10% less fresh water than similar compounds due to grey water use in toilets. Your office park also has a solar power system that generates over 50% of its power needs every day. Add in a rooftop garden that delivers extra insulation against heat in the summer, and you’ve got a really attractive property.
Business tenants have to pay for utilities such as water and power in many countries. A comfortable building that offers reduced energy and water needs adds up to significant long-term savings. When you want to sell a commercial property quickly without compromising on the asking price, a LEED building’s sustainability features go a long way when it comes to attracting domestic and international investors.
Conclusion
The LEED rating system is already one of the world’s most widely used standards for sustainable design and construction. Since the inception of the LEED rating system decades ago, the world has become more interconnected. Building contractors and their customers need sustainable design and construction standards that are the same whether they are building an office park in New Delhi or a luxury hotel in Sydney. The LEED rating system fits the bill now and is scalable for the future.
