LEED the Way

Rose Paving / June 16, 2010

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Turn over a new leaf and LEED the way!
Turn over a new leaf and LEED the way!

No, it’s not a typo…  Now there is a new way to take the LEED and promote a cleaner, healthier environment.   As a property manager or building owner, we know you have heard a lot about “going green.”  But, how does this movement affect you, your tenants, and your organization as a whole?  Believe it or not, it can have a huge, long-term impact!

Utilizing practices and materials that conserve resources can qualify your property for LEED certification.  And, by certifying your green building, you gain recognition for your site, which makes it more marketable and desirable to tenants and customers while also satisfying the growing need to protect our environment.  Also beneficial is the financial gain realized by saving water, reducing waste, lowering operating costs, and even qualifying for tax rebates and other incentives.

So, what is LEED?  LEED is an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is the internationally recognized system for certifying buildings (commercial and residential) as high-performance “green” sites that are healthy, productive places to work; less costly to operate; and maintain a reduced environmental footprint.

To become LEED-certified, building projects must earn credits in key areas that promote human and environmental health.  Our post next week will go into more depth about how to become certified and the key metrics that matter most. Please stay tuned…

For more information on the LEED system and its framework, please visit http://usgbc.org/.