Steps to Achieve LEED Certification
LEED certification has many requirements for businesses and earning a LEED certification requires deliberate planning. When you’re taking on a new construction project or updating your current building, LEED certification should be one of your goals from the start. The first step is to understand LEED certification basics for businesses so you can make informed decisions throughout your project. Here is a breakdown of the steps you need to take to obtain LEED certification on a project:
- Create a business plan: You can start with a business plan that sets a LEED certification budget. Note that the registration, application, and appeals process each has associated fees. Green materials and strategies typically cost more upfront, so you should also set a budget for these improvements. Remember that many green buildings qualify for government incentives, gain positive PR and command higher prices from customers and tenants. A business plan guides both design and maintenance, so your building earns its certification and can maintain it in the long run.
- Establish goals: It’s crucial to ensure the green improvements you make align with your other business objectives. Set specific goals for your project, such as which level of certification and LEED credits you want to achieve. For example, a focus on energy improvements may give you a different ROI than on sustainable materials or water efficiency.
- Gather your team: Choosing the right professionals to complete the project is key. LEED-certified architects, engineers and planners who are familiar with the standards can help you make the right decisions and earn more LEED points.
- Register your project: The USGBC recommends registering your project during the design phase to ensure an integrated approach to the entire building. Your building must meet all the requirements, so check the LEED Credit Library to find out the minimum requirements for your project.
- Submit your application: When it’s time to apply, you’ll have to pay a review fee and submit all the documentation needed for GBCI to review your project. You’ll select which LEED credits to pursue and create a plan for achieving them within design and construction. To ensure you meet all LEED standards, you’ll provide documents, calculations and analysis. Make sure you’ve highlighted all prerequisites and identified information related to each credit you’re aiming for. Make sure all documents and attachments are labeled, and only submit the data and pages of reports that prove your project meets the requirements. You can help your application by providing a narrative of the project to give the reviewers context for your project.
- Get reviewed and receive your decision: The review process can include up to three phases. Part one (the preliminary review) is the first, which every submitted project goes through. You will receive your initial results which may highlight some credits as pending more information. If you’re satisfied with these results, you can accept them as final. In part two, you can submit any information requested by GBCI and amend your original submission. You can accept these results or enter part three, a supplemental or appeal review. This part is subject to another fee and allows you to add new credits and include more information.
How Does a Building Become LEED Certified?
There are many types of LEED certifications for commercial businesses, neighborhood developers, houses, cities and communities. Each type may have variations in the scoring categories.
What are the different LEED certifications for businesses? There are several types your commercial project might qualify for, including:
- LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C)
- LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)
- LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M)
Depending on the certification you apply for will affect the prerequisites and credits you will need to achieve. The BD+C LEED certification has nine categories that contribute to a green, healthy and efficient building. Each category has particular prerequisites depending on the type of project. To gain certification, you need to earn a certain number of points out of a total of 100 possible points. You can score points by achieving credits in each category.
You can use our commercial guide to LEED certification as a starting point to learn more about each of the evaluation categories. Here are the nine categories of LEED v4.1, the latest version of the LEED certification guidelines for businesses:
1. Integrative Process
To qualify for integrative process credits, yo wi’ll need to begin your LEED certification strategy from the pre-design phase. LEED O+M projects, which apply to operations, cannot achieve any integrative process credits. The idea is to create synergy between disciplines and energy and water systems through an early analysis of their interrelationships.
There is only one credit associated with the integrative process category. For BD+C projects, the integrative process credit is worth one point. For ID+C projects, it is worth up to two points.
For example, a new construction project should have a holistic approach to energy efficiency. It should include an assessment of outdoor site conditions, such as shade. It will also look at how the energy envelope, lighting, plug and process load needs, thermal comfort levels and operational parameters can contribute to energy efficiency. Likewise, it should take an integrated approach to how the building can reduce potable water demands. It should look at indoor, outdoor and process water demand, as well as supply sources.
2. Location and Transportation
The location and transportation category rewards a thoughtful approach. For example, if a new construction project is built close to public transportation, it can reduce pollution from cars.
BD+C projects can aim for eight different credits, each ranging from one to 16 points. ID+C projects qualify for five credits, with the most valuable credit worth up to 18 points. O+M projects have one credit, Transportation Performance, and it is a prerequisite for earning the O+M LEED certification.
A BD+C project that needs permanent bicycle facilities, changing rooms, storage, and shower areas for a certain percentage of building occupants or residents to earn this credit. Bicycle storage facilities are a type of O+M project which could earn a total of one point in the v4.1 LEED requirements. VPS, the leader in innovative hail and UV sun/protection, provides commercial protection not just for vehicles, but assets and storage as well.
VPS commercial hail protection solutions could potentially earn a point through the reduced parking footprint credit by designing innovative coverings for parking spots. VPS covered parking structures could be used to dedicate car-share parking spots or increase the value of your parking, allowing you to provide it as an unbundled service. Either of these measures could be considered for earning the one point allotted to this credit.
3. Water Efficiency
Water efficiency is one of the critical areas that drive green building solutions. BD+C, ID+C and O+M all have at least one prerequisite in the water efficiency category. The ID+C certification requires you to meet minimum indoor water use reduction standards and allows you to earn up to 12 points by taking additional water reduction efforts. The BD+C certification enables you to receive up to six points through indoor water use reduction.
For the BD+C certification, you can earn more points by reducing outdoor water usage, meeting standards for your water cooling tower, and installing meters for at least two water subsystems. This type of certification can earn up to nine points in the water efficiency category.
4. Indoor Environmental Quality
Improving the environmental quality within your building creates happier occupants, reduces health issues and improves mental well-being. This category includes air quality, thermal comfort, interior lighting, tobacco smoke control, daylight, views and acoustics.
The BD+C, ID+C and O+M certifications each have several prerequisites and credit opportunities in this category.
BD+C and IC+C construction projects can gain the most points through Daylight and Low-Emitting Materials credits, which are both worth up to three points. You can score points if you achieve certain levels of daylight illuminance in a percentage of your occupied floor space. You can also earn points by using low-emitting materials in paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, flooring, wall panels, ceilings, insulation, furniture or composite wood. The more product categories you can achieve this status in, the more points you may earn.
Those seeking O+M certification can earn two points for implementing green cleaning policies and using integrated pest management to reduce pest problems and exposure to pesticides.
5. Innovation
Sustainable design strategies and operational procedures are always evolving. When new research and technologies influence your project, you make your building better. This category rewards innovation with up to six points for BD+C and ID+C projects and up to one point for O+M certifications.
You can earn these points by achieving measurable improvements using a strategy not already defined by the LEED system. These innovations can include collecting pilot credits from among the ones listed in the LEED Pilot Credit Library or developing an original strategy.
You can also earn a point by working with at least one LEED Accredited Professional on the project team.
6. Regional Priority
Those seeking LEED BD+C certification can earn up to four points by focusing on local needs. You’ll have to meet credits your region’s USGBC chapter has identified as being of increased importance. Regional priority credits allow you to earn extra points from other credits.
For example, the Light Pollution Reduction credit from the Sustainable Sites category might have regional priority in areas that see increased light pollution. It’s a credit worth one point, and you can earn another point by meeting it if it’s a regional priority.
You can look for Regional Priority Credits that might apply to your area on the USGBC website.
7. Sustainable Sites
The Sustainable Sites category credits projects that maintain positive relationships between buildings and their surrounding ecosystem. BD+C and O+M applicants can earn points through rainwater management, heat island reduction and light pollution reduction. BD+C qualifiers must meet the prerequisite for construction activity pollution prevention. They can also score points by building in an open space and completing a comprehensive site assessment. Those seeking an O+M certification can earn another point through sustainable site management.
If an energy generating system covers at least 75% of parking spaces, your project could potentially earn one point towards the Heat Island Reduction credit.
8. Materials and Resources
With sustainable waste management practices and responsibly sourced raw materials, you can earn credits in the Materials and Resources category. These credits ensure designers and builders consider the overall lifecycle of the building. It also encourages facility managers to make smart decisions on purchasing, maintenance and waste management. It rewards using materials that will leave minimal impact on the environment over the building’s lifetime.
9. Energy and Atmosphere
Energy and Atmosphere is the credit category where BD+C applicants have the most opportunities to gain points. A project can earn up to 18 points by optimizing energy performance — the higher the percentage of improvements, the more points.
The project can also earn up to five points by using renewable energy. Generating renewable energy on-site, through means such as solar panels, is ideal. You can also gain points by using off-site renewable energy, although you’ll need to source a higher percentage of your energy this way to earn points. You can score the full five points if 40% of your building’s energy comes from on-site renewable sources.
VPS solar integrated covered parking structures can help you meet your goal of producing on-site renewable energy. They provide a service for occupants by offering shaded parking or covered walkways in conjunction with reducing the heat island effect. Our solar parking structures can potentially contribute to LEED certification and bring down energy costs.
