USGBC - U.S. Green Building Council
The USGBC – U.S. Green Building Council
The USGBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the traditional idea of building to create a better, more sustainable place to live.
Mission and vision
The U.S. Green Building Council wants to use the LEED certification system to change the way buildings are planned, built and operated. Their vision is for buildings and living spaces to regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. The goal is to change the way buildings, homes and living spaces are designed, built and operated, and to create an environmentally and socially sustainable environment that improves the quality of life in the long term.
LEED-certified buildings use less energy and water, reduce waste and save on maintenance costs. The air quality inside these buildings is high, which increases comfort for the occupants. These buildings also have a lower environmental impact on communities. Green building has become a trillion-dollar industry, and LEED is the most widely used sustainable building certification program in the world.
LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the globally recognized system for evaluating sustainable buildings. LEED certification stands for environmentally friendly, energy-efficient and healthy construction, valid internationally and across all sectors.
The system is suitable for all building types and phases: from new construction and interior fit-out to operation, maintenance and partial refurbishment. The most important benefits include lower operating and maintenance costs, higher energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality and a long-term increase in the value of the property.
You can find out which requirements must be met on the LEED criteria page. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) also provides an online tool to help you find the right LEED system for each project.
How LEED came about
The founders of the USGBC, Rick Fedrizzi, David Gottfried and Mike Italiano, gathered representatives from 60 companies and non-profit organizations at the American Institute of Architects for the founding meeting in April 1993. Even then, ideas for more sustainability in the construction industry and a sustainable certification system, now known as LEED, were exchanged.
1998
LEED v1.0
In 1998, the USGBC successfully developed the first version of the certification system – LEED 1.0 – and tested it on 19 pilot projects. In March 2000, following the successful implementation of the pilot projects, LEED for New Construction, i.e. certification for new buildings, was launched.
2001
LEED v2.0 and Greenbuild
In March 2001, the LEED 2.0 version was published after some adjustments to the pilot program.
The certification program slowly spread beyond the construction sector. In 2002, the first elementary school, Third Creek Elementary in Statesville, North Carolina, was awarded LEED Gold. In the same month, the USGBC hosted the first Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Austin, Texas, with around 4,000 attendees.
2003
The Green Building Explosion
The year 2003 brought some big changes. The USGBC had grown from a small non-profit organization to a large corporation with staff, resources and influence, and LEED 2.1 had been launched the previous year. Over the course of the year, the certification systems for existing buildings, commercial interiors and core and shell were added as pilot projects. In November, the National Geographic Society building in Washington, D.C., became the first existing building to be LEED-certified. Another milestone was reached in April of the following year: 100 certified projects.
2009
LEED v2009
In April, the USGBC launched LEED v2009 on the market. Among other things, the USGBC introduced weightings for credits with this version. These weightings were based on standards defined by the Environmental Protection Agency ‘s Tool for Reducing and Assessing Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI). On the other hand, the weightings were based on the weightings of the National Institute of Standards.
This change made the certification system more rigorous and also clarified which areas of scoring were the most important. For the first time, there was an objective, scientifically based basis for scoring.
That same year, USGBC moved into its new headquarters, a LEED Platinum certified building for commercial interiors. The building was the first project to be certified under LEED v2009 and a showpiece for sustainable interior design. In 2010, the 500th project was certified.
2015
LEED v4
LEED v4 brought many improvements compared to previous versions: increased flexibility, a performance-oriented smart grid approach, a focus on materials and resources, a holistic approach to water and optimized documentation. LEED v4 continued to set new standards in sustainable building.
2019
LEED v4.1 and Living Standard
LEED v4.1 includes more comprehensive customized standards and allows projects to earn LEED credits by monitoring building performance as well. Withperformance results nowfully integrated, supported by new methodologies and a simple data-based approach to continuously measure performance, the focus remains on performance.
On the platform Living Standard the USGBC shares the experiences of people living in sustainable communities. This campaign aims to share these stories and make visible all the positive impacts of sustainable buildings and sustainable living spaces, creating a vision for a more sustainable future.
LEED was developed to measure and define what sustainable building means and to provide a blueprint for those developing sustainable buildings. LEED establishes a baseline, a universally recognized holistic system to reduce negative environmental impacts.
We are happy to support you in the planning and implementation of your project in accordance with LEED standards and accompany you on the way to successful certification.
FAQ
Phone +49 711 62049-340
Email info@hoinka.com