Architectural Lighting Design – a field within architecture, interior design, and electrical engineering that is concerned with the design of lighting systems, including natural light, electric light, or both, to serve human needs.

The design process takes into account: the kind of human activity for which lighting is to be provided, the amount of light required, the color of the light as it may affect the views of particular objects and the environment as a whole, the distribution of light within the space to be lighted (whether indoor or outdoor), and the effect of the lightened system itself on the user.

LEED Certification & Lighting Design

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a rating system for structures that were designed, built, and operated with energy efficiency in mind.

The LEED Rating System is comprised of categories, such as Water Efficiency and Materials & Sources. These categories offer a holistic approach to green building. Within each category, there are a series of LEED credits that identify specific actions or features that would lead to greater energy savings. Each LEED credit is worth a point value toward the LEED Certification of the project, and ultimately the LEED Certification label of the building – Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum – is based on the number of points earned.

So the question is, can lighting play a role in a building’s energy efficiency? Yes, lighting design can yield great energy savings.

Sustainable lighting goes beyond just choosing and incorporating LED light bulbs; we must also take into account lighting system design intent. Design intent is the difference of simply saving energy but also improving occupant satisfaction. Good lighting design involves proper daylighting design and outside views for the people using the building.

Although daylight doesn’t sound like a quality that is directly related to electrical lighting, it can affect the electrical lighting design. For example, Electrical Contractor Magazine notes that increasing daylight may lead to the installation of high-reflectance ceiling tiles. Ensuring views for open office occupants may require lower partitions, which can also affect the lighting design.

Good lighting design creates a balance between function and artistry, while maintaining an energy-efficient and cost-effective design. Lighting design services include: interior lighting plans, exterior lighting plans, lighting control system design, lighting fixture selections, LEED light pollution analysis, LEED lighting controllability analysis, and energy code compliance documentation.

Lighting design is important to LEED Certification projects for two main reasons:

• reducing the negative environmental effects associated with excessive energy usage
• offering solutions for occupants that encourage greater satisfaction and productivity

Lutron Electronics, a leading designer and manufacturer of energy-saving lighting controls and light control systems, notes that lighting controls can conserve 60% or more in lighting energy and 20% or more in HVAC energy. These savings can be accomplished through the use of occupancy sensors and astronomical timeclock scheduling, among other strategies.

With regard to occupant wellbeing, a lighting designer may plan to use lighting system controls, controllable window treatments, and daylight harvesting to improve comfort.

Specifically, lighting designers can contribute to LEED Certification projects by achieving the following credits:

• Sustainable Sites – Light Pollution Reduction
• Energy & Atmosphere – Optimize Energy Performance
• Energy & Atmosphere – Advanced Energy Metering
• Energy & Atmosphere – Demand Response
• Indoor Environmental Quality – Interior Lighting
• Indoor Environmental Quality – Daylight

The LEED v4 standards, which replaced LEED v3 in 2014, revised and overhauled some of the credits pertaining to lighting. Specifically, the LEED v4 standards now offer multiple paths to LEED credit compliance and are based on industry standards (as opposed to a standard particular to LEED).

How Do Lighting Designers Contribute to LEED Certification?

Lighting designers play a key role. They must consider the type of lighting fixture (LED, CFL, etc.) and identify strategies for daylighting and lighting controls that satisfy LEED Certification requirements and other code and standards requirements. They must also factor in lifecycle costs, safety and security, and maintenance and warranty issues.

Within the Energy & Atmosphere credit category, there is a required prerequisite called Fundamental Commissioning and Verification. This prerequisite mandates the completion of an owner’s product requirements document, or OPR. The OPR details how the building owner envisions the LEED project to be designed and built. It is imperative that a lighting designer review the OPR and meet the listed requirements, such as goals, budget, schedule, codes, return on investment, lifecycle costs, safety, and warranty.

Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine offers an example of lighting goals for a commercial office building from a sample OPR:

• Lighting design including energy efficiency and controls shall conform to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010.
• Maximize daylighting to all employees. Use daylighting controls and light switches for all private offices.
• Use LED lighting.
• Meet or exceed the recommended lighting levels in the Illuminating Engineering Society Lighting Handbook based upon people 25 to 65 yr old.
• Use 3,500 K color temperature for all lighting.
• Minimum of 80 color rendering index (CRI) for all lamps and light sources.
• Provide night lighting at all entrance doors to the building.
• Project is targeting LEED-NC v3 Silver certification at a minimum.

The Fundamental Commissioning prerequisite also requires a Basis of Design (BOD), which describes the technical approach to meet the OPR requirements. The BOD lists who is responsible for each component of the design; the lighting designer would likely be listed as the responsible party for the coordination and design of the lighting systems.

A lighting designer must be knowledgeable about code requirements to know whether he/she can satisfy the OPR requirements. It may take several conversations with the building owner to understand his intentions and previous experience with certain requirements listed on the OPR. The lighting designer must balance the the goals of the building owner, the requirements of the building code, and the LEED Certification requirements.

Near the end of the LEED Certification project, the lighting designer should specify an operations and maintenance manual for the building owner. The lighting designer will review the O&M manual to ensure the correct lighting fixtures, controls, etc. are included.

Which LEED Credential Does a Lighting Designer Need?

All professionals interested in earning a LEED credential must first pass the LEED Green Associate exam. This designation represents a broad understanding of the LEED Certification process and the LEED credit requirements and thresholds listed therein.

With LEED’s explosive growth in the commercial building sector, it seems reasonable that a lighting designer working in such an environment would want to understand the overarching goals and requirements. Earning the LEED Green Associate designation can be a marketable tool for standing out and aligning your services with those needed for a LEED Certification project.

After passing the LEED Green Associate exam, a lighting designer may choose to upgrade to a LEED AP with a Specialty. Most likely, a lighting designer would opt for the LEED AP Building Design & Construction (BD+C) designation.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

Lighting graphic courtesy of Extra Ordinary Lighting LLC

LEED for pest control contractors is especially important for environmentally-conscious pest management companies that opt for an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, which focuses on pest prevention at the outset and uses pesticides only as needed.

The intent of the IPM plan is to first keep pests out. This can be accomplished by identifying and repairing cracks and crevices in the building’s façade. From there, pest management professionals are challenged to use non-chemical solutions to treat the problem. This allows for a safe and healthy environment for occupants.

Because the LEED Certification standards value indoor air quality and health, pest management is actually one of the requirements for earning the coveted LEED label in existing buildings.

LEED Certification & Pest Control

LEED Certification is a label for structures that have been designed, built, and maintained with energy-efficiency and environmental health in mind.

To earn such a label, the structure must embody a series of characteristics in a variety of topic areas. Each characteristic, or LEED credit, is worth a point value, and ultimately the LEED Certification label – Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum – is based on the number of points earned.

Pest management companies can offer insight and expertise with regard to the following LEED credits:

• Sustainable Sites – Site Management
• Indoor Environmental Quality – Green Cleaning
• Indoor Environmental Quality – Integrated Pest Management

The value of an IPM program is that it encourages proactive solutions that can prevent the use of chemical pesticides in the event of an infestation. This approach, therefore, has less of a negative impact on people, property, and the environment.

IPM plans generally include the following components:

• Interior and exterior building maintenance guidelines
• Sanitation consultation and cleaning procedures
• Non-chemical solutions for pest treatment
• Guidelines for identifying pests and choosing treatment
• Action thresholds for various types of pests
• A plan for emergency application of pesticides
• Protocol for notifying occupants of an expected pesticide application
• Pest sighting records and service reports (analyzed annually for effectiveness)

According to Services Magazine, the IPM standards recommended by LEED are considerably more complex than a standard IPM program. A “traditional” chemical-based pest control approach often focuses solely on the application of chemicals designed to kill and repel the pests. Such a program ignores the reason(s) why pest problems exist in the first place.

