What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design™) is an internationally recognized green building certification system and a driving force for wider use of sustainable products and practices in the built environment. Designed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED aims to improve performance across energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reductions, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. The Delta Institute assists building owners and managers with the process of certifying or re-certifying their buildings. To see an example of Delta’s LEED services, visit http://www.delta-institute.org/Mart/mart.php.
LEED consists of a variety of credits, some of which are prerequisites and others of which are optional. Each credit details how a building can earn points toward the credit, often referencing recognized standards such as ASHRAE and ASTM as well as third party certifications like Green Seal, Environmental Choice, Forest Stewardship Council, and EnergyStar. For example, one of the ways a building can count its cleaning products as sustainable purchases is by procuring products that carry Green Seal certification. When 30% (LEED 2009) -- by dollar amount -- of its cleaning product purchases meets LEED sustainability criteria, the building can earn an Indoor Environmental Quality point under Credit 3.3 Green Cleaning Purchase of Sustainable Cleaning Products and Materials.
For more information on LEED for Existing Buildings, visit the following USGBC resources: