LEED CORE CONCEPTS AND THEMES

Lesson 1:

Climate change is one of the driving forces of the LEED rating systems and the LEED impact
categories.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Buildings and Climate Change
Report, buildings account for approximately 40% of total energy used today. The different factors
of this energy use are location, transportation, and building systems.

Lesson 2:

Impact categories

The LEED impact categories, also known as LEED system goals, were developed to guide point allocation
for each credit in the rating systems. The impact categories and their components, as listed in LEED

v4 Impact Category and Point Allocation Development Process, include the following:

Reverse contribution to global climate change:

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction from building operations.

GHG emissions reduction from transportation energy use.
GHG emissions reduction from materials and water-embodied energy use.
GHG emissions reduction by embodied energy of water reduction.
GHG emissions reduction from a cleaner energy supply.
Global warming potential reduction from non-energy- related drivers.

Enhance individual human health and well-being:

Support occupant comfort and well-being.

Protect human health from direct exposure to negative health impacts.
Protect human health globally and across the entire built environment life cycle.

Protect and restore water resources:

Water conservation.
Water quality protection.
Protection and restoration of water regimes and natural hydrological cycles.

Protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services:

Local biodiversity, habitat protection, and open spaces.

Global biodiversity, habitat protection, and land preservation.
Sustainable use and management of ecosystem services.

Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles:

Reduce raw material resources extraction.

Move to cyclical, nondepleting material cycles.
Reduce negative environmental impacts throughout the materials life cycle
 Build a greener economy:

Enhance the value proposition of green building.

Strengthen the green building industry and supply chain.
Promote innovation and integration of green building products and services.
Incentivize long-term growth and investment opportunities
Support local economies.

Enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality of life.

Create a strong sense of place.

Provide affordable, equitable, and resilient communities.
Promote access to neighborhood completeness resources
Promote human rights and environmental justice.

Lesson 3:

Cradle to grave: Cradle-to-grave (open system) materials are not sustainable. They are
extracted, manufactured, purchased, consumed, and disposed of, with a clear beginning and
finite end. Cradle to grave is a linear consumption-to-waste process.

Cradle to cradle: Cradle-to-cradle (closed system) materials are sustainable. They are reused at
the end of their usefu1life. Cradle to cradle is a continuous loop of reuse that eliminates waste.

Upstream activities: Upstream activities are related to the extraction of the raw material used in
a product.

Downstream activities: Downstream activities are related to the processing of materials all the
way through to the delivery of the final product to the end user.

Embodied energy: Embodied energy is the total amount of energy used to extract materials and
manufacture, transport, install, and use a product across its life cycle.

Life-Cycle Assessments: The focus of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) is on the environmental

considerations of a product. During an LCA, all environmental impacts associated with a material
or product throughout its life cycle are identified. Upstream and downstream activities, embodied
energy, waste and by-product creation, and recycling and disposal are considered during the
LCA. The data provided can be used to aid in the selection of building systems, services, and
products that have the least impact on human health and the environment.

Life-Cycle Costing: The focus of life-cycle costing (LCC) is on the cost considerations of a
product. LCC is an analytic tool used to determine the most cost effective option an1ong
competing alternatives based on the costs of the options throughout their life cycle. The results of
an LCC analysis can be used to select building systems, services, and products that have the
lowest life-cycle co t and shortest payback period.

Lesson 4:

Triple bottom line: The triple bottom line involves the social (people), environmental (planet),
and economic (profit) dimensions of an organization in decision making, hence the phrase
"people, planet, profit." The premise of the triple bottom-line approach to business is to take a
stakeholder approach versus a shareholder approach so that the bottom line for all parties can be
increased. The triple bottom line should be an integrative process that takes into consideration
decision making and design, along with impacts on the community and built environment. The
concept of the triple bottom line is integral to understanding the environmental impacts of the built
environment within the Project Surroundings and Public Outreach knowledge domain.

The term "regenerative building" refers to closed systems that use only as much water and
energy as they can produce. However, most systems in the built environment are open systems.
Goods and materials flow in unused, they are then used within the system and expire, at which
point they leave the system as waste and have an end life as solid waste, pollution, and sewage.
 The integrative process is the foundation of green building design and one of the core concepts
of sustainability in the built environment. The integrative process is also part of the Integrative
Strategies knowledge domain. The integrative process is a design process in which
multidisciplinary teams collaborate to meet sustainable design objectives from the inception of a
project to its completion. The integrative process is included in LEED in order to change the way
buildings are designed and built.

The three phases of the integrative design process include discovery, implementation, and
occupancy.

The iterative process used in design involves conducting research, sharing data, receiving
feedback, and refining the design repeatedly until all of the project's sustainable goals are met.
The iterative process is used in tandem with the integrative process.

Lesson 5:

Systems thinking is commonly used in problem solving. By looking at a problem as a small part of a
larger system, it is easier for a person to see all of the interrelated parts that may contribute to or be
affected by the problem, thereby making it easier to solve. The system can represent a building
project, organization, community, or city. Systems thinking is an important part of the integrative
process. A fundamental concept in systems thinking is that by examining the interaction and
connections between all the parts of a system, each part can be better understood. Another concept is
that an improvement in one part of a system may have a negative effect on another part of the same
system. The goal of systems thinking in organizations is communication across all levels of the
organization so that a solution in one area does not result in a problem in another area.

An open system is a system in which materials and resources continually enter the system through
extraction, are consumed, and then are removed from the system as waste. For example, resources
such as food and water are brought into homes, consumed, and then discarded into sewers and
landfill s. These materials and resources have an end life. Open systems are linear and are not
considered sustainable in the traditional sense.

A closed system is a cyclical system in which material s and resources are consumed and then
reused or recycled. For exan1ple, dead and decaying plants become fertilizer, which helps other
plants grow. Closed systems are considered sustainable because no waste is produced. There is no
end life. Just like the closed systems in nature, the goal for sustainable systems in green buildings is
to continually reuse and recycle materials and resources.

With a negative feedback loop, systems self-correct and stay within a particular set of parameters.
An output may signal to the system to stop changing. For example, when a room gets too warm, a
signal from a thermostat is sent to a controller to turn on the air conditioner. When the room reaches a
preset temperature, another signal is sent from the thermostat to turn off the air conditioner.

With a positive feedback loop, the output of a system is applied to the input, resulting in constant
increases. Population growth is an example of a positive feedback loop. The more people that are
born, the more people there are to bear more people.

A leverage point is a point in a system in which a small change can yield large results. For example,
when building occupants are provided with energy-use data, many will instinctively change their
energy-use behaviour. This results in a significant reduction of energy use throughout the building.
This type of leverage point is also an example of the Prius effect."
OVERVIEW OF USGBC AND LEED

Lesson 1:

USGBC defines its mission: ''To transform the way buildings and communities are
designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible,
healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life."

USGBC explains its vision: "Buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the
health and vitality of all life within a generation."

The structure of USGBC is committee based, member-driven, and consensus focused.

In 2000, the USGBC released the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) rating system, LEED for New Construction, v1.

Lesson 2:

There are 21 different rating system adaptations within five categories. The main rating systems
divided according to reference guide and specialty include the following:

LEED for Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C)

LEED for Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID+C)

LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M)

LEED for Homes Design and Construction (LEED Homes)

LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND)

The LEED for Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C) rating system
adaptations address the design and construction activities related to new buildings and
major renovations of existing buildings, including major HVAC improvements, significant
envelope modifications, and interior rehabilitation.

The LEED for Interior design and Construction involves the coordination of the
decorative and architectural features of a building interior. The associated reference guide
for the LEED for Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID+C) rating system applies to
general commercial, retail, and hospitality interiors.

The adaptations in the LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M)
rating system are becoming popular as the trend in green building veers toward greening
existing buildings. The LEED O+M rating system adaptations apply to existing buildings
that are undergoing improvements with little or no construction.

The LEED Homes rating system adaptations are designed to save energy and water,
maximize fresh indoor air, and minimize exposure to airborne toxins and pollutants in
homes. LEED-certified homes are inspected by a third party and performance tested to
use at least 20% less energy than conventional homes. For the certification process, a
verification team, which include a LEED Homes Energy Rater, Green Rater, and Homes
Provider, is used.

The LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED D) rating system adaptations apply to
new land development projects or redevelopment projects for residential uses,
nonresidential uses, or a combination of residential and nonresidential uses.

Each LEED rating system adaptation has a centralized point of organization, called a
checklist (sometimes referred to as a scorecard). In most cases, the checklist is a single-
page list containing the name of the rating system adaptation and a series of categories
that pertain to the site, transportation, water, energy, materials, indoor air, and innovation
 of the project.

Within each category are prerequisites and credits that a project team selects for point
attribution to achieve LEED certification. At the bottom of each checklist are the
certification levels and their respective point thresholds. The checklist is the first thing a
project team considers when deciding which rating system adaptation to use. During the
predesign planning phase, a project team should use the checklist to roughly determine
which credits and certification level can be achieved.

Lesson 3:

The prerequisites are at the beginning of the main rating system credit categories in LEED v4
and they are mandatory. The purpose of prerequisites is to ensure a minimum level of
achievement within each credit category. Points are not given for prerequisites.

All credit in each rating system adaptation are grouped in categories and listed after the
prerequisites. Each category lists the total amount of possible points that can be achieved
within that category. Each credit is assigned a single point or a range of points. Also, a credit
can be obtained for the integrative process, which is not within a category. The integrative
process is stressed as the foundation for working through all the categories to achieve
credits. Its purpose is to promote teamwork across all the disciplines and begins at the
discovery or critical phase of the project. Also, an integrative process can help project teams
achieve synergies across credit categories.

Credit interpretation request (CIR): During the design and construction of a LEED project,
questions may arise as to how to implement a strategy for a certain prerequisite or credit??
For a fee, the project team can submit a credit interpretation request (CIR) to the USGBC
through LEED Online. Before submitting the CIR, project teams should look through the
Addenda Database of LEED Interpretations. The database is composed of precedent-setting
answers to LEED CIRs that may address the project team's question. The database is found
on the USGBC website.

Lesson 4:

Minimum program requirements (MPRs): The MPRs are the requirements that a building must
meet before it can consider LEED certification. They are found in the introduction of the LEED
reference guides. A building must meet the following MPRs for LEED certification:

Must be in a permanent location on existing land. All LEED projects must be constructed
and operated on a permanent location on existing land. No project that is designed to move
at any point in its lifetime may pursue LEED certification. This requirement applies to all land
within the LEED project.

Must use reasonable LEED boundaries. The LEED project boundary must include all
contiguous land that is associated with the project and supports its typical operations. This
includes land altered as a result of construction and features used primarily by the project's
occupants, such as hardscape (parking lots and sidewalks), septic or storm water treatment
equipment, and landscaping. The LEED boundary may not unreasonably exclude portion of
the building, space, or site to give the project an advantage in complying with credit
requirements. The LEED project must accurately communicate the scope of the certifying
project in all promotional and descriptive materials and distinguish it from any noncertifying
space.

Must comply with project size requirements. All LEED projects must meet the following
size requirements:

LEED BD+C and LEED O+M-The LEED project must include a minimum of I 000 square feet
(93 square meters) of gross floor area.
 LEED ID+C - The LEED project must include a minimum of 250 square feet (22 square
meters) of gross floor area.

LEED ND-The LEED project should contain at least two habitable buildings and be no larger
than 1500 acres.

LEED Homes-The LEED project must be defined as a "dwelling unit" by all applicable codes.

Purpose of MPR: To provide clear guidance to the customers. To reduce the challenges
that may arise during the certification process. To protect the integrity of LEED program.

Lesson 5:

There are three types of boundaries to be aware of for the purposes of LEED: property boundary
line, LEED project boundary line, and the building footprint. The property boundary line refers to the
land owned according to a plot plan or legal property deed. The LEED project boundary line may or
may not be the same as the property boundary. For example, a university may own acres of land but
may wish to develop only a portion of it for one academic building. Therefore, the LEED project
boundary line sets the limits for the scope of work to be included in the documents for certification.
The building footprint is the amount of land on which the building resides.

The certification levels are LEED Certified (4049 points), Silver (5059 points), Gold (6079 points),
and Platinum (80 and higher). A total of 110 possible points may be earned with most rating
systems.The first step in the certification process of a project is to select the appropriate rating
system by determining the construction type of the building. Project teams that are unsure of which
rating system to choose should use the 40/60 rule. The 40/60 rule applies square footage to the
requirements of the rating systems. If a rating system is appropriate for less than 40% of the gross
floor area of the LEED project building or space in question, the rating system should not be selected.
If a rating system is appropriate for more than 60% of the gross floor area of the LEED project building
or space in question, the rating system should be selected. If the appropriate rating systems apply to
between 40% and 60% of the gross floor area, project teams must decide which rating system is most
applicable.LEED projects are registered and documented through LEED Online on the USGBC
website.

The LEED Volume Program simplifies the certification process for organizations wishing to certify
multiple buildings within the same rating system. For organizations planning to certify a large number
of new construction projects and existing buildings, the LEED Volume Program streamlines
documentation, speeds up the process, and reduces costs. Under this program, organizations are
offered large discounts for certifying 25 or more projects within three years.

The LEED Campus Program is different from the LEED Volume Program in that the Campus
Program certifies multiple buildings that may not have the same design or function, that are located on
the same site, and that must be under the control of a single entity. It can be used for all rating
systems in the LEED 2009 as well as the LEED v4 BD+C, ID+C, and O+M rating system. Hospitals,
colleges, commercial developments, and corporations benefit from using the LEED Campus program.
An individual building can be certified or a group of buildings can share the same certification.

If strategies are sustained, a building certified under the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings rating
system can continue to provide operational benefits throughout the life of the building. It must be
verified that the owner of the LEED-certified existing building is continuing to operate and maintain the
building as set forth in the initial certification. Recertification must take place at a minimum of every
five years or a maximum of once a year.

Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI): A third-party organization that provides independent
oversight of professional credentialing and project certification programs related to green building.
LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION

Lesson 1:

Overview
The overall objective of LT credit category is to:
Reduce the environmental impact by proper site selection
Reduce the environmental impact associated with transportation. fossils fuels used in automobiles
contribute to global warming, acid rain, smog and emission of poisonous gas
Improve public health by increased physical activity

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), transportation emissions contributed to
33% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2008.

Lesson 2: Sensitive land protection

Intent: To avoid the development of environmentally sensitive lands and reduce the environmental
impact from the location of a building on a site.

Strategies

1. The best strategy to achieve this credit is to develop a previously developed site. Previously developed
sites have existing infrastructure like electricity network, water, sewage, telecom etc. hence reduces
the load on infrastructure requirement.
2. Do not develop environmentally sensitive sites. Following sites are considered as environmentally
sensitive:

A farm land
Flood prone area - avoid development of site with floodplain subject to a 1% or greater
chance of flooding in any given year
Land which is identified as land for endangered species.
Land close to water bodies - development boundary to be at least 100' away from water
bodies
Land close to wetland - development boundary to be at least 50' away from wetland.

Lesson 3: High-Priority Site

Intent: To encourage project location in areas with development constraints and promote the health of
the surrounding area.

Strategies:

Locate the project on an infill location in a historic district.

Priority Designation: the sites whose development is encouraged or supported by
Government
Locate on a brownfield where soil or groundwater contamination has been identified, and
where the local, state, or national authority (whichever has jurisdiction) requires its
remediation. Perform remediation to the satisfaction of that authority.
Lesson 4: Surrounding Density & Diverse use

Intent:

To conserve land and protect farmland and wildlife habitat by encouraging development in areas
with existing infrastructure.
To promote walkability, and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled.
To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity.

