An Introduction to LEED Certification

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) prestigious rating system which certifies that a building, home, or community meets the highest standards of environmental sustainability. The certification, founded in 1998 and is now acknowledged as a worldwide standard, has had a major impact on sustainable design standards. In fact, over 1.85 million sqft becomes LEED certified each day¹.

What is LEED Certification?

LEED is essentially rating system created to benchmark the “green” performance of a building. Designed to be a practical framework for accomplishing green building design and construction, LEED focuses on performance in five core tenets:

• Sustainable site development
• Water savings
• Energy efficiency
• Materials selection
• Indoor environmental quality

For each category, the LEED certification system outlines a set of requirements called “credits” and each credit is worth 1 point. At a minimum, a building requires 40 points to achieve a LEED certification and greater certification levels are offered to buildings with more points. The LEED certification levels are as follows:

• Basic Certification 40 – 49 Points
• Silver Certification 50 – 59 Points
• Gold Certification 60 – 79 Points
• Platinum Certification 80 – 110 Points

How and When to use LEED?

Contrary to popular belief, the LEED rating system is not just for commercial buildings. It is also appropriate for implementing sustainable solutions in neighborhoods, community projects, and even residential homes. Additionally, the core tenets of the LEED certification can be applied to projects at all points of the development process—from initial designs and renovations to simple improvements.

What are the benefits of LEED certification?

Certifying a home or building using the LEED system offers sizeable financial, environmental and health benefits for both the building owners and the planet.

• Financial: Save money with an energy efficient building which uses less power and less water.  Also, LEED buildings may qualify for additional tax rebates and incentives at the local level.
• Environmental: LEED buildings conserve energy and water.
• Health: LEED buildings use recycled or renewable materials which are healthier and safer for occupants.
  

The Conco Companies’ mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.