The LEED Certification standards require that the use of pesticides be limited to times when pests are actually present and where non-chemical approaches are unsuccessful or inappropriate. For both indoor and outdoor pest control, the LEED standards call for the use of IPM combined with least-toxic pesticides and that such pesticides be used only after all other options are exhausted.

A knowledgeable pest management professional can develop and implement an effective program that will keep a facility pest-free while also meeting necessary LEED Certification requirements.

How Do Exterminators Contribute to LEED Certification?

Pest management is one aspect of the LEED Certification process that is fairly easy to implement within existing buildings. However, most LEED project teams – albeit multi-disciplined – generally don’t have an in-house pest management professional. Therefore, it’s more likely that a project team will contract what they deem to be an environmentally-responsible pest management company. This is a great opportunity for exterminators to advertise their knowledge of the LEED standards and show their value to LEED project teams.

To earn the 2 points for minimizing pest problems and exposure to pesticides, a LEED project team must have in place an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan for the building and grounds within the project boundary. This written IPM plan must include documentation for all procedures used in a project’s pest management program to earn the points.

To earn the Integrated Pest Management credit, LEED project teams must:

• Develop, implement, and maintain an IPM plan
• Use only least-toxic chemical pesticides
• Ensure minimum use of the least-toxic chemical pesticides
• Apply least-toxic chemical pesticides only in targeted locations
• Apply least-toxic chemical pesticides only for targeted pest species
• Identify what circumstances constitute an emergency application of pesticides
• Develop a communications strategy for normal and emergency conditions

Given the targeted subject matter, LEED project teams will be looking for a knowledgeable exterminator to assist with these efforts.

Which LEED Credential Does an Exterminator Need?

The first step for all LEED candidates is to earn the LEED Green Associate credential. This designation highlights general knowledge of sustainability principles and a broad understanding of the LEED Rating System for buildings.

After passing the LEED Green Associate exam, an exterminator may choose to advance to a LEED AP with a specialty in Operations and Maintenance (O+M). Since there is a large opportunity for pest management in existing buildings, it makes sense that an exterminator would want to learn more about the requirements for earning a LEED Certification label for that building type.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

Urban planners develop long- and short-term plans for the use of land and the growth and revitalization of urban, suburban, and rural communities. LEED also addresses these concepts, which is why the relationship of LEED for Urban Planners is so useful.

In addition, urban planners work with architects, engineers, landscape architects, and political leaders to achieve strategic, policy, and sustainability goals and to alleviate any social, economic, and environmental challenges. They specialize in research and analysis, strategic thinking, architecture, urban design, public consultation, policy recommendations, implementation and management.

LEED Certification & Community Development

LEED Certification is generally a label for structures that have been designed, constructed, and maintained using a series of recommended strategies that lead to optimum energy efficiency and sustainability.

To earn a LEED Certification label, a structure must:

• Align with a rating system, or building category, such as Building Design & Construction
• Incorporate a variety of sustainable features on a building-wide level
• Earn points for each sustainable feature

Energy efficiency in buildings has been an easy sell for building owners, stakeholders, and consumers, but the urban landscape can also contribute to energy savings and health. Communities that value walkability and access to nearby amenities offer a lessened need for car trips and result in reduced carbon dioxide emissions. This is where the LEED Neighborhood Development rating system comes into play.

The rating system most relevant to urban planners is LEED Neighborhood Development (LEED ND). Unlike the other four rating systems that focus heavily on a specific building or structure, LEED ND looks beyond the scale of buildings to consider entire communities. Just as urban planners do, LEED ND aims to create better, well-connected neighborhoods. It is one of the first standards to recognize and appreciate the value of urban planning and design.