Strategies:

Locate on a site within a 1/4 mile (400-meter) radius of the project boundary with a specific
surrounding existing density.
Construct or renovate a building or a space within a building such that the buildings main
entrance is within a mile (800-meter) walking distance of the main entrance of existing and
publicly available diverse uses.
Examples for diverse use given by LEED are: bank, church, supermarket / convenience store, day
care, dry cleaner / laundry mat, fire station, salon, hardware store, library, medical / dental office,
park, pharmacy, post office, restaurant, school, theatre / museum, community center, or gym

Lesson 5: Access to quality transit

Intent:
To encourage development in locations shown to have multimodal transportation choices or otherwise
reduced motor vehicle use, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and other
environmental and public health harms associated with motor vehicle use.

Strategies:
Locate any functional entry of the project within a 1/4-mile (400-meter) walking distance of existing or
planned bus, streetcar, or rideshare stops, or within a 1/2-mile (800-meter) walking distance of
existing or planned bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, commuter rail stations, or
commuter ferry terminals. Planned stops and stations may count if they are sited, funded, and under
construction by the date of the certificate of occupancy and are complete within 24 months of that
date.

Lesson 6: Bicycle facilities

Intent:
To promote bicycling and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve
public health by encouraging utilitarian and recreational physical activity.

Strategies:

Select site which has bicycle track.

In residential buildings, provide secure bicycle parking places.
In commercial buildings, provide secure bicycle parking places, showers and changing rooms .
Lesson 7: Reduced Parking footprint

Intent:
To minimize the environmental harms associated with parking facilities, including automobile
dependence, land consumption, and rainwater runoff.

Strategies:

Limit the number of parking to local zoning requirements.

If local zoning authority do not regulate parking, Institute of Transportation Engineering Handbook
can be used.

Lesson 8: Green Vehicles

Intent:
To reduce pollution by promoting alternatives to conventionally fueled automobiles.

Strategies:

Designate 5% of all parking spaces used by the project as preferred parking for green vehicles.
Green vehicles must achieve a minimum green score of 45 on the American Council for an
Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle rating guide
A discounted parking rate of at least 20% for green vehicles is an acceptable substitute for
preferred parking spaces. The discounted rate must be publicly posted at the entrance of the
parking area and permanently available to every qualifying vehicle.
Install electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) in 2% of all parking spaces used by the project.
OR install liquid or gas alternative fuel fueling facilities or a battery switching station capable of
refueling a number of vehicles per day equal to at least 2% of all parking spaces.

Lesson 9: LEED for ND Development Location

Intent:
To avoid development on inappropriate sites. To reduce vehicles miles traveled. To enhance livability
and improve human health by encouraging daily physical activity.

Strategies:
Locate the project within the boundary of a development certified under LEED for Neighborhood
Development (Stage 2 or Stage 3 under the Pilot or 2009 rating systems, Certified Plan or Certified
Project under the LEED v4 rating system).
SUSTAINABLE SITES

Lesson 1: Overview

The Sustainable Sites (SS) category rewards decisions about the environment surrounding the
building, with credits that emphasize the vital relationships among buildings, ecosystems, and
ecosystem services. It focuses on restoring project site elements, integrating the site with local
and regional ecosystems, and preserving the biodiversity that natural systems rely on.

Earths systems depend on biologically diverse forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and other ecosystems,
which are often referred to as natural capital because they provide regenerative services. A United
Nations study indicates that of the ecosystem services that have been assessed worldwide, about
60% are currently degraded or used unsustainably.

The results are deforestation, soil erosion, a drop in water table levels, extinction of species, and
rivers that no longer run to the sea. Recent trends like exurban development and sprawl encroach
on the remaining natural landscapes and farmlands, fragmenting and replacing them with dispersed
hardscapes surrounded by non-native vegetation.

Lesson 2:

Prerequisite: Construction Activity Pollution Prevention

Intent:

To reduce pollution from construction activities by controlling soil erosion, waterway sedimentation,
and airborne dust.

Strategies:

Create and implement an erosion and sedimentation control plan for all construction activities
associated with the project. The plan must conform to the erosion and sedimentation
requirements of the 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Construction General
Permit (CGP) or local equivalent, whichever is more stringent.

The potential strategies the project team can incorporate include: stock piling, temporary seeding,
permanent seeding, mulching, silt fencing, sediment traps, sediment basins, or earth dikes.

Lesson 3: Site Assessment

Intent:

To assess site conditions before design to evaluate sustainable options and inform related decisions
about site design.

Strategies:

Complete and document a site survey or assessment that includes the following information:

Topography: Contour mapping, unique topographic features, slope stability risks.

Hydrology: Flood hazard areas, delineated wetlands, lakes, streams, shorelines, rainwater collection and
reuse

opportunities.Climate: Solar exposure, heat island effect potential, seasonal sun angles, prevailing
winds, monthly precipitation and temperature ranges.

Vegetation: Primary vegetation types, greenfield area, significant tree mapping, threatened or
endangered species, unique habitat, invasive plant species.
Soils: Natural Resources Conservation Service soils delineation, healthy soils, previous development,
disturbed soils.

Human use: Views, adjacent transportation infrastructure, adjacent properties, construction materials with
existing recycle or reuse potential.

Human health effects: Proximity of vulnerable populations, adjacent physical activity opportunities,
proximity to major sources of air pollution.

Lesson 4: Site DevelopmentProtect or Restore Habitat

Intent:

To conserve existing natural areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote
biodiversity.

