What is LEED Certification?
According to the USGBC, buildings in the United States are responsible for consuming a significant portion of our total electricity use at 72%. Buildings also use 39% of our total energy and 30% of our total waste is from buildings. To reduce the use of natural resources by buildings, the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has created an international standard to rate just how green a new or renovated building is. Through the USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, most any building built with sustainable designs and practices, from schools to large scale commercial buildings, can become LEED certified. This LEED certification process helps developers implement sustainable building practices as a standard business practice. It is a process is that it takes a holistic approach to address many of environmental issues that come with development, without stopping growth and development.

LEED Certification Process
To meet some of the basic requirements for LEED certification the construction of, and the building itself must use water and energy efficiently, and have minimal impact on the local environmental. There are a total of nine categories that buildings are rated in to achieve LEED certification. The first category "sustainable sites" grades buildings based on their location, previously developed land is ideal. Locating the building close to mass transit to reduce transportation pollution, reducing pollution during construction, and using natural and native landscaping are also encouraged through the sustainable sites category. Other categories focus on how resources, such as water and energy will be used throughout the life of the building, recycled and sustainable products used in construction, and indoor air quality.

From the start of the project building owners, designers, and contractors work together to design a structure that will meet the LEED criteria. To start the certification process, projects are registered and then an extensive application is completed. Meeting the LEED criteria, from the design phase to the finished building, is an involved process. Many businesses now have staff members that are credentialed as LEED professionals to help guide and give advice on the project. For final LEED certification, buildings are given points in each of the nine categories. Buildings must earn a minimum of 40 (out of 100) points to become LEED certified. Buildings that score more points can earn silver, gold or platinum certification.

LEED Impact
In a study conducted at the University of San Diego on green office buildings, of which LEED certified buildings were included, businesses reported improvements to their business as a result of going green. Employees took fewer sick days than before the move to a green building, and were overall more productive in their work. The study also showed that green buildings have higher rent values and a lower vacancy rate than non-green buildings. This is encouraging news that shows programs such as LEED that standardize green building can, and do have a positive impact, not just for the environment but for people and businesses as well. ezinearticles