LEED ND Certification awards communities for having effectively planned for green construction, energy efficiency, storm water management, mass transit, and urban agriculture.

Urban planners have long run into the same setbacks as landscape architects, whereby the quick solution to meet a project’s budget has been to cut out trees and other external qualities. Under LEED ND, project teams are challenged to make urban planning more of a priority. Urban planners are invited to the table earlier and play an integral role in leading LEED ND projects.

Unlike other LEED Certification projects that focus exclusively on the characteristics of a particular structure, LEED ND relies on surrounding environmental factors. Thus, the need for proficient planning and design is key.

How Do Urban Planners Contribute to LEED Certification?

Urban planners must, inherently, be focused on the issues of future generations and human impact on the environment, so their interests align strongly with those of LEED.

The LEED Certification standards aim to protect and improve the environment through the creation of modern and energy-independent urban space.

With their specialty in strategic thinking, urban planners carry a unique skill set for marrying new construction and economic development with effective and protective sustainability characteristics.

Urban planners can contribute to LEED ND projects in the following areas:

• Habitat restoration
• Street connectivity and walkability
• Transportation systems and mass transit access
• Zoning and regulatory issues

As a key player in economic development, urban planners are charged with presenting sensible and attractive ideas to policymakers. With knowledge of LEED, an urban planner can devise strategies to incentivize developers and landowners to use LEED ND as a progressive certification and marketable tool.

In 2002, the city council in Normal, IL required public and private buildings in Uptown to be LEED Certified. Since then, town planners have worked on several LEED ND projects. Uptown Normal later won a $22 million grant from the federal government to help pay for its transit center. The town planner believes a third-party validation of the neighborhood may have helped Normal win the grant.

In locations with prospective LEED ND projects, it’s important for urban planners to understand the requirements of LEED ND so that they can reconcile those thresholds with local building codes and city mandates. A LEED-accredited urban planner can balance the needs of the community with best practice LEED principles.

Which LEED Credential Does an Urban Planner Need?

The first step for all LEED candidates is to pass the LEED Green Associate exam. At this level, professionals gain a broad overview of the LEED Rating Systems and the requirements therein to earn a LEED Certification label.

After earning the LEED Green Associate designation, professionals may choose to upgrade to a LEED AP with a Specialty. The five available specialties align with the five LEED rating systems so that professionals can demonstrate proficiency with a specific building type.

In this case, an urban planner may choose to upgrade to a LEED AP with a specialty in Neighborhood Development. There is a natural overlap between the work of urban planners and the skills required to earn a LEED Certification in Neighborhood Development.

In addition, an urban planner with a LEED AP ND credential can earn a free point on a LEED ND project that they are working on. This is one of the benefits of earning a LEED AP Specialty credential. Since LEED Certification is based on points earned, this could be an easy and convenient way of pushing a project to the next tier of certification.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

Of all the individuals actively moving around a building, commercial janitorial staff are among the very few that are intimately aware of energy waste and overuse throughout a building. These individuals have key insight that many others could only estimate. Being that commercial cleaning crews are the eyes and ears of a building, they play an influential role in a building’s pursuit of LEED Certification. Many people fail to realize the importance of LEED for Commercial Cleaners.

If you want to learn more about LEED, visit our New to LEED? Start Here! section.

Commercial Cleaning – the line of work whereby a company earns an income by being contracted by individuals, business, or corporations to carry out cleaning jobs in a variety of premises. Commercial office cleaning companies use a wide variety of cleaning methods, chemicals, and equipment to facilitate and expedite the cleaning process. The scope of work may include all internal, general, and routine cleaning as well as external cleaning, litter picking, and removal of graffiti.

LEED Certification & Facility Operations

LEED Certification is a label for a building that has been designed, constructed, and maintained using a series of recommended strategies that lead to optimum energy efficiency and sustainability.