Strategies:

Preserve and protect from all development and construction activity 40% of the greenfield area on the
site (if such areas exist).

On-site restoration: Using native or adapted vegetation, restore 30% (including the building footprint)
of all portions of the site identified as previously disturbed.

OR

Financial support: Provide financial support equivalent to at least $0.40 per square foot ($4 per
square meter) for the total site area (including the building footprint). Financial support must be
provided to a nationally or locally recognized land trust or conservation organization

Lesson 5: Open Space

Intent:

To create exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment, social interaction,
passive recreation, and physical activities.

Strategies:

Provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area (including building footprint).
A minimum of 25% of that outdoor space must be vegetated (turf grass does not count as vegetation)
or have overhead vegetated canopy. For projects that achieve a density of 1.5 floor-area ratio (FAR),
and are physically accessible, extensive or intensive vegetated roofs can be used toward the
minimum 25% vegetation requirement, and qualifying roof-based physically accessible paving areas
can be used toward credit compliance.
Lesson 6: Rainwater Management

Intent: To reduce runoff volume and improve water quality by replicating the natural hydrology and water
balance of the site, based on historical conditions and undeveloped ecosystems in the region.

Strategies:

Reduce impervious area and increase infiltration. Cluster developments to reduce paved surfaces
such as roads and sidewalks.
Rainwater harvesting. Treated storm water can be used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
Use pervious paving materials.
Use vegetated roof, vegetated filter strips, bioswales, retention ponds.

Lesson 7: Heat Island Reduction

Intent: To minimize effects on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats by reducing heat islands.

Strategies:

Reduce impervious surface area.

Use vegetated roof.
Use high SRI coating materials in impervious surfaces.
Provide underground parking to reduce the impervious area due to parking lot and drive ways.
Shade hardscape area with trees, canopies etc.
Use open grid pavement with at least 50% pervious.

Lesson 8: Light Pollution Reduction

Intent: To increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of
development for wildlife and people.

Strategies:

Use timers, occupancy sensors and daylight sensors to switch off unnecessary lights.
Comply with the light trespass requirements of Illuminating Engineering Society and International
Dark Sky Association (IES/IDA)
Control light trespass from transparent surfaces by proper positioning and selection of lighting
fixture or automatically closing the transparent openings after specified time.
Use full cut-off fixtures in external lighting. Full cut-off fixtures reduce the chance of light to escape
above the horizontal plane and hence reduces sky glow.
WATER EFFICIENCY

Lesson 1: Overview

The Intent of Water Efficiency (WE) category is to:

Protect natural water resources

Reduce the demand on municipal water supply systems
Reduce the load on sewage treatment system
Reduce the energy usage of buildings by reducing the load on water heating and pumping
systems

Lesson 2: Prerequisite: Outdoor Water Use Reduction

Intent:

To reduce outdoor water consumption.

Strategies:

Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options. Nonvegetated surfaces, such as
permeable or impermeable pavement, should be excluded from the landscape area calculations.
Athletic fields and playgrounds (if vegetated) and food gardens may be included or excluded at the
project teams discretion:

No irrigation required: Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system
beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.

Reduced irrigation: Reduce the projects landscape water requirement by at least 30% from the
calculated baseline for the sites peak watering month. Reductions must be achieved through plant
species selection and irrigation system efficiency, as calculated by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) WaterSense Water Budget Tool.

Lesson 3: Prerequisite: Indoor Water Use Reduction

Intent: To reduce indoor water consumption.

Strategies:

Reduce aggregate water consumption by 20% from the baseline.

Use Energy Star or Water Sense certified appliances and plumbing fixtures
Treat the waste water onsite to tertiary levels and reuse it or infiltrate it to reduce the load on
sewage treatment plant.

Strategies in Operation and Maintenance Practices:

Reduce aggregate water consumption by 20% from the baseline.

All newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads that are eligible for
labelling must be Water Sense labelled
Use Energy Star or Water Sense certified appliances and plumbing fixtures
Lesson 4: Prerequisite: Building-Level Water Metering

Intent:

To support water management and identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking
water consumption.

Strategies:

Install permanent water meters that measure the total potable water use for the building and
associated grounds.
Meter data must be compiled into monthly and annual summaries; meter readings can be manual
or automated.
Commit to sharing with USGBC the resulting whole-project water usage data for a five-year period
beginning on the date the project accepts LEED certification or typical occupancy, whichever
comes first. This commitment must carry forward for five years or until the building changes
ownership or lessee.

Lesson 5: Outdoor Water Use Reduction

Intent: To reduce outdoor water consumption.

Strategies:

Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options. Nonvegetated surfaces, such as
permeable or impermeable pavement, should be excluded from the landscape area calculations.
Athletic fields and playgrounds (if vegetated) and food gardens may be included or excluded at the
project teams discretion:

No irrigation required: Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system
beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.

Reduce the projects landscape water requirement (LWR) by at least 50% from the calculated
baseline for the sites peak watering month. Reductions must first be achieved through plant species
selection and irrigation system efficiency as calculated in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Water Sense Water Budget Tool. Additional reductions beyond 30% may be achieved using any
combination of efficiency, alternative water sources, and smart scheduling technologies.

Lesson 6: Indoor Water Use Reduction

Intent: To reduce indoor water consumption.

