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BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING
Environmental benefits: • Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity • Improve air and water quality • Reduce solid waste • Conserve natural resourcesEconomic benefits:• Reduce operating costs • Enhance asset value and profits • Improve employee productivity and satisfaction • Optimize life-cycle economic performanceHealth and community benefits: • Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments • Enhance occupant comfort and health • Minimize strain on local infrastructure • Contribute to overall quality of life
What is LEED?
The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone. The U.S. Green Building Council developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System to encourage sustainable green building and development practices. LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:
1. Sustainable site development 2. Water savings 3. Energy efficiency 4. Materials selection 5. Indoor environmental quality
How does LEED work?
LEED is a point based system where projects earn LEED points for satisfying specific green building criteria. Within each of the six LEED credit categories, projects must satisfy particular prerequisites and earn points. The six categories include:
1. Sustainable Sites 2. Water Efficiency 3. Energy & Atmosphere 4. Materials & Resources 5. Indoor Environmental Quality 6. Innovation in Design
The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED Certification the project receives. LEED certification is available in four progressive levels:
1. Platinum 2. Gold 3. Silver 4. Certified
LEED Certified Buildings in Miami Beach Learn more about LEED Certification and the U.S. Green Building Council.