WASHINGTON — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000 to provide independent, third-party verification that a structure was built to maximize human and environmental health, according to a press release.
LEED, an internationally recognized, voluntary rating system, measures a building's or facility’s lifecycle on five key criteria: Sustainable site development; water savings; energy efficiency; materials selection; and indoor environmental quality, the release stated.
A piece of the built environment, depending on its lifecycle sustainability and the number of credits earned on a 110-point scale, can earn the distinguished designation as either LEED certified, LEED Silver certified, LEED Gold certified or LEED Platinum certified, the release noted.
Greening Your Facility In 10 Simple Steps
There are numerous subsets of LEED, and they include assessments on commercial interiors, core and shell, new construction and existing buildings, with specific criteria for schools, retail facilities, healthcare facilities and residences, the release added.
According to the release, there is a registration fee of $900 for USGBC members and $1,200 for nonmembers.
To read this press release in its entirety and learn all about LEED, click here.