LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project. Still curious about what LEED is or why you should use it?

A home is more than just shelter: homes are the most important buildings in our lives. We think that every building should be a green building – but especially homes. Why? LEED homes are built to be healthy, providing clean indoor air and incorporating safe building materials to ensure a comfortable home. Using less energy and water means lower utility bills each month. And in many markets, certified green homes are now selling quicker and for more money than comparable non-green homes. Some of the most important buildings in the world use LEED. Shouldn’t the most important building in everyone’s world use LEED, too?

Who it's for

LEED for Homes is available for building design and construction projects for single family homes and multifamily projects up to eight stories.

• Homes and Multifamily Lowrise: Designed for single family homes and multifamily buildings between one and three stories.
• Multifamily Midrise: Designed for midrise multifamily buildings between four and eight stories.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

There are four levels of certification - the number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification that the project will receive. Typical certification thresholds are:

Each rating system is made up of a combination of credit categories.

Within each of the credit categories, there are specific prerequisites projects must satisfy and a variety of credits projects can pursue to earn points. The number of points the project earns determines its level of LEED certification.

Integrative Process

requirements, while not a credit category, promote reaching across disciplines to incorporate diverse team members during the pre-design period.

Location and transportation

credits reward projects within relatively dense areas, near diverse uses, with access to a variety of transportation options, or on sites with development constraints.

Materials and Resources

credits encourage using sustainable building materials and reducing waste. Indoor environmental quality credits promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.

Water efficiency

credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.

Energy and atmosphere

credits promote better building energy performance through innovative strategies.

Sustainable sites

credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.

Indoor environmental quality

credits promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.

Innovation

credits address sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under the five LEED credit categories.

Regional priority credits

address regional environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic regions.

LEED for Neighborhood Development additional credit categories

Smart location & linkage

credits promote walkable neighborhoods with efficient transportation options and open space.

Neighborhood pattern & design

credits emphasize compact, walkable, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods with good connections to nearby communities.

Green infrastructure & buildings

credits reduce the environmental consequences of the construction and operation of buildings and infrastructure.

 

 

 

 

WHY SHOULD I PURSUE LEED?

 

Proven performance

If you’re serious about saving money, conserving energy, reducing water consumption, improving indoor air quality, making better building material choices, and driving innovation, then LEED is the best choice. Bar none.

Third-party certification verifies that your project is designed, built and operating the way it was intended. It is also your first step toward managing your building through its entire lifecycle.

Behind the LEED program is an immense infrastructure developed to support the leaders in the industry as they innovate and create cutting-edge, high performance buildings. We make significant investments each year to maintain, operate and improve LEED and its delivery. No other rating system has an infrastructure that comes close.

LEED-certified buildings cost less to operate, reducing energy and water bills by as much as 40%. Businesses and organizations across the globe use LEED to increase the efficiency of their buildings, freeing up valuable resources that can be used to create new jobs, attract and retain top talent, expand operations and invest in emerging technologies.

LEED buildings have faster lease-up rates and may qualify for a host of incentives like tax rebates and zoning allowances. Not to mention they retain higher property values.