Smart Growth

US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)

Description	A series of rating systems aimed at increasing the environmental and health performance of buildings' sites and structures and of neighborhoods. LEED^® covers the design, construction, and operation of all types of buildings. Learn more about LEED. Exit
Standard Type¹	Rating and certification system
Mandatory/ Voluntary²	Voluntary
Building Type(s)	Commercial: all Industrial: all Mixed use: all Residential: all
Project Type	New construction Existing buildings Additions
Subject Areas	Sustainable sites Energy efficiency Water efficiency Materials and resource use Indoor environmental quality Emissions Operations and maintenance
Community Adoption/Use	Communities could use the rating systems to encourage greener construction of commercial buildings, homes, or neighborhoods.
Certification/Compliance Process	LEED^® points are awarded on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts. Ten bonus credits are available, four of which address regionally specific environmental issues. A project must satisfy all prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points to be certified. Third-party certification is required. Includes 4 levels of certification—Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
Relationship to Other Standards	Meeting or achieving specific ASHRAE standards is necessary for achieving several of the credits.

¹In the building community, there is no consistent use or definition of the term "standard." EPA uses the term "standard" here in a broad sense to mean "something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example: CRITERION" (Merriam-Webster). EPA uses it as an umbrella term to encompass model codes, rating systems, and other publications that provide criteria for the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings.

²Any standard can be adopted as a voluntary or mandatory program. We indicate here the intent of the authors.

Return to Green Building Standards.

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