Guide to LEED Certifying Your Home or Business
When people think about a green building, they tend to picture a skyscraper with a roof garden and energy efficient components. While this is true, the process to LEED certify a building applies to all structures. It may make sense to LEED certify any property that you own.
What Does “LEED Certify” Mean?
To LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certify a structure means to have it reviewed and rated for its energy efficient properties. A green building can attract tenants or new owners while also being affordable to operate.
Can You LEED Certify a Home?
LEED has various programs encompassing all buildings. This makes it possible to LEED certify a home or other small building. LEED is not applicable to only new construction. LEED principles can be applied to any structure, even historic ones.
What Is Integrating Design?
When architects, designers, developers, owners and other interested parties work together to create a more energy efficient, green building, they enter an integrating design process. Integrating design means that all of these stakeholders work together to arrive at energy efficient solutions for the project at every step. Integrating design is what makes it possible to increase the value of the property, reduce operating costs and limit the project’s carbon footprint. Using integrating design principles requires time and coordination, but is worthwhile when an energy efficient, green building is the outcome.
How to Certify Your Green Building
If you want to build a structure that can be certified as a green building or if you want to upgrade a structure to make it more energy efficient, then you’ll want to use an integrating design process. This means that the whole structure will be environmentally friendly. That may mean coordinating with a certified LEED professional who can provide guidance and help you through the testing and verification process.
