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What is LEED?
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design. The United States Green Building
Council (USGBC) created LEED as a rating system for
green building.
Green building refers to the design, construction,
and operation of buildings in an environmentally
friendly way. 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.
The rating system is specific to the type of project
being worked on. Some of the specific programs are LEED-New
Construction, LEED-Existing Buildings, LEED-Commercial
Interiors, LEED-Core and Shell, LEED-Homes, LEED-Neighborhood
Development, LEED-Schools. The rating systems are broken
down in to points for each type of credit. Certification
levels within the systems are:
- Minimum points: Certified
- Second highest points: Silver
- Third highest points: Gold
- Fourth-maximum points: Platinum
For more information check out the USGBC website
Barbara Buffaloe, Architectural Studies, College of Human Environmental Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia
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Last update: Monday, May 18, 2009
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