Brief description of LEED® V3
LEED is a certification system that evaluates sustainable buildings.
LEED encourages the development of projects in an integrated manner in such a way as to permanently maintain the flows of information between the different specialties, taking advantage of the synergies between them by maximizing their coordination.
The LEED assessment system is driven and supported by the US Green Building Institute and is currently the world's leading system in green building certification.
Its objective is to encourage and accelerate the global adoption of sustainable green building practices and development, through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted criteria and capabilities.
LEED is:
An internationally accepted certification program and benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The De Facto Standard in Building Construction in the United States
LEED gives building owners and their operators the tools they need to have an immediate, measurable impact on their building's capacity.
LEED promotes a comprehensive approach to sustainability, recognizing capabilities in five key areas for human and environmental health:
Sustainable site development, Water savings, Energy efficiency, Selection of materials and Indoor environmental quality.
The LEED evaluation system, in its 2009 version, considers nine Categories of Sustainable Projects:
LEED for New Buildings and Major Renovations LEED for Leed Core & Envelope for LEED Schools for HEALTH Institutions LEED for Retail LEED for Commercial Interiors LEED for Retail Interiors LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED Operations and Maintenance for Existing Schools.
The LEED evaluation system delivers four levels of certification according to the degree of application of the sustainability recommendations of the evaluated building: Certificate, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
These certification levels can be obtained in different categories of buildings, namely:
New Buildings or Major Remodeling Core and Envelope Schools Health Institutions (Clinics and Hospitals) Retail Interior of Commercial Buildings Existing Buildings.
Benefits and Objectives of LEED:
Reduction in basic consumption Reduces operational and building maintenance costs Better quality of the work space Increased productivity Increases the value of assets Increases occupancy rates Worldwide recognition of sustainability. Reduction of environmental impact.
LEED Requires compliance with eight prerequisites to qualify for certification:
SS P1 Pollution and Erosion Prevention Plan WE P1
Reduction in the use of water EA P1 Fundamental commissioning of energy systems EA P2 Comply with Minimum energy performance of the building EA P3 Fundamental Management of Refrigerants MR P1 Have Storage System and collection of recyclables EQ P1 Minimum Behavior in Indoor environmental quality EQ P2 Environmental control of tobacco smoke.
The score necessary to qualify for the different levels of certification is distributed among the following credits or requirements, in the categories indicated:
| SUSTAINABLE SITES | ||
| SS C1 | Terrain Selection | |
| SS C2 | Density of development and connectivity with the community | |
| SS C3 | Recovery Of contaminated land | |
| SS C4.1 | Alternative Transportation (Access to Public Transport) | |
| SS C4.2 | Alternative transport (use of bicycles) | |
| SS C4.3 | Alternative transport (parking lots for low-emission vehicles) | |
| SS C4.4 | Alternative transportation (Parking capacity) | |
| SSC 5.1 | Land development: protecting or restoring habitat | |
| SSC 5.2 | Land Development: Maximizing Open Spaces | |
| SSC 6.1 | Control amount of rainwater | |
| SSC 6.2 | Rainwater quality control | |
| SSC 7.1 | Heat Island Effect (No Roofs) | |
| SSC 7.2 | Heat Island Effect (Ceilings) | |
| SSC 8 | Reduction of light pollution | |
| WATER USE EFFICIENCY | ||
| WEC 1 | Efficient use of water in Landscaping | |
| WEC 2 | Innovative technologies in sanitary water management | |
| WEC 3 | Reduced water use | |
| ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE | ||
| EA C1 | Optimization of energy behavior (Energy Modeling) 19 Points. | |
| EA C2 | Renewable energy on site | |
| EA C3 | Advanced Commissioning | |
| EA C4 | Advanced refrigerant management | |
| EA C5 | Measurement and Verification of Building Performance | |
| EA C6 | Green Power (Energía Limpia) | |
| MATERIALS & RESOURCES | ||
| MRC 1.1 | Re-use of Building, structural | |
| MRC 1.2 | Re-use of Building Interior Materials | |
| MRC 2 | Construction Waste Management | |
| MRC 3 | Re-use of materials | |
| MRC 4.1 | Recycled material content | |
| MRC 5.1 | Use of Regional Materials | |
| MRC 6 | Use of rapidly renewable materials | |
| MRC 7 | FSC certified wood | |
| INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | ||
| EQC 1 | Monitoring outdoor air delivery | |
| EQC 2 | Improved Ventilation | |
| EQC 3.1 | Indoor Environment Management: During Construction | |
| EQC 3.2 | Indoor Environment Management: Before Being Occupied | |
| EQC 4.1 | Low Emission Materials: Adhesives and Sealants | |
| EQC 4.2 | Low Emission Materials: Paints and Coatings | |
| EQC 4.3 | Low Emission Materials: Carpets | |
| EQC 4.4 | Low Emission Materials: Composite Woods and Fibers | |
| EQC 5 | Control of polluting sources | |
| EQC 6.1 | System Control: Lighting | |
| EQC 6.2 | Systems Control: Thermal Control | |
| EQC 7.1 | Thermal Comfort, Design | |
| EQC 7.2 | Thermal comfort, Verification | |
| EQC 8.1 | Daylight and Views, External light 75% of spaces | |
| EQC 8.2 | Daylight and Views, Exterior view 90% of spaces | |
| INNOVATION AND DESIGN PROCESS | ||
| IDC 1 to 4 | Innovation in Design | |
| IDC 2 | Have a LEED Accredited Professional | |
| PR | Regional Priority (U.S. only) | |
Certificate: 40-49 points, Silver: 50-59 points, Gold: 60-79 points, Platinum: 80 and more
Benefits of LEED certification:
Immediate Benefits:
Validation of achievement by a third party Example of environmental awareness Contribution to a growing knowledge base LEED certification plate to install in the building Official Certificate International exhibition of the project through the USGBC website Case study and announcements in various media.
Authors: josedsalinas