Strategies:

Further reduce fixture and fitting water use from the calculated baseline in WE Prerequisite Indoor
Water Use Reduction.
Additional potable water savings can be earned above the prerequisite level using alternative
water sources.
Include fixtures and fittings necessary to meet the needs of the occupants. Some of these fittings
and fixtures may be outside the project boundary.
Lesson 7: Cooling Tower Water Use

Intent: To conserve water used for cooling tower makeup while controlling microbes, corrosion, and scale
in the condenser water system.

Strategies:

For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a one-time potable water analysis.
No once through cooling equipment
Use non potable water
Maintain higher cycles of concentration.

Lesson 8: Water Metering

Intent: To support water management and identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking
water consumption.

Strategies:

Install permanent water meters for two or more of the following water subsystems, as applicable to the
project:

Irrigation: Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the irrigated landscaped area.

Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings: Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the indoor
fixtures and fitting described in WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction.

Domestic hot water: Meter water use of at least 80% of the installed domestic hot water heating
capacity.

Boiler with aggregate projected annual water use of 100,000 gallons (378 500 liters) or more, or boiler
of more than 500,000 BtuH (150 kW).

Reclaimed water: Meter reclaimed water, regardless of rate.

Other process water: Meter at least 80% of expected daily water consumption for process end uses,
such as humidification systems, dishwashers, clothes washers, pools, and other subsystems using
process water.
ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE

Lesson 1: Overview

The Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category approaches energy from a holistic perspective,
addressing energy use reduction, energy-efficient design strategies, and renewable energy
sources.

Buildings are accounting for approximately 40% of the total energy used today.

Energy efficiency in a green building starts with a focus on design that reduces overall energy
needs, such as building orientation and glazing selection, and the choice of climate-appropriate
building materials. Strategies such as passive heating and cooling, natural ventilation, and high-
efficiency HVAC systems partnered with smart controls further reduce a buildings energy use.

The generation of renewable energy on the project site or the purchase of green power allows
portions of the remaining energy consumption to be met with nonfossil fuel energy, lowering the
demand for traditional sources.

The commissioning process is critical to ensuring high-performing buildings. Early involvement of a

commissioning authority helps prevent long-term maintenance issues and wasted energy by
verifying that the design meets the owners project requirements and functions as intended.

In an operationally effective and efficient building, the staff understands what systems are installed
and how they function. Staff must have training and be receptive to learning new methods for
optimizing system performance so that efficient design is carried through to efficient performance.

The EA category recognizes that the reduction of fossil fuel use extends far beyond the walls of
the building. Projects can contribute to increasing the electricity grids efficiency by enrolling in a
demand response program.

Lesson 2: Prerequisite: Fundamental Commissioning and Verification

Intent: To support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the owners
project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.

Strategies:

Complete the commissioning (Cx) process activities for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and renewable
energy systems and assemblies, in accordance with ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 and ASHRAE Guideline
1.12007 for HVAC&R Systems, as they relate to energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and
durability.

Lesson 3: Prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance

Intent: To reduce the environmental and economic harms of excessive energy use by achieving a
minimum level of energy efficiency for the building and its systems.

Strategies:

Whole building energy simulation: Demonstrate an improvement in the proposed building

performance rating compared with the baseline building performance rating. Calculate the
baseline building performance according to ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.12010,
Appendix G
Comply with the mandatory and prescriptive provisions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1
2010
Lesson 4: Prerequisite: Building-Level Energy Metering

Intent: To support energy management and identify opportunities for additional energy savings by tracking
building-level energy use.

Strategies:

Install new or use existing building-level energy meters, or submeters that can be aggregated to
provide building level data representing total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas,
chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, biomass, etc).

Utility-owned meters capable of aggregating building-level resource use are acceptable.

Commit to sharing with USGBC the resulting energy consumption data and electrical demand data
(if metered) for a five-year period beginning on the date the project accepts LEED certification. At a
minimum, energy consumption must be tracked at one-month intervals.

Lesson 5: Prerequisite: Fundamental Refrigerant Management

Intent: To reduce stratospheric ozone depletion.

Strategies:

Do not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based refrigerants in new heating, ventilating, air-

conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems. When reusing existing HVAC&R equipment,
complete a comprehensive CFC phase-out conversion before project completion. Phase-out
plans extending beyond the project completion date will be considered on their merits.

Existing small HVAC&R units (defined as containing less than 0.5 pound [225 grams] of
refrigerant) and other equipment, such as standard refrigerators, small water coolers, and any
other equipment that contains less than 0.5 pound (225 grams) of refrigerant, are exempt.

Lesson 6: Enhanced Commissioning

Intent: To further support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the
owners project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability

Strategies:

Implement or have in place a contract to implement commissioning process activities in addition

to those required under EA Prerequisite Fundamental Commissioning and Verification.

Lesson 7: Optimize Energy Performance

Intent: To achieve increasing levels of energy performance beyond the prerequisite standard to reduce
environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use.

Strategies:

Establish an energy performance target no later than the schematic design phase. The target must be
established as kBtu per square foot-year (kW per square meter-year) of source energy use.

Choose one of the options below:

Whole building energy simulation: Analyze efficiency measures during the design process
and account for the results in design decision making. Use energy simulation of efficiency
 opportunities, past energy simulation analyses for similar buildings, or published data (e.g.,
Advanced Energy Design Guides) from analyses for similar buildings. Analyze efficiency
measures, focusing on load reduction and HVAC-related strategies (passive measures are
acceptable) appropriate for the facility. Project potential energy savings and holistic project
cost implications related to all affected systems.