Behind a building’s LEED Certification label, there is a team of professionals who have worked together to contribute valuable insight and effort. It’s wise for commercial janitorial staff to understand LEED and sustainability concepts so that they can best support the instructions provided to them by the facility owner or operations manager.

It’s important that janitorial staff understand their role in building management and operations maintenance. Evidence of their daily tasks appear on utility bills and water bills, which factor into a building’s pursuit of LEED Certification.

Meeting the LEED requirements is a major concern for designers, builders, and administrators of commercial buildings, so it becomes a marketable feature for a commercial janitorial company to have at least one LEED accredited professional on staff to help relieve some of the responsibilities.

Earning a LEED credential will not only benefit a building’s pursuit of LEED Certification, but it helps janitorial staff feel an extra sense of purpose and empowerment. Studies have shown that LEED-certified buildings are often healthier for their occupants, so commercial cleaning crews reap the benefit of seeing their actions result in healthier and more productive spaces for those inside.

How Do Commercial Cleaners Contribute to LEED Certification?

Commercial cleaning companies generally add value to building projects pursuing a LEED Certification in Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. This certification path, or rating system, aims to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact in existing buildings.

Recycling, water conservation, waste reduction, and green cleaning are some of the ways in which commercial janitorial staff contribute to a building’s operations and efficiency.

With regard to the LEED credit categories, commercial cleaning companies can offer support in the following areas:

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Green Cleaning (required prerequisite)
• Green Cleaning – Custodial Effectiveness Assessment
• Green Cleaning – Products and Materials
• Green Cleaning – Equipment

Materials and Resources

• Ongoing Purchasing and Waste Policy (required prerequisite)
• Facility Maintenance and Renovation Policy (required prerequisite)
• Solid Waste Management – Ongoing
• Solid Waste Management – Facility Maintenance and Renovation

According to Clean Solution LLC, the use of green cleaning products, techniques, practices, and equipment contribute up to a quarter of the credits needed to obtain a LEED O+M Platinum certification. Most of these cleaning and maintenance-related items are simple to implement and low cost.

Commercial cleaning companies would be wise to advertise their knowledge of LEED concepts. Given that LEED Certification is now so recognized, more and more building owners are hoping to earn the label for their properties. Building owners and LEED project teams don’t have time to teach their cleaning crews on how to comply with the LEED Certification requirements, so they look to contract with knowledgeable companies who can be an asset.

It is entirely attractive to hire a commercial cleaning company with LEED expertise because staff members can not only perform the appropriate tasks with minimal guidance, but oftentimes, they can provide documentation to reflect how their techniques specifically contribute to LEED Certification.

Which LEED Credential Does a Commercial Janitor Need?

The LEED Green Associate credential is the first step for anyone interested in learning about the LEED Certification process. This credential denotes a fundamental understanding of sustainability principles as well as the credit categories associated with a LEED project.

Given the impact that commercial janitorial staff have on LEED EB: Operations and Maintenance projects, at least one employee at such a company should advance to the LEED AP Operations and Maintenance specialty. This distinction shows understanding of LEED principles and a proficiency with meeting the intricate details and requirements within the LEED EB rating system.

To learn more about LEED for Commercial Cleaners, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

The University Office of Sustainability is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to integrate sustainability principles into the operational functions of the university. Staff in this department communicate, inform, and promote sustainability principles and programs throughout the university and also educate faculty, staff, and students. In a way, college sustainability staff occupy a similar role as facility managers in buildings; thus, LEED for college administrators is not to be ignored.

Often with a background as an architect, the Director of Sustainability at a university essentially furthers efforts to meet the goals of a university’s sustainability commitments by measuring, assessing, and continually improving campus sustainability efforts.

