Points for Concrete in LEED (Courtesy Portland Cement Association)
Using concrete can facilitate the process of obtaining LEED® Green Building certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a point rating system devised by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design. The system is credit-based, allowing projects to earn points for environmentally friendly actions taken during the construction and use of a building. LEED was launched in an effort to develop a “consensus-based, market-driven rating system to accelerate the development and implementation of green building practices.” The program is not rigidly structured; not every project must meet identical requirements to qualify.
There are numerous LEED rating systems for various project types, including LEED for New Construction, LEED for Schools, LEED for Commercial Interiors, and LEED for Homes.
- Concrete creates sustainable sites.
- Concrete enhances energy performance.
- Concrete contains recycled materials.
- Concrete is manufactured locally.
- Concrete builds durable structures.
The LEED rating system has five main credit categories:
- Sustainable sites
- Water efficiency
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality
Each category is divided into credits. Detailed information on the LEED program and project certification process is available on the USGBC Web site, www.usgbc.org. The program outlines the intent, requirements, technologies, and strategies for meeting each credit. Credits are broken down into individual points. Additional points can be earned for innovation, exceptional environmental performance, and the use of a LEED accredited professional on the project team.
Points for Certification
| At least 26 points are required for LEED certification. Silver, gold, and platinum levels are also available. | |
| Credit Category |
Points Available
|
| Sustainable Sites |
14
|
| Water Efficiency |
5
|
| Energy and Atmosphere |
17
|
| Materials and Resources |
13
|
| Indoor Environmental Quality |
17
|
| Total Core Points |
64
|
| Innovation and Design Process |
5
|
| LEED Certification Levels | |
| Certified |
26 – 32 Points
|
| Silver |
33 – 38 Points
|
| Gold |
39 – 51 Points
|
| Platinum |
52 – 69 Points
|
Concrete and LEED
Using concrete can increase the number of points awarded to a building in the LEED system. The following are suggestions for earning LEED-NC v2.2 points through the use of cement and concrete products. The paragraph headings correspond to the credit categories and the credit numbers in the rating system for LEED for New Construction, LEED for Core and Shell, and LEED for K-12 Schools. Points must be documented according to LEED procedures in order to be earned. The USGBC Web site, www.usgbc.org, contains a downloadable ”letter template“ that greatly simplifies the documentation requirements for LEED v2.2. The potential available points that can be earned by using concrete range from 16 to 26.
Please visit http://www.cement.org/buildings/green_leed.asp for more information on the use of Concrete for LEED credit.