LEED Study Group An Eye Opener
As a few members of the staff and I study for the LEED certification test, we're struck by the system's attention to detail.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has been developed by the US Green Building Council as a way to quantify a project’s sustainability. Five brave Arcadians have committed to taking the test in spring 2009. Being LEED certified will help us guide projects toward a higher level of sustainability.
One of the things that amazes us as we go through the dense study guide is the amount of thought that has gone into the system. Imagine – you are making up guidelines for architects and builders all over the country. Big cities, small towns, cold climates or deserts – this system has to be inclusive enough to span the wide geography of the states, yet specific enough to actually measure something. The more we learn, the more respect we have for the rating system.
One of the many applications of LEED certification is that it helps us avoid “greenwashing”. Arcadia gets inundated with fliers and emails about this or that new green product. How do we differentiate between the truly green products and those that have just been re-named and re-packaged? By researching and implementing products that truly decrease the carbon footprint of our projects, we provide examples of beautiful, low-impact designs.
Our collective respect for the nuanced details of the LEED system makes me more excited to become certified - I think I’ll go memorize some EPA standards!
I'll be posting more about what practical applications of LEED we're discovering as the study group forges on towards the test. Click here for more info on LEED.