This category focuses on ensuring that a facility provides the healthiest possible indoor environment for the life of the building. It represents a balancing act between design, energy efficiency and quality of life for the occupants that will live and work in the space. Fifteen points can be harvested here, and many are easy...
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The Material and Resources (MR) category focuses attention on the materials employed in constructing the building. There are fourteen points that can be earned in this category, and this is where a good LEED strategic plan can bring the certification up to the higher levels. There is only one LEED prerequisite for MR, and...
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The “Energy” category of LEED building represents the core–the essence of what LEED is all about. Energy isn’t the second word in LEED by chance. It is the heart and soul of the concept. The ideal building is energy neutral; that is, it generates its energy needs right on site. While that is not...
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Water is life. We cannot live without it. This part of the LEED process recognizes the importance of water as an invaluable resource and offers 10 potential credits toward LEED certification. Treating and transporting water is an increasingly expensive venture in terms of energy used and material costs. The intent is to encourage the...
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As presented in the introduction to this series, the path leading to LEED NC Certification is paved with credits for meeting specific standards. There are seven categories. The most possible credits can be earned in the Energy and Atmosphere category and the least in Regional Priority: Sustainable Sites – 26 Water Efficiency -10 Energy...
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The state of the Renewable Energy Market in North America is surprisingly quiet, but there is an accelerating trend towards green energy. On September 13th-16th, the Renewable Energy Markets 2009 Conference was held in Atlanta to discuss the major issues facing the industry. It was put on by the Center for Resource Solutions with...
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So what is this LEED business anyway? Leadership in Energy and Economic Design (LEED) is an accreditation system for measuring responsible green building practices. LEED was initiated by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC ) in 1998 to introduce some common standards for environmentally conscious construction. It provides a scoring system that focuses on...
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Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized certification system that provides third-party verification that a building was designed and built to improve performance across a variety of metrics: energy savings, water efficiency, emissions reduction and improved indoor environmental quality. The current economic stimulus program brought more attention to the green...
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