LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification represents adherence to the highest government standards in environmentally-friendly building. The certification is awarded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), which was established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Members of the building industry have come together to create a checklist of factors in six categories related to green building, including:
- • Sustainable sites
- • Energy and atmosphere
- • Water efficiency
- • Materials and resources
- • Indoor environmental quality
- • Innovation and design process
Each factor has been assigned a point value and the added points determine the rating of each project. Ratings range from "Leed certified" to "silver," "gold" and "platinum" ratings, which represent the highest possible rating for a project.
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LEED