LEED Certification
In today’s business world, a LEED certification does more than just tout your environmental responsibility. It saves your business money while simultaneously saving the environment.
LEED was developed in 2000 as a rating system for high-performance or green building. This extends to schools, healthcare facilities, homes, retail outlets, existing buildings and new construction. LEED was designed and integrated by members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a way to define green building and promote sustainable design and living.
Based on six standards, LEED evaluates if a building is green: sustainability sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. These six standards deem construction as green or not sustainable.
The LEED certification process involves registering online with the USGBC, followed by a submission of construction designs and ending with a final construction design. More than 3 billion square feet of commercial building space is involved with LEED, exhibiting the widespread trend of green building among corporate America.
With green building, landfill waste is reduced, conservation of energy increases and detrimental greenhouse gas emissions are decreased. Green building also saves the business money over its life cycle; the initial higher cost of green building is seen as an investment, as it will garner over 10 times that amount during its sustainable life. Green buildings are also entitled to tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives.
For the social, economical and environmental prosperity of your business, LEED certification is fundamental. Think Spaces is able to implement the necessary sustainable design to accredit your business LEED certified.
Plan your LEED Green School today! |
