What is LEED certification?

  In the United States and in a number of other countries around the world, LEED certification is the recognized standard for   measuring building sustainability. Achieving LEED certification is the best way for you to demonstrate that your building project is truly “green.”

The LEED green building rating system — developed and administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington D.C.-based, nonprofit coalition of building industry leaders — is designed to promote design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings and improving occupant health and well-being.

The LEED rating system offers four certification levels for new construction — Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum — that correspond to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. LEED 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.

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