What is LEED?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

The purpose of LEED is to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. The LEED system was developed for designing, constructing and certifying the greenest and best buildings possible.

The rating system is based on points which accumulate by incorporating green features. This could be anything from minimum energy requirements to on-site renewable energy sources. By meeting requirements, a structure earns points and is designated as either “Certified” “Silver” “Gold” or “Platinum.” 

LEED also offers training workshops, professional accreditation, resource support and third-party certification of building performance. Building green with the LEED system will cost more upfront but the long term benefits of energy efficiency and performance far outweigh these costs. The building also receives a certificate and plaque which make it more valuable when it comes time to sell!