subject: Leed For A More Sustainable Future [print this page] We all want to help the environmentWe all want to help the environment. To reduce pollution, eliminate waste, conserve energy, and preserve resources. One of the best ways to do this in building design and construction is to obtain LEED certification.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system. It was developed in 1998 by the U.S. Green Building Council and was designed to provide standards for environmentally friendly construction. Commercial construction is one of the biggest places we can use environmentally friendly construction techniques, in electrical, mechanical, piping, and plumbing especially. Fixtures that are smart and use less water and power, windows that help hold the outside elements at bay while passively allowing them to work with us instead of against us.
Toilets that use water conserving flush systems and timed lighting. Reducing construction waste from remodeling and reusing materials onsite or responsibly recycling them, instead of hauling them to landfills. LEED also helps provide better interior building conditions by being aware of the human needs for light and plants. Retrofits to existing buildings have provide substantial savings for utilities and upgraded working and living conditions by providing better mechanical and plumbing systems.
LEED is a system designed to help all of us be more responsible in our daily lives. It keeps project planners aware of things like public transit accessibility and natural site suitability for construction and future growth. Buildings are major users of water and resources. By being aware and planning their use better, we can reduce their environmental impact and increase their usability.
Construction firms that specialize in LEED construction are one of the fastest growing segments of the economy. LEED certified buildings are sought after for work and living space. LEED implementation into buildings is relatively inexpensive at an average cost of less than $10 a square foot. The cost savings over the life of the buildings far outweighs this cost, which is sometimes recaptured in just a few years after project completion.
Maryland construction firms are especially well placed to capture the rising Atlantic LEED building market. Their central location to both the growth in the South and Eastern seaboards, not to mention their closeness to the aging government offices in Washington, DC that are seeking LEED certification, will make it interesting to watch their growth and development.
The growing importance and awareness of our planet's use of resources and development's effect on them is one of the most important construction trends to watch in the years to come. LEED is growing in importance and necessitates that contractors follow this trend or be left behind.
