Greentech Media

LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is the "nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings" (USGBC Website) and has become the green building-industry standard for rating buildings. The first LEED program was established in 1998 and has since grown into nine separate rating systems for various types of construction.

LEED or -- incorrect but far more common -- LEEDs is one of the hot new words being tossed around by the building industry, realtors and just about anybody who aspires to be "green." Most people use the word as a replacement for the word "green" when referring to green buildings, but not many people seem to actually know what it means.

The nine* rating systems are:

• New Commercial Construction and Major Renovations: "LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations is a green building-rating system that was designed to guide and distinguish high-performance commercial and institutional projects, with a focus on office buildings." (USGBC Website)
• Existing Buildings: For existing construction that is being renovated or rehabilitated as a green building.
• Commercial Interiors: "LEED for Commercial Interiors gives the power to make sustainable choices to tenants and designers, who do not always have control over whole building operations." (USGBC Website)
• Core and Shell: "Broadly defined, core and shell construction covers base building elements, such as the structure, envelope and building-level systems, such as central HVAC, etc. The LEED for Core and Shell product recognizes that the division between owner and tenant responsibility for certain elements of the building varies between markets.

  "LEED for Core and Shell is designed to be complementary to the LEED for Commercial Interiors Green Building Rating System." (USGBC Website)

• LEED for Homes: LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system. It is intended to promote the design and construction of high-performance green homes.
• LEED for Schools: Specifically designed for K-12 schools. It addresses issues such as acoustics, master planning and children's health.
• Neighborhood Development: This rating system integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national standard for neighborhood design.
• Healthcare: This rating system "promotes sustainable planning, design and construction for high-performance healthcare facilities."
• Homes: LEED rating allows private home builders to certify their green and sustainable homes.
• *There are also several other rating systems in development. Current rating systems are constantly being updated as well.