The term LEED is often bandied about when conversations shift to the environment. A term used when discussing building certification, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is an internationally recognized green building certification system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council 12 years ago. The system provides building owners and those who operate businesses with a distinct framework of guidelines that identify practical and measurable green design, construction, operation, and maintenance solutions.

In order to be fair, LEED uses a rating system that is developed through a collaboration by LEED committees. Committees are groups of volunteers who represent a variety of building and construction industry subsets.

Some of the things that LEED will measure through its rating system include:

* energy and atmosphere solutions

* water efficiency

* sustainable sites selection

* sustainable materials and waste reduction

* indoor environmental quality

Organizations that are seeking LEED certification for a building must earn a minimum number of “points” to reach certification. The maximum number of points offered is 110, which includes 10 bonus points. Most buildings are eligible for certification, but it’s best to check with the LEEDRating System Checklist and find out the requirements for a particular project. That information is available at www.usgbc.org.