What is Leed Certification?
What is Leed Certification? LEED Certification is increasingly popular in the Construction Industry. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as an objective certification program, intended to promote eco-friendly methods of construction.
LEED certifies buildings that score high on a standardized scoring model using the following six categories:
- Site sustainability
- Water efficiency
- Optimum use of Energy and a cleaner, healthier atmosphere
- Eco-friendly materials and resources
- Quality of indoor environment
- Design innovation
Based on the score achieved, buildings are offered one out of four certificates : LEED Certified, LEED Silver, LEED Gold, and LEED Platinum. LEED Platinum is the most prestigious ranking and the hardest to achieve.
The benefits of LEED certification are numerous:
- When LEED standards are followed, building costs come down significantly. In fact, LEED Gold and Platinum certified buildings have managed to cut costs by half and more.
- In a 20-year building lifecycle, savings outweigh costs from 12.2 to 16.8 times. Lifecycle costing is a way to assess the total cost of building. It takes into account costs towards acquiring, owning, operating and disposing of a building.
- Energy costs are reduced, as are building operation and maintenance costs.
- Improved Indoor Air Quality gives rise to cost savings; with improved air quality, building owners can save money on air purifiers and humidifiers.
- Green homes and apartments generate higher rents as well, which is a definite benefit for property owners and apartment builders.
- In a 2008 study, CoStar stated that LEED rental spaces enjoy a per square foot rent premium; the spaces are worth more to consumers
- LEED certified homes and office have a higher resale value, due to better healthier work and living environments
- Several states offer incentives to builders to construct LEED-certified buildings including property tax exemptions and credits. Over time, such incentives represent a huge savings
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