LEED Certification in Academic Settings

LEED is directly built into the two largest sustainability initiatives in the higher education community:

• The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) requires signatories to initiate two of seven listed tangible actions to reduce greenhouse gases. One of these options is instituting a campus green building policy that requires a LEED Silver certification for new construction and major renovations.
• The Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS) developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awards points in three credit areas for the use of LEED for New Construction & Major Renovation, LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, and LEED for Commercial Interiors.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system for sustainably constructed, energy-efficient buildings. The LEED standards include a series of recommended “green” strategies that span the design, construction, and operations stages. For a structure to earn a LEED Certification label (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum), the building must incorporate a variety of these strategies, earning points along the way. The higher the number of points, the higher the LEED Certification label.

The LEED Rating System was designed with multiple building types in mind; therefore, a brand new construction project would align its process with the LEED for New Construction Rating System, while an existing building seeking renovations would align its process with the LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System.

• The LEED for New Construction rating system is the appropriate certification system for new building construction on college and university campuses.
• The LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance rating system can be applied to single or multiple existing buildings with shared operating systems.

In the case of a project pursuing certification for one building at a time, LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance will apply to that building’s operations only. More likely, a campus project will be pursuing certification for more than one building at a time. In this case, there are a number of credits within LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance that can be applied to multiple buildings at the same time.

How Do College Sustainability Staff Use LEED?

There are a number of reasons why colleges and universities employ sustainability strategies, such as LEED Certification, on campus. As with many green construction projects, the benefits include:

• Reducing operating costs
• Reducing energy use
• Reducing water use
• Reducing CO2 emissions
• Creating a healthy learning environment
• Promoting environmental stewardship to students
• Promoting a more marketable and eco-conscious view of the university
• Enjoying tax relief from the federal or state government

According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with an upfront investment of 2% in green building design, the resulting life savings is 20% of the total construction costs. With many universities lacking funding, this kind of savings could dramatically help the yearly budget.

Studies have also shown that green building has proven to make occupants more productive and healthy. Lighting, which is one of the main features in green buildings, is a key to increased productivity.

The following methods are becoming more prevalent on campuses across the nation. Because of the large scale of college campuses, the impact of these methods are truly praised for energy savings and enhanced occupants’ comfort:

• green roofs
• low VOC paints
• compact fluorescent bulbs
• using recycled content
• buying and using local materials
• tree preservation and relocation
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures
• alternative transportation

As you can see, staff from the Office of Sustainability would most likely apply LEED concepts in the areas of Materials & Resources and Sustainable Sites.

Which LEED Credential Does a College Sustainability Officer Need?

Those working in an Office of Sustainability at a college or university should earn the LEED Green Associate designation at a minimum. This entry-level credential demonstrates a broad understanding of sustainability principles and the LEED Certification process.

The Director of Sustainability in such a department would be wise to advance to a LEED AP with Specialty credential – likely Building Design and Construction (BD+C) or Operations and Maintenance (O+M). These individuals should earn the higher designation to demonstrate leadership and enhanced knowledge of the LEED Certification process. Again, given one’s professional background prior to university service, a Director of Sustainability will likely play a key role in the LEED Certification projects on campus. It’s important that he/she understand the intricacies of the LEED rating system in question and have the knowledge to identify the college’s needs. With a LEED credential in tow, a Director of Sustainability will know which strategies to use to reach the college or university’s goals.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

Second image courtesy of Elon University: Lindner Hall, a LEED Gold-certified building on campus

Green Product Manufacturing is the systematic design and production of building materials with a focus on minimizing, or eliminating, resource use, waste, and pollution. Building materials may include concrete, marble, stucco, plaster, rebar, plastic, bamboo, and many other natural and synthetic items. These materials provide the make-up of buildings and structures and are commonly used by architects and construction managers, especially on LEED projects. Therefore, it’s tempting to think about LEED Certification for Products.

Manufacturers of green products should see the green building market as an opportunity for sales. Materials are an integral part of certified green building projects, so as the green building market grows, so should manufacturing of green products.

LEED Certification is a Label for Buildings

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED standards provide guidance on how to design, build, and/or maintain an energy-efficient and sustainable structure.