Prescriptive compliance: ASHRAE advanced energy design guide: Implement and

document compliance with the applicable recommendations and standards in Chapter 4,
Design Strategies and Recommendations by Climate Zone, for the appropriate ASHRAE 50%
Advanced Energy Design Guide and climate zone.

Lesson 8: Advanced Energy Metering

Intent: To support energy management and identify opportunities for additional energy savings by tracking
building-level and system-level energy use.

Strategies:

Install advanced energy metering for the following:

All whole-building energy sources used by the building.

Any individual energy end uses that represent 10% or more of the total annual consumption
of the building.

Lesson 9: Demand Response

Intent: To increase participation in demand response technologies and programs that make energy
generation and distribution systems more efficient, increase grid reliability, and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.

Strategies:

Design building and equipment for participation in demand response programs through load
shedding or shifting. On-site electricity generation does not meet the intent of this credit.

Lesson 10: Renewable Energy Production

Intent: To reduce the environmental and economic harms associated with fossil fuel energy by increasing
self-supply of renewable energy.

Strategies:Use renewable energy systems to offset building energy costs.

Lesson 11: Enhanced Refrigerant Management

Intent: To reduce ozone depletion and support early compliance with the Montreal Protocol while
minimizing direct contributions to climate change.

Strategies:

Do not use refrigerants, or use only refrigerants (naturally occurring or synthetic) that have an
ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero and a global warming potential (GWP) of less than
50.

OR

Select refrigerants that are used in heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration
(HVAC&R) equipment to minimize or eliminate the emission of compounds that contribute to
ozone depletion and climate change
Lesson 12: Green Power and Carbon Offsets

Intent: To encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the use of grid-source,
renewable energy technologies and carbon mitigation projects.

Strategies:

Engage in a contract for qualified resources for a minimum of five years, to be delivered at least
annually. Green power and renewable energy certificates (RECs) must be Green-e Energy certified or
the equivalent.
MATERIAL AND RESOURCES

Lesson 1: Overview

The Materials and Resources (MR) credit category focuses on minimizing the embodied
energy and other impacts associated with the extraction, processing, transport, maintenance,
and disposal of building materials.
The requirements are designed to support a life-cycle approach that improves performance
and promotes resource efficiency. Each requirement identifies a specific action that fits into
the larger context of a life-cycle approach to embodied impact reduction.

Lesson 2: Prerequisite: Storage and Collection of Recyclables

Intent: To reduce the waste that is generated by building occupants and hauled to and disposed of in
landfills.

Strategies:

Provide a suitable and convenient storage facility for occupants to store recyclable materials and
the haulers to periodically collect the recyclable materials.
The storage facility shall collect minimum paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals.
An occupant education program that addresses the environmental and financial benefits of
recycling can encourage occupants to participate in preserving the environment.
Proper signage to indicate storage place of recyclable materials
Signage for not be contaminated.Security for high valued materials.

Lesson 3: Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning

Intent: To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and incineration facilities by
recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.

Strategies:

Develop and implement a construction and demolition waste management plan:

Establish waste diversion goals for the project by identifying at least five materials (both structural
and non-structural) targeted for diversion. Approximate a percentage of the overall project waste
that these materials represent.

Specify whether materials will be separated or commingled and describe the diversion strategies
planned for the project. Describe where the material will be taken and how the recycling facility
will process the material.

Lesson 4: Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction

Intent: To encourage adaptive reuse and optimize the environmental performance of products and
materials.

Strategies:

Demonstrate reduced environmental effects during initial project decision-making by reusing existing
building resources or demonstrating a reduction in materials use through life-cycle assessment.
Achieve one of the following options:

Historic building reuse.

Renovation of abandoned or blighted building.
Building and material reuse.
Whole-building life-cycle assessment.
Lesson 5: Building
Product Disclosure and Optimization Environmental
Product Declarations

Intent To encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that
have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts. To reward project
teams for selecting products from manufacturers who have verified improved environmental life-cycle
impacts.

Strategies:

Achieve one or more of the options below:

Use at least 20 different permanently installed products sourced from at least five different
manufacturers that meet one of the disclosure criteria below:

Product-specific declaration.
Environmental Product Declarations which conform to ISO 14025, 14040, 14044, and EN 15804
or ISO 21930 and have at least a cradle to gate scope.
USGBC approved program.

Use products that comply with one of the criteria below for 50%, by cost, of the total value of
permanently installed products in the project:

Third party certified products that demonstrate impact reduction below industry average.
USGBC approved program

Lesson 6: Building Product Disclosure and OptimizationSourcing of Raw

Materials

Intent: To encourage the use of products and materials for which life cycle information is available and
that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life cycle impacts. To reward project
teams for selecting products verified to have been extracted or sourced in a responsible manner.

Strategies:

Use at least 20 different permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers that
have publicly released a report from their raw material suppliers which include raw material supplier
extraction locations, a commitment to long-term ecologically responsible land use, a commitment to
reducing environmental harms from extraction and/or manufacturing processes, and a commitment to
meeting applicable standards or programs voluntarily that address responsible sourcing criteria.

