LEED Certification

Innovation & Design Process

Innovation in Design challenges design teams to think “outside of the box” in terms of building. The time has come to start relying on new building principles and technologies that produce environmental benefits. Projects pursuing LEED Certification can earn up to four points for two types of credits in the Innovation & Design Process (ID) credit category. Innovation in Design (ID) Credits and points are awarded to designs that feature exceptional environmental or energy performance that exceeds the standard LEED requirements.

Designers can also earn points if they discover new strategies for measurement by the LEED Rating System. Points are given to projects that develop innovative solutions, utilize new technologies and educate or demonstrate creditable performance. Innovation credits are not given for specific products or design solutions if the technology assists in the achievement of an existing LEED credit.

Location & Linkage

The Location and Linkages section of the LEEDs process includes the development of a comprehensive plan to address the community aspect of a site. The goal is to reduce urban sprawl and improve the quality of life for communities. The subsections within the location and linkages are as follows:

Site Selection The site selection criteria focus on evaluating the environmental sensitivity of a site. Sites that are home to protected species, contain valuable natural resources, or that are ecologically unique should be avoided. Points are awarded for the availability of community resources and access to open space such as parks, lakes, and recreational facilities.

Urban Redevelopment Points are awarded for sites that build on existing developments or redevelop existing land. The redevelopment of the urban environment improves the quality of cities and protects green spaces from over development. The reuse of existing materials is also rewarded.

Brownfield Redevelopment Brownfields are properties affected by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Points are awarded for cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties. Not only do these actions protect the environment but they also take development pressures off green spaces and agricultural land.

Alternative transportation Availability of public transportation to a site can improve the quality and desirability of the site. Points are awarded for sites close to public transportation hubs or walking and bike trails.

Substainable Sites

Site Selection is designed primarily to minimize the disruption of wildlife habitat as well as local plants. It is also used to restore and enhance the surrounding environment. There are 26 possible points that could be achieved in the LEED green building rating system. In order to achieve this goal, the following pathway through sustainable sites must be considered: site stewardship, landscaping, local heat island effect, surface water management, non-toxic pest control, and compact development. Detailed planning should take place under each section in order to maximize the availability of resources.

Water Efficiency

Water Efficiency promotes the conservation and protection importance in green building. Effective strategies to save water include using native plants, efficient irrigation system, water reuse and indoor water use. Also, it is recommended to use gray water or storm water as a source of plant irrigation or to flush toilets. It also emphasizes the influence consumers can have in water efficiency by making small behavioral changes to reduce waste water and by choosing more water efficient products and landscaping design. There are 10 possible points that could be achieved in the LEED green building rating system.

Energy & Atmosphere

As of June 2009, buildings in the United States consume approximately 60% of the United States electricity and greater than 30% of its total energy load. Energy consumption can be reduced through practices that are cost-effective and attainable. Improving the energy performance of buildings reduces operation and pollution costs generated by power plants and other energy producing equipment. Most energy efficiency measures show immediate results due to the rising cost of energy.

Combining LEED credits can help reduce a building’s total energy consumption. There are 35 possible obtainable points in the Energy & Atmosphere section of the LEED Rating System. To obtain LEED Certification, not all points are required, however there are prerequisites that must be met. This section is divided into three Prerequisites and six Credits. The three prerequisites are Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems, Minimum Energy Performance, and Fundamental Refrigerant Management.

Non-renewable sources of electricity are the number one cause of industrial air pollution. A resource is called renewable if the environment can naturally replenish it. Green Power utilizes renewable sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro and biomass to provide clean energy.

Material & Resources

Building under the LEED program requires good planning to minimize the waste during construction. An effective plan and accurate calculations to determine the proper amount of materials will minimize the amount of materials that go into our landfills. Using optimal framing methods or using modular, prefabricated methods to have main sections built at offsite locations also helps in preventing large amounts of materials going to waste.

When choosing materials, request that the materials are environmentally preferred materials or are created within the region. Obtaining materials near the development can reduce the environmental footprint in the building project.

Reducing the amount of waste is accomplished by investigating alternate locations for the waste. Local recycling centers or other building projects that may be able to reuse materials, are perfect examples of moving the waste to locations other than landfills. Keeping a sizeable amount of an existing structure can also minimize waste.