Cross-functional teams of architects, engineers, contractors, etc. make a plan to incorporate sustainable products and features into their building project, with the goal of earning points toward a LEED Certification label (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum). The higher the number of points, the higher the level of LEED Certification.

Although the USGBC does not certify, promote, or endorse products and services of individual companies, products and services do play a role in this process and can help project teams earn points.

The products and services themselves do not earn projects points; rather, products and services help project teams meet the thresholds specified in the LEED standards.

It’s incredibly important for building product manufacturers to educate their sales and marketing teams about LEED requirements so that they can competently relay the benefits of their product in regard to achieving LEED Certification.

How Do Manufacturers Contribute to LEED Certification?

Melissa Vernon, the director of sustainable strategy at InterfaceFLOR, said, “In order to get closer to the goal of buildings with lower total environmental impacts, the impacts associated with individual building materials must also be understood.”

Product manufacturers become involved in the LEED Certification process when it comes to showing LEED compliance of a product. In other words, product manufacturers can show that use of a specific product helps in earning points toward a desired LEED Certification label. Therefore, demonstrating a product’s compliance to LEED standards can be an important tool for marketing. Please note, however, that LEED-related labels may not be placed on product packaging under any circumstances.

Products can show compliance with the following LEED credits, many from the Materials & Resources category:

• Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction
• Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Environmental Product Declarations
• Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials
• Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Material Ingredients
• Construction and Demolition Waste Management
• Low-Emitting Materials
• Innovation and Pilot Credits

The newest version of the LEED standards, called LEED Version 4, brought about several changes that are of interest to product manufacturers. Several new LEED credits were added to LEED v4 that affect product specification. One of the most important changes from LEED 2009 to LEED v4 is more transparency and disclosure from building material and product manufacturers. In fact, Materials and Resources is arguably the most revised category in LEED v4, especially from a building materials and product manufacturer’s perspective.

Because the Materials and Resources credit category in LEED v4 now values a life-cycle approach, it encourages project teams to specify products from manufacturers that provide full transparency of their product’s environmental performance.

According to Paul Nutcher of the Green Apple Group, energy-efficient buildings are often air tight, and off-gassing chemicals in materials used to design and construct interiors can create a poor indoor environmental quality for the occupants. Therefore, this interest in a product’s environmental performance is important.

To continue selling into the green building marketplace, manufacturers must understand three core concepts that appear in LEED v4 guidelines:

• Environmental Product Declarations (MRc2)
• Raw Material Transparency Reporting (MRc3)
• Health Product Declarations (MRc4)

With adequate understanding of the LEED Certification process, manufacturers can rightfully advertise how their products and services contribute to these three credits and help project teams earn points toward a LEED Certification label.

With product transparency, building teams can make better choices about what products they use.

Which LEED Credential Does a Product Manufacturer Need?

The cross-functional teams working toward LEED Certification often also possess personal LEED designations. LEED Certification is a label for a sustainable building, while LEED Accreditation is a label for a sustainability professional (specifically someone well-versed in the LEED standards).

The first step for any person interested in LEED is to pass the LEED Green Associate exam. This entry-level designation denotes a broad understanding of the LEED Certification process. Professionals with this designation are familiar with the LEED credit categories and the requirements therein.

After earning the LEED Green Associate designation, a professional might decide to upgrade to a LEED AP with a Specialty. Specialties include Building Design & Construction, Operations & Maintenance, Interior Design & Construction, Homes, and Neighborhood Development. LEED AP professionals frequently work on LEED projects in a leadership capacity.

A building products manufacturer will likely remain at the LEED Green Associate level. This knowledge, which should be shared among the design, sales, and marketing teams at a manufacturing firm, will be enough to accurately convey a product’s benefits and contributions toward a LEED Certification project.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.

