Why Choose LEED Certification?

Green building is a rapidly growing industry. In fact, green construction has grown at a rate outpacing traditional construction in recent years, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

While there are a variety of green building certification programs available to construction companies, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. What sets LEED apart from the rest?

Overarching Environmental Focus

LEED certification takes into account much more than the energy usage of a building. The green building program focuses on indoor air quality, water usage, construction materials used, sustainability of the site, operational processes and, of course, energy consumption.

This all-encompassing green building technique leads to healthy indoor environments for occupants, as well as reduced green house gas emissions, energy usage, water consumption and lower operating costs.

A Rating System for Every Project

LEED has a rating system in place for a wide variety of building projects and various stages of development. LEED projects include new construction, existing buildings, entire developments and homes.

LEED Rating Systems:

  1. LEED for Building Design+Construction (BD+C)
  2. LEED for Interior Design+Construction (ID+C)
  3. LEED for Building Operations+Maintenance (O+M)
  4. LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)
  5. LEED for Homes

Flexibility and Customization

LEED projects earn points across nine basic areas that address key aspects of green buildings. This allows for flexibility and customization, allowing builders to select the credits that are right for the specific project at hand.

LEED Credit Categories:

  1. Integrative process
  2. Location and transportation
  3. Sustainable sites
  4. Water efficiency
  5. Energy and atmosphere
  6. Materials and resources
  7. Indoor environmental quality
  8. Innovation
  9. Regional priority

By fulfilling credits in these nine distinct categories, projects earn points that determine the LEED certification level. While builders pick and choose the credits they wish to pursue, there are minimum requirements that all buildings need must meet in order to achieve LEED certification.

LEED Certification Levels:

  • LEED Certified – 40-49 points
  • LEED Silver – 50-59 points
  • LEED Gold – 60-79 points
  • LEED Platinum – 80+ points

Managing Your LEED Project

The LEED experts at Quest Resource Management Group (Quest)— a subsidiary of Quest Resource Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: QRHC) — will work with you do determine the right certification for your next project. For more information on certification and to request a LEED Eligibility Assessment Report, contact the Quest LEED team today.

Feature image credit: Viktoriya / Shutterstock

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