Certified LEED Building

When it comes to the construction industry, certified LEED building is a big topic of conversation. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It’s a rating system or scoring system used to figure out how energy efficient a structure is and it’s recognized across the globe. When it comes to certified LEED building, you want to make sure you understand the different LEED certification requirements and the LEED scoring. Understanding LEED for buildings is important if you’re in the construction industry because there are different levels of LEED certification.

LEED Rating System

LEED Scoring offers four different levels. Understanding these levels will help you better understand the level of certified LEED building necessary. The four LEED certification levels include:

• Certified – 40 to 49 points
• Silver – 50 to 59 points
• Gold – 60 to 79 points
• Platinum 80+ points

Each level shows a different level of efficiency for certified LEED buildings. 

The LEED Certification Requirements

Understanding how points are accumulated will help you figure out how to get to each level in the LEED rating system. The LEED certification requirements are important for construction companies to understand. When you’re trying to build in an efficient manner, you want to know the two different metrics used to determine the level of LEED certification. The two metrics are credits and prerequisites. Credits are optional and they are given out for specific things based on the construction project. Prerequisites, on the other hand, are required and have to be met in order to become a certified LEED building.

Benefits of LEED-Certified Building

While LEED certification may not be required in your area, it comes with quite a few benefits. It can be challenging to obtain, but the benefits can make it worth it. When a certified LEED building is constructed, it can provide the following benefits:

• Cheaper to maintain due to minimized gas, energy, and water usage
• Provides a way to promote your building as a green building to attract tenants
• Potential tax incentives, depending on your area
• Better indoor air quality

There are several benefits you can gain from meeting LEED certification requirements with a new building.

How do I get a certified LEED building?

Before you can get a certified LEED building, you will need to register the building with the United States Green Building Council or USGBC. This is the organization that will conduct the evaluation. You will have to pay a registration fee and meet the preliminary requirements, too. After you have registered, you will pay a secondary certification fee based on the size of your project and the LEED certification ranking. If you have a complex building project, expect a larger fee and more paperwork. There is a LEED evaluation online certification guide you can use from the USGBC website. This guide can help you figure out what you need to get a certified LEED building. 

5 Famous Certified LEED Buildings

1. Soldier Field in Chicago

Did you know that Soldier Field was the first LEED-EB-certified NFL Stadium? When the stadium was renovated in 2003, it become a certified LEED building. A big part of the certification has to do with the incredible recycling program and the many protocols followed to recycle everything possible, even dirt.

2. One Bryant Park in New York City

Another famous certified LEED building is the One Bryant Park building in New York City. This building became the first high-rise to reach the LEED Platinum rating in the entire world. Its captures and reuses rainwater, along with recycling greywater. The building uses underfloor air distribution technology to lower the environmental impact, as well.

3. Facebook HQ in Menlo Park

A California building that has attained the LEED Platinum rating, the Facebook HQ can meet all the energy needs with rooftop solar panels. They also have on-site blackwater treatment.

4. Willis Tower in Chicago

Another certified LEED building in Chicago, Willis Tower achieved a LEED Gold rating in 2018. High-efficiency lighting was installed along with a retrofitted HVAC system.

5. Andeavor Corporate Headquarters in San Antonio

It used to be the Tesoro Corporate Headquarters and is a LEED Silver-certified building. The Andeavor Corporate Headquarters has a state-of-the-art UFAD HVAC system, which helped the building meet the LEED requirements. There are many famous certified LEED buildings all across the world. These are just a few examples that show some of the ways you can get your building to meet the LEED checklist requirements. If you want to build a certified LEED building, make sure you understand what to expect with the LEED-certified requirements.

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