Because of the broad responsibility that construction managers have over the whole building project, their efforts can align very well with LEED. In order to lead a green building project, it is sensible that a construction manager possess LEED knowledge.

If you want to learn more about LEED, visit our New to LEED? Start Here! section.

Construction Management – is the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from beginning to end with the intent to meet a client’s requirement and produce a functionally and financially viable project. Construction managers often meet with owners, engineers, architects, and any others working on the same project. They also hire and oversee specialty trade contractors, such as carpenters, plumbers, and electricians.

Construction managers may go by a number of names. Among all the options, the most common titles are Construction Site Manager, Construction Project Superintendent, Construction Superintendent, Jobsite Superintendent, and Construction Project Manager.

LEED Certification & Construction Management

LEED is an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED standards contain guidance on how to design, build, and maintain a healthy and energy-efficient building or home. In order for a structure to earn a LEED Certification rating (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum), the building must embody a selection of the recommended “green” characteristics. These techniques are known as LEED credits, and these credits make up a number of categories.

The LEED credit categories span the entire lifecycle of a building project, with recommendations that can be implemented early in the design stage, during the building stage, or included with future operations in mind. Since construction managers oversee these same phases, the professionals with LEED knowledge can better incorporate sustainability into each project phase.

Construction managers can be involved with each of these LEED credit categories:

• Location & Transportation
• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Material & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality

As you can see, the LEED credits that add up to LEED Certification span a variety of features and phases. Given that construction managers are involved with every aspect of the construction cycle, they are likely to encounter LEED components at multiples stages throughout the project.

To ensure that the project is on deadline and on budget, construction managers would be wise to possess LEED knowledge so that when these encounters occur, they don’t have to waste any time seeking guidance or feedback from another source. It’s a matter of being in complete control of the project. For a LEED project to be completed properly, it makes sense to have a LEED subject matter expert at the top who can oversee related details and plans.

How Do Construction Managers Use LEED?

For construction managers, earning a LEED credential is worth more than simply marketability. This knowledge is directly related to a construction manager’s job responsibilities.

With the growth of green building in the construction industry, it’s a no-brainer that construction managers grow their skill set accordingly. Earning a LEED credential demonstrates a commitment to long-term savings and reduction in energy consumption. These qualities will forever be cherished by building owners and tenants. Nowadays, the preference is for a “green” building, and stakeholders are going to look for the construction teams that can give them what they want.

Specifically, some of the ways in which construction managers use green-building knowledge on LEED projects include:

• Setting up a recycling plan for unused construction materials
• Protecting environmentally sensitive areas of the project site
• Making smart decisions on materials to be used on the project
• Choosing sub-contractors who have green building experience
• Identifying eligible LEED credit opportunities within the project
• Managing the preparation and implementation of LEED-related building plans
• Submitting documentation through LEED Online

Much of a construction manager’s job overlaps with the role of a LEED AP on a LEED project. Both are leaders on construction projects, and both are responsible for guiding the project from start to finish (on time and within budget).

Which LEED Credential Does a Construction Manager Need?

Although a construction manager’s ultimate goal may be to become a LEED AP, the first step for all candidates is to first pass the LEED Green Associate exam.

The U.S. Green Building Council, who created the LEED standards and credentialing process, developed a tiered system for earning LEED designations. Everyone must pass the LEED Green Associate exam before they can advance to the LEED AP level.

When it’s time to proceed to the LEED AP tier, construction managers will want to select a specialty that aligns with the type of projects they generally manage. By becoming a LEED AP with Specialty, construction managers can automatically earn a “free” point toward LEED Certification on their LEED-registered projects. Remember that the LEED certification labels are based on points earned, so adding an extra point simply from being a LEED AP with Specialty is a great benefit for upgrading from LEED Green Associate.

To learn more about how YOU can gain LEED knowledge, give us a call at (800) 460-2575 or enroll in our popular LEED Green Associate Exam Prep course.