by Ann Withanee — September 5, 2011—The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program, a global symbol of sustainable building, has reached an important and significant milestone in awarding its 10,000th LEED commercial project certification. program. Companies, consultants, architects, engineers and facilities executives strive numerous hours to obtain the certification, and when it is achieved, they wear the banner proudly, reflecting worldwide sustainability efforts.
The Live Oak Family Resource Center in Santa Cruz, California, which was awarded LEED Platinum by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), is the milestone project earning the 10,000th LEED certification. A vibrant community center, Live Oak Family Resource Center is a place for families to come for guidance, information and referrals on childbirth and parenting, health education and services, youth and senior programs, food distribution and other community needs.
“Business leaders around the globe are using LEED to design, build, maintain and operate their buildings,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. He adds, “In ten short years, we’ve fundamentally changed how we construct and operate buildings and communities.”
“It seems an appropriate reflection of USGBC’s mission of green buildings for everyone within a generation that a LEED Platinum community center providing support services to local families would earn this special distinction,” said Peter Templeton, president, GBCI. “LEED registered and certified projects now number more than 100,000 globally. This number underscores the confidence people have in LEED for saving water, energy, resources and money, and for delivering healthier and more comfortable buildings for the people who occupy them.”
Pilot-tested in 1998, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program fully launched in 2000 with the first rating system for new construction and major renovation projects. Since then, LEED has evolved to offer rating systems for existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and shell projects, homes, healthcare facilities, schools, neighborhood developments and more.
In 2008, USGBC introduced its Building Performance Partnership (BPP) to emphasize the importance of ongoing sustainable operations. BPP allows LEED projects to track and monitor their energy and water use over time so that the building continues to operate as intended.
USGBC also offers the LEED Volume Program for owners and managers of new and existing buildings who are looking to certify multiple projects like retail and hotel chains, bank branches and other similar project groupings.
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) provides third-party confirmation that specific criteria related to LEED building certification and LEED professional credentialing have been met. To underscore this commitment, GBCI is undergoing the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation process for personnel certification agencies complying with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 17024. Early in 2009, GBCI assumed responsibility for administering the LEED building certification program for the more than 36,000 commercial projects seeking third-party verification of compliance with the industry’s leading green building rating system.
