Energy Efficiency and LEED Certification

 

Energy Efficiency and LEED Certification

If you're building a new home, one of the best things you can do is incorporate sustainable design elements. One way to ensure this is done is to be LEED Certified. LEED certification makes it easier to build green because the standards are consistent across projects—and there are many benefits to achieving this designation. Here's how it works:

What is LEED?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it's a system of rating green buildings. The LEED certification process was created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to encourage sustainable building practices by providing a framework that allows building owners to measure their performance against recognized industry standards.

LEED is a voluntary rating system used to certify the sustainability of buildings, interior spaces, neighborhoods and communities through third-party verification by an accredited professional.

How does LEED work?

LEED awards buildings points based on their green features. The higher a building's LEED certification level, the more energy efficient it is. Each building is given a score from 0 to 100 based on several different categories:

• Building Site Location: This category looks at how easily accessible your building is by public transportation, as well as its proximity to amenities like grocery stores and parks.

• Sustainable Sites: Buildings can earn points here by using solar panels or installing rain barrels that collect water from downspouts for landscaping use (instead of letting all that water go into sewers).

• Water Efficiency: Buildings can earn points by using low-flow toilets or high efficiency showers; they'll also get some extra credit if they have drought-resistant plants around their property instead of grass lawns!

• Energy & Atmosphere Performance: This one's pretty self explanatory--it measures how much energy has been used within an office space over time, so you know whether yours needs additional insulation before winter comes around again next year!

Energy efficiency in building construction

The LEED certification program is a voluntary, market-driven initiative that provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

• Reduce energy consumption - Energy efficiency in building construction can save money by reducing operating costs and improving occupant satisfaction.

• Increase occupant satisfaction - High performance buildings provide healthy indoor environments that improve productivity and reduce absenteeism due to illness or discomfort. This can improve employee retention rates which ultimately results in increased profits for your business!

• Improve indoor air quality - Improving the indoor air quality of your facility will help ensure comfort for all occupants while reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals commonly found in conventional materials such as formaldehyde found in carpets or adhesives used during construction projects (vinyl flooring).

Sustainable materials in building construction

Sustainable materials are those that can be reused, recycled or composted. They include wood, bamboo and other sustainable woods; stone; clay bricks; aluminum composite panels; glass (for windows); concrete made with fly ash or slag cement; low-VOC paints and stains; recycled paper products such as insulation boards and drywall sheets.

A LEED certified building may contain some of these materials but not all of them. So how do you know if your building is truly green? You can check the list of sustainable materials used in construction provided by your contractor or architect during design phase, then compare it against this list:

• Does it contain at least 25 percent salvaged content? If yes then add 3 points to your scorecard!

• Is there at least 20 percent post-consumer waste content? If yes then add 2 points!

Sustainable site development

Sustainable site development is the first of several LEED certification categories. It's an umbrella term for all the things you can do to make a building site more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

• Use native plants instead of exotic species. Native plants are better adapted to local conditions and don't require as much water or fertilizer, so they're easier on the environment and less expensive in the long run. Plus, they'll attract native insects that feed local birds and animals--so it's not just good for them; it's also good for you!

• Provide habitat for local wildlife by planting some trees around your building site (and maybe even some food sources). That way, when people come by they'll see something interesting instead of just asphalt or concrete surfaces everywhere they look!

• Reduce runoff by using permeable materials like gravel rather than impermeable ones such as concrete when possible; this will reduce erosion caused by heavy rains carrying debris down toward nearby streams or rivers where fish might live downstream from where you live today...

Conclusion

LEED certification is a great way to create a green building. LEED certification can help you save money on energy bills, increase your building's lifespan and even reduce pollution in your community. The more green buildings there are out there, the better off we all are!