The term LEED building is one that many builders are familiar with.  LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes the best-in-class building strategies and practices. In order to receive LEED certification a building project must satisfy prerequisites and earn “points” to achieve different levels of the certification. Since there are many different levels a builder usually chooses the best level, or fit, for their specific project.

There are several different areas of building and construction where LEED certification can be recognized. These areas are building design and construction, interior design and construction,  building operations and maintenance, neighborhood development, and residential homes. In order to receive a higher number of points these projects must incorporate several different categories within the entire project from start to finish. These categories are as follows,

  • Integrative Process– promote reaching across disciplines to incorporate diverse team members during the pre-design period.
  • Location & Transportation -reward projects within relatively dense areas, near diverse uses, with access to a variety of transportation options, or on sites with development constraints.
  • Materials & Resources– encourage using sustainable building materials and reducing waste. Indoor environmental quality credits promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.
  • Water Efficiency– promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.
  • Energy & Atmosphere– promote better building energy performance through innovative strategies.
  • Sustainable Sites– encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.
  • Indoor Environmental Quality– promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.
  • Innovation– address sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under the five LEED credit categories.
  • Regional Priority Credits– address regional environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic regions.
  • Smart Location & Linkage– promote walk-able neighborhoods with efficient transportation options and open space.
  • Neighborhood Pattern & Design– emphasize compact, walk-able, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods with good connections to nearby communities.
  • Green Infrastructure & Buildings– reduce the environmental consequences of the construction and operation of buildings and infrastructure.

Within these categories there are a  number of points a building project can earn and that determines the level of certification that is awarded. The levels are as follows, 40-49 points is certified LEED, 50-59 is Silver certified, 60-79 is Gold certified, and 80+ points is Platinum certified.

If you are interested in knowing more about LEED certification or how Dublin Building Systems can build an energy efficient building for your next project contact us here for more details!