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LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Important factors in the ecological success of a structure are, measures of energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides concise guidelines for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED evaluations apply to all building types and extends its benefits beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it serves through LEED for neighborhood development.
Achieving Sustainable Design
- Efficiently using energy and water resources
- Planning with minimal site impact
- Specifying recycled and recyclable materials
- Identifying lighting that exceeds federal guidelines
- Optimizing daylight, ventilation while minimizing building life cycle costs
- Designing effective, ecological waste treatment and reduction
- Using local materials to sustain surrounding environments and economies
- Storm water erosion and discharge control as well as water conservation
Benefits
- Environmental
- Conserves natural resources
- Enhancement and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity
- Improves air and water quality
- Reduction of waste
- Economic
- Minimizes operating costs by maximizing energy efficiency
- Improvement of employee productivity and satisfaction
- Elevates asset value and profits
- use “green” facilities as a marketing or recruitment tool
- Health and Community
- Enhancement of air, thermal, and acoustic environments
- Improves occupant comfort and health
- Contributes to overall quality of life
- designing for chemically sensitive and allergic individuals to such compounds from dyes, adhesives, sealers, sealants, finished, and molds
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