LEED® Certification for Sustainable Buildings

In today's world, building sustainably is no longer a choice. It's a necessity.

LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides the framework for building owners and building professionals to design, construct, and operate high-performance buildings that minimize their environmental impact, reduce operating costs, and promote a healthier environment for occupants. Whether seasoned or working on your first green building project, LEED empowers you to contribute to a more environmentally responsible future.

What is LEED and the U.S. Green Building Council?

LEED is an internationally recognized green building rating system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USBC). It provides a framework for designing, constructing, operating, and certifying environmentally responsible and resource-efficient buildings.

What is LEED Certification?

LEED certification is the formal recognition that your building project meets the rigorous sustainability standards established by the USGBC. Through a comprehensive evaluation process, LEED assesses your building's design, construction practices, ongoing operations, and maintenance activities across various areas like water conservation, energy efficiency, and occupant well-being.

How to Achieve LEED Certification

LEED certification is achieved using a point system. Projects earn points for meeting specific prerequisites and implementing various sustainable strategies. The number of points earned determines the LEED certification level, which can be Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. LEED certification applies to projects ranging from single-family homes to high-rise buildings.

• Certified (40-49 points): This signifies a commitment to sustainability with practices in energy efficiency, water conservation, and material selection.
• Silver (50-59 points): This level indicates a higher level of sustainability performance than Certified, implementing more advanced strategies for energy and water savings, improved indoor environmental quality, and innovation in sustainable design.
• Gold (60-79 points): Gold LEED certification signifies significant achievement in sustainable building practices, achieved by implementing even more comprehensive strategies across all LEED categories.
• Platinum (80+ points): This is the highest level of LEED certification, recognizing exceptional sustainability performance. Buildings at this level are considered leaders in the green building movement.

Benefits of LEED Certification

LEED-certified buildings also offer many advantages throughout their lifespan. Energy and water efficiency translate to lower utility bills, reducing operating costs. Focusing on indoor air quality and thermal comfort creates a healthier work or living environment, enhancing occupant well-being. LEED certification is also a recognized mark of sustainability, making your building more attractive to potential tenants or buyers, potentially increasing its property value. Additionally, many municipalities offer tax breaks or other incentives specifically for LEED-certified buildings, providing further financial rewards for your sustainable investment.

Is LEED Certification Mandatory?

While not mandatory like building codes, LEED certification offers many incentives for building owners and developers. These incentives can include allowances for increased building height, quicker permitting processes, or tax breaks for LEED-certified buildings. Federal, state, and local governments may also require LEED certification for specific publicly funded projects, ensuring taxpayer dollars support sustainable construction practices.

California Requires CALGreen 

Some states have taken the initiative to integrate LEED principles into their regulations. For example, CALGreen, California’s first green building code, sets mandatory green building standards focusing on energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and other sustainability measures, aligning with LEED and the ASHRAE 189.1 standard. In California, adherence to CALGreen is mandatory for all residential and non-residential building projects (with some exceptions), with many requirements mirroring those of the LEED rating system. This means that meeting CALGreen requirements can significantly simplify the process of achieving voluntary LEED certification. By meeting these mandatory standards, a building project in California may already fulfill several prerequisites and earn points toward LEED certification. This alignment streamlines the process and reduces the additional steps needed to achieve LEED, making the certification process more efficient.

How Does LEED Certification Work?

LEED certification involves a collaborative process where the project team manages certain aspects independently while working with the Green Business Certification Institute (GBCI). To achieve LEED certification, project owners should register their projects with the USGBC to access the LEED Online platform. Next, the project team identifies which LEED credits to pursue and develops strategies to incorporate these requirements into the project design, ensuring adherence to prerequisites and credit criteria.

Throughout the construction process, team members document their adherence to LEED standards. Once the project is complete, the team submits their documentation to GBCI for review by an independent third-party team. This review process typically takes several weeks, although the exact timeframe can vary depending on how complex the project is. During this stage, the team may need to address any comments or provide additional documentation as needed. The final LEED certification is granted upon successful review, which signifies a significant milestone for the project.

