Following the LEED Standard

The growing emphasis on sustainability has led to more interest in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Sustainability program, created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This article provides an overview of LEED, especially as it relates to pavements. The current version of LEED, version 3, includes New Construction, Existing Buildings, Core & Shell, Commercial Interiors, Retail, Homes, Neighborhoods, Schools and Healthcare. The latest updates will expand the types to cover 21 different areas of the construction industry. Although it is a voluntary rating system, to date there has been roughly 10 billion square feet of LEED development in 135 countries. There are five main credit categories: sustainable sites, materials and resources, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, and indoor environmental quality. The first two are of the most interest to the paving industry. Each category has prerequisites that are required while there are some optional credits, allowing contractors to pick and choose from the information. The category of sustainable sites, for example, could include heat island reduction and storm water management credits. When completing LEED projects contractors should be aware that some information may be required to verify credits. To boost their familiarity with LEED, contractors can become accredited in several different areas of LEED or join their local USGBC chapter.