Interested in attaining LEED certification for your building? Managed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is a green building certification program that seeks to conserve our environmental resources and enhance human health through the promotion of sustainable building and facility management practices.
It takes a bit of upfront labor to put together an initial LEED certification application package, but the results are worth it. Property owners who seek LEED certification benefit from government incentives as well as long-term savings on operating costs that result from more efficient buildings.
Ready to get started? There are four main steps in the LEED certification process. Take a moment to walk through the steps you’ll encounter on the path to LEED certification:
1. Register for your intent to pursue LEED certification
Before you can really pursue a LEED certification, you must make sure your building or project meets basic qualification criteria, known as the LEED Minimum Program Requirements. These requirements stipulate that your project complies with specific environmental laws and building regulations, and confirms your commitment to sharing energy and water usage data (accessible via a smart water monitoring system like WaterSignal). After you’ve confirmed that your project meets all the appropriate requirements, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
2. Submit your application
Before you can submit your application, you must gather all the necessary documentation needed for USGBC to review your project’s LEED eligibility. “Working with your project team, you will identify LEED credits to pursue and assign them to project team members,” states the USGBC. “Your team will then collect information, perform calculations and analysis, and prepare documentation demonstrating your achievement of the prerequisites and your selected credits.” Once all of your project materials are assembled, you can then submit your application and the certification review fee.
3. Undergo a thorough technical review
From this point, your certification journey is now in the hands of the USGBC review, but that doesn’t mean your work is done. There are three potential review phases: Preliminary Review, Final Review, and Supplemental Review. After submitting your application, you will receive your Preliminary Review within 20-25 business days. You may accept these results, or if you are unsatisfied with the outcome, you may submit additional information as part of the Final Review. After the Final Review, you have a chance to appeal as part of the Supplemental Review.
4. Confirm your LEED certification
When you’re ready to accept the results of your review, you can now become certified. There are four LEED certification levels you can receive based on the points you receive in your review:
● LEED Certified: 40-49 points earned
● LEED Silver: 50-59 points earned
● LEED Gold: 60-79 points earned
● LEED Platinum: 80+ points earned
Is your facility LEED-worthy? You can read more about pursuing LEED certification over on the USGBC website. Contact WaterSignal today to learn how a smart water monitoring system can help your facility on its path to attaining LEED certification.
