What is LEED?
The term LEED certified is being referred to more and more as new developments come online. Before going in the details of what LEED is, it should be understood that in order for a building to acheive LEED certification, it must first attain all of the prerequisites, and a minimum of 26 points based upon the LEED rating system. There are four categories of certification that can be achieved:
- Certified (26 - 32 points)
- Silver (33 - 38 points)
- Gold (39 - 51 points)
- Platnium (52 - 69 points)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a third party certification program and the measurement of performance established by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), for the design, construction and evaluation of high performance green sustainable buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) are building industry professionals who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building and the LEED® Green Building Rating System™. The LEED AP credential indicates that the professional has the knowledge and skills to facilitate the LEED certification process.
LEED Professional Accreditation is a voluntary designation achieved by over 60,000 individuals who have passed the LEED Professional Accreditation exam. The Green Building Certification Institute recommends that LEED AP candidates have building industry knowledge, as well as experience working with green building professionals from multiple disciplines.
The administration of the Professional Accreditation program transitioned to the Green Building Cerification Institute in 2008. To locate an official LEED AP in a specific Country, State or region please refer to the LEED AP Directory www.GBCI.org