What Is A Green Building?
A green building is also known as a sustainable building or a green construction and is generally used to refer to a structure that uses processes that are environmentally friendly and is efficient in the way it uses resources. Green homes are homes that are built using green technology and are energy efficient. Such homes will conserve water, electricity, would have been built using non-toxic and green materials and will have features that will protect the surrounding site environment. LEED Certifications are given to green homes and green buildings and the cost of a LEED accredited house is generally considered to be more than a regular house. There are a lot more people who are now opting to build green homes to just for increasing the value of the property, but they are aware of the money that they will be able to save due to the energy conservation features that such green homes and building tend to have.
Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design (LEED)
LEED has rating system that is for evaluating the design, operation and construction of green homes, buildings and neighborhoods. There are nine rating systems that are used by LEED and are in five categories and they are
- Green Home Design and Construction
- LEED for Homes
- Green Neighborhood Development
- LEED for Neighborhood Development
- Green Building Design and Construction
- LEED for Healthcare
- LEED for Core and Shell
- LEED for New Construction
- LEED for Schools
- LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations
- Green Building Operations and Maintenance
- LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance
- Green Interior Design and Construction
- LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors
- LEED for Commercial Interiors
LEED Certification
For green buildings there are a possible 100 base points that they can score and the points are distributed in five categories and they are Water Efficiency, Sustainable Sites, Materials and Resources, Energy and Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality. Other than the five categories there are an additional six points that is given to Innovation in Design and four points to Regional Priority. There are four levels of certification that LEED has and they are based on the number of points the building is able to collect. The four certification levels are- Platinum – 80 points and above
- Gold – 60 to 79 points
- Silver – 50 to 59 points
- Certified – 40 to 49 points
Value Of LEED Certification
LEED certified buildings are said to reduce the waste that is sent to landfills and also to conserve energy and water. They are also said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have lower operational costs. These functions and the LEED Accreditation increase the value of the asset and such buildings also have the option to apply for tax rebates and other incentives from the government. Moreover hotels and hospitals that have LEED Certification can promote themselves as people who care for the environment and is considered to be a marketing advantage. The major change seen is that with LEED ratings having so many advantages, there is an increasing trend of environmentally friendly buildings that are coming up all over the world and there is importance that is given to way buildings are designed and built so that they do not cause environmental damage.
