To provide a national standard of what constitutes a "green building," the Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System was developed by the USGBC.
Through its use as a design guideline and third-party certification tool, LEED aims to improve
occupant well-being, environmental performance, and economic returns of buildings using
established and innovative practices, standards and technologies.
LEED for New Construction serves as a guide for the design of high performance sustainable
commercial and institutional buildings. LEED for New Construction guidelines and requirements
are divided among five main categories:
• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
Two additional categories are Innovation in Design and Regional Priority.
The Certification Process
LEED certification distinguishes building projects that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by meeting the highest performance standards.
Why Certify?
• Establish recognized leadership in the green-building sector.
• Validate achievement through third-party review.
• Qualify for a growing array of state and local government incentives.
• Contribute to a growing green-building knowledge base.
• Earn LEED certification plaque and certificate.
• Eligibility
LEED certification is available for all building types including new construction and major renovation; existing buildings; commercial interiors; core and shell; schools and homes, neighborhood development, retail and healthcare. New building types are being considered and added for LEED certification.
Certification Requirements
LEED is a point-based rating system, and the number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification a building project receives.
The levels are based on the total number of points available in that rating system, which are awarded for the design, construction, and operation of a building.
In order to become LEED certified, a building project must satisfy all LEED prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points (40 points out of 100 base points and 10 bonus points) to be certified. Projects are classified as certified, silver, gold, or platinum depending on the total points accumulated.
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LEED for New Construction |
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100 base points: 10 additional points available |
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| Certified Level | Minimum 40 points |
| Silver Level | 50-59 points |
| Gold Level | 60-79 points |
| Platinum Level | 80 points and above |
LEED for New Construction awards 100 base points in the following five major
categories, with an additional 10 points in two other categories, as identified below: • Sustainable Sites (SS) – 26 points available
• Water Efficiency (WE) – 10 points available
• Energy and Atmosphere (EA) – 35 points available
• Materials and Resources (MR) – 14 points available
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) – 15 points available
• Innovation in Design (ID) – up to 6 additional points available
• Regional Priority (RP) – up to 4 additional points available
LEED credit requirements cover the performance of materials in aggregate, not the performance of individual products or brands. Therefore, products that meet the LEED performance criteria can only contribute toward earning points needed for LEED certification; they cannot earn points individually toward LEED certification.