LEED Certification

Useful information about LEED certification types and the LEED certification process. LEED certification initiatives are already fully running in 90 cities, 67 countries, and all 50 states.

What is LEED certification?

Around the world, LEED certification is the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability and environmental impact. Securing a LEED designation on your green building is the best way for you to demonstrate that your building project is truly a "Green Building."

The LEED green building rating system, developed and run by the U.S. Green Building Council, is designed and maintained to promote design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improving occupant health and well-being.

What are the benefits of LEED certification?

LEED certification offers compelling proof to you, your clients, your peers and the public at large that you've achieved your environmental goals and your building is performing as designed. Getting certified allows you take advantage of a growing number of state and local government incentives, and can help boost press impact and interest in your project.

The LEED rating system offers four certification levels:

• Certified
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum

These LEED certification levels correspond to the number of credits accrued:

five green design categories:

1. sustainable sites
2. water efficiency
3. energy and atmosphere
4. materials and resources
5. indoor environmental quality

LEED certification standards cover new commercial construction and major renovation projects, interiors projects and existing building operations. Standards are under development to cover commercial "core & shell" construction, new home construction and neighborhood developments.

How does one achieve LEED certification?

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED website provides tools for building professionals, including: Information on the LEED certification process. LEED documents, such as checklists and reference guides. Standards are now available or in development for the following project types:

• New commercial construction and major renovation projects (LEED-NC)
• Existing building operations (LEED-EB)
• Commercial interiors projects (LEED-CI)
• Core and shell projects (LEED-CS)
• Homes (LEED-H)
• Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND)
• LEED for Schools
• LEED for Retail
• LEED for Healthcare
• A list of LEED-certified projects
• A directory of LEED-accredited professionals
• Information on LEED training workshops
• A calendar of green building industry conferences

Tips for Becoming LEED Certified

Hire LEED-accredited professionals. Thousands of architects, consultants, engineers, product marketers, environmentalists and other building industry professionals around the country have a demonstrated knowledge of green building and the LEED rating system and process by becoming a LEED Accredited Professional. They can assist you in meeting your LEED certification goal. These LEED AP professionals can suggest ways to earn LEED credits without extra cost, identify means of offsetting certain expenses with savings in other areas and spot opportunities for synergies in your project.