The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has become to green building what Dell is to personal computers or Nike is to athletic shoes–an industry-leading brand. The U.S. Green Building Council developed the LEED Green Building Rating System to recognize state-of-the-art sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools and neighborhoods, and to promote best practices in the construction industry.

Given the published finding that nearly 40% of the carbon dioxide emissions in the United States come from buildings, the USGBC has begun updating the certification program for both broader impact and to advance new science for more environmentally friendly building design and construction–a LEED “version 3.” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design list five areas of concentration:

1. LEED on sustainable site development

2. Water savings

3. Energy efficiency

4. Materials and resources selection

5. Indoor environmental quality

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Go to the source for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design information

If you're considering LEED as a design basis for building projects, or if you decide to have a LEED certified professional on your facility management staff, start with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design provider that developed the program.

I recommend: Turn to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) site to purchase LEED reference guides, sign up for courses and workshops or certify buildings. Anyone who wishes to become a green building specialist can train to become a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) from the Green Building Certification Institute.

Select a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified consultant

Work with consultants and contractors, and take the time to work through the project on paper before deciding how deep you want to dive into LEED compliance. An initial consultation to cover the certification-specific design criteria lasts about two hours, according to the American Institute of Architects.

I recommend: Attune Development Consultants can help with LEED consulting from feasibility studies through final punchlist. A member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), White-Spunner Construction offers a full menu of services from pre-construction and design build to LEED certification and construction management.

Find Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-friendly building supply distributors

Develop a strong buyer rapport with contractors and wholesalers who have relationships with green building producers to obtain products at reasonable prices, to avoid paying a premium just because it's green.

I recommend: Greenmaker stocks environmentally friendly building materials, from ceiling tiles and insulation to countertops and hardware. Straw Sticks & Bricks offers green products, including a plywood line made of anything from bamboo to wheat board, plus furnishings and cleaning products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Like any certification process, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification can add bureaucracy and red tape to pursue actual certification, in addition 1% to 5% to the building budget. Ask if the added time and expense are worth any gain you may get for your organization; you may decide to use the LEED program as a guideline and benefit from the energy benefits and environmentally cleaner working conditions without actually pursuing certification.