WHAT IS LEED?

LEED, or The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the standard for Green Building Rating System. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

LEED was created to accomplish the following goals:

• Define “Green Building” by establishing standards 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 Rating System addresses the six following areas:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation and Design Process

LEED has rating systems for a varity of project types:

• New Construction
• Existing Buildings
• Commercial Interiors
• Core and Shell
• Homes
• Neighborhood Development
• Schools
• Retail

Individuals recognized for their knowledge of LEED rating system are permitted to use the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) acronym after their name, indicating that they have passed the accreditation exam given by the Green Building Certification Institute.