How Building Owners Can Obtain LEED Certification with Intertek?

Navigating the LEED certification process can be complex. Our team is equipped to provide the expertise and attention to detail you need to succeed. As your project partner, we ensure every aspect aligns with LEED benchmarks, facilitating a smooth path from initial assessment to final certification.

Our services are designed to address a wide range of LEED requirements comprehensively. For instance, we offer design, testing, and validation support to meet LEED acoustic standards. We conduct indoor air quality assessments and provide expertise in building envelope performance, which is crucial for achieving LEED's stringent energy standards.

Our consulting extends across the entire LEED certification journey. We start with feasibility assessments, guiding you through the complexities of compliance and documentation. Our expertise in energy modeling further enhances your building's profile by demonstrating higher energy efficiency, a cornerstone for accumulating LEED points and achieving certification milestones.

By partnering with us, you gain a dedicated team that understands the intricacies of the LEED certification process, ensuring your project meets all necessary criteria efficiently and effectively.

Product Certifications to support LEED Certification

Two certifications than can help LEED project teams earn points, and therefore increase the likelihood of your product’s selection for use in LEED projects are:

Clean Air Certification is a low-emitting VOC product certification that allows companies to verify and communicate that their products support healthy indoor air quality. Clean Air certified products can help earn points in LEED under the Low-Emitting Materials Credit and Indoor Air Quality Assessment Credit. Clean Air certified products can help to earn points in three different WELL Features: Air Quality, Enhanced Air Quality, and VOC Restrictions. For more about Clean Air Certification: https://www.intertek.com/certification/indoor-air-quality/

BIFMA LEVEL certification is a multi-attributed, multi-faceted approach to sustainable manufacturing for the furniture industry. Based on the BIFMA e3-Furniture Sustainability Standard, LEVEL is a third-party certification program that provides manufacturers with valuable feedback for evaluating the environmental, human, and social impacts of their furniture products for manufacturing, facility, and organization. LEVEL® certified products contribute to the Multi-attribute product credit within LEED and supports other green ratings systems requirements. For more about BIFMA LEVEL certification: https://www.intertek.com/furniture/bifma-level/

What to Expect with LEED v5?

The upcoming release of LEED v5 signifies significant advancements in sustainable building practices. Intertek remains at the forefront of these developments, keeping you informed and ensuring your project is future proofed. Here's what to expect with LEED v5:

Resilience as a Core Principle: Mandatory resilience assessments will become a cornerstone of LEED v5, promoting proactive identification of potential hazards like natural disasters and climate change impacts. This assessment will inform your design process, fostering the integration of strategies that enhance your building's resilience and adaptability.

Sharpened Focus on Energy Performance: LEED v5 raises the bar for energy efficiency. Expect an elevated importance for building enclosure performance and a greater emphasis on carbon emission reduction. Additionally, a focus on embodied carbon in building materials will encourage the selection of sustainable, low-impact materials documented with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

Prioritizing Ongoing Indoor Environmental Quality: While indoor air quality testing remains a requirement, LEED v5 takes it a step further, advocating for continuous monitoring to ensure a healthy and comfortable environment for occupants over the long term.

Your Ally to Healthy Building Services

Intertek can help you navigate the LEED certification process and achieve your sustainable building goals. Our dedicated LEED specialists will guide you through every step of the LEED certification process, ensuring a smooth journey toward a greener future for your building projects. To schedule an initial consultation with one of our LEED specialists, contact us.

Intertek is your trusted partner for healthy building solutions, supporting you in achieving your aspirations for high-performing, sustainable buildings. We guide you through Property Resilience Assessments and partner with you to achieve LEED^® and WELL certifications for a healthier, more efficient building. Contact Intertek today to discuss your green building project.