Use products that meet at least one of the responsible extraction criteria below for at least 25%, by
cost, of the total value of permanently installed building products in the project:

Extended producer responsibility

Bio-based materials
Wood products
Materials reuse
Recycled content
USGBC approved program
Lesson 7: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization Material Ingredients

Intent:

To encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that
have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts. To reward project
teams for selecting products for which the chemical ingredients in the product are inventoried using an
accepted methodology and for selecting products verified to minimize the use and generation of
harmful substances. To reward raw material manufacturers who produce products verified to have
improved life-cycle impacts.

Strategies:

Use at least 20 different permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers that
demonstrate the chemical inventory of the product to at least 0.1% (1000 ppm).

Use products that document their material ingredient optimization for at least 25%, by cost, of the total
value of permanently installed products in the project.

Lesson 8: Construction and Demolition Waste Management

Intent: To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and incineration facilities by
recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.

Strategies:

Recycle and/or salvage nonhazardous construction and demolition materials. Calculations can be by
weight or volume but must be consistent throughout. Exclude excavated soil, land-clearing debris, and
alternative daily cover (ADC). Include wood waste converted to fuel (biofuel) in the calculations; other
types of waste-to-energy are not considered diversion for this credit.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Lesson 1:

Overview

The Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) category rewards decisions made by project teams about indoor
air quality and thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort. Green buildings with good indoor environmental
quality protect the health and comfort of building occupants. High-quality indoor environments also
enhance productivity, decrease absenteeism, improve the buildings value, and reduce liability for
building designers and owners. This category addresses the myriad design strategies and
environmental factorsair quality, lighting quality, acoustic design, control over ones surroundings
that influence the way people learn, work, and live.

Lesson 2:

Prerequisite: Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance

Intent:

To contribute to the comfort and well-being of building occupants by establishing minimum standards for
indoor air quality (IAQ).

Strategies:

For mechanically ventilated spaces, determine the minimum outdoor air intake flow for mechanical
ventilation systems and minimum requirements using the ventilation rate procedure from ASHRAE
62.12010 or a local equivalent, whichever is more stringent.

For naturally ventilated spaces, determine the minimum outdoor air opening and space configuration
requirements using the natural ventilation procedure from ASHRAE Standard 62.12010 or a local
equivalent, whichever is more stringent. Confirm that natural ventilation is an effective strategy for the
project by following the flow diagram in the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
(CIBSE) Applications Manual AM10.

Lesson 3:

Prerequisite: Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control

Intent:

To prevent or minimize exposure of building occupants, indoor surfaces, and ventilation air distribution
systems to environmental tobacco smoke.

Strategies:

Prohibit smoking inside the building. Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking
areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
Signage must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances indicating the no-smoking
policy.

Lesson 4:

Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies

Intent:

To promote occupants comfort, well-being, and productivity by improving indoor air quality.
Strategies:

Use entryway systems 10 feet long at all regular entrances.Directly exhaust chemical mixing areas such
as copy room, janitor rooms, chemical storage rooms etc.In mechanically ventilated buildings, use
MERV rated filters in accordance with ASHRAE 52.2-2007.

Lesson 5:

Low-Emitting Materials

Intent:

To reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health,
productivity, and the environment.

Strategies:

Finishing materials shall with the requirements as summarized below:

Adhesives, sealants, primers Wood finishes, floor coatings: Comply with VOC requirements of South
Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).Aerosol adhesives Architectural paints and
coatings Interior anti-corrosive and anti-rust paint: Comply with Green Seal.Carpets & Carpet cushion:
Comply with Green Label Plus (Carpet and Rug Institute).Vinyl, linoleum, laminate, wood, ceramic,
rubber flooring: Comply with FloorScore.Furniture and seating: Comply with GREENGUARD.

Lesson 6:

Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan

Intent:

To promote the well-being of construction workers and building occupants by minimizing indoor air quality
problems associated with construction and renovation.

Strategies:

Develop an IAQ Management Plan as per Sheet Metal and Air-conditioning National Contractors
Association.SMACNA addresses IAQ Management in 5 areas as follows:Protection of HVAC
equipment.Source control.Housekeeping.Pathway interruption.Scheduling.

If permanently installed air handlers are used during construction, provide MERV (Minimum Efficiency
Reporting Value) rated filters in all return grills.

Lesson 7:

Indoor Air Quality Assessment

Intent:

To establish better quality indoor air in the building after construction and during occupancy.

Strategies:

Replace all AC filters if HVAC equipment is used during construction.Flush the building by supplying
outdoor air.Conduct an IAQ test prior to occupancy.

Lesson 8:
Thermal Comfort

Intent:

To promote occupants productivity, comfort, and well-being by

providing quality thermal comfort.

Strategies:

Thermal Comfort Design: Comply with ASHRAE standard 55-2010 for thermal comfort.Thermal comfort
depends on parameters such as temperature, humidity, air velocity etc.Provide controls for the
occupants to set their comfort levels.Thermostats, operable windows, accessible control dampers are
considered as controls.Agree to conduct a thermal comfort verification.Agree to take corrective action
if more than 20% of occupants are not satisfied.

Lesson 9:

Interior Lighting

Intent:

To promote occupants productivity, comfort, and well-being by providing high-quality lighting.

Strategies:

Provide individual lighting control for a percentage of occupants.Provide lighting system controllability for
all shared multi occupant spaces (meeting room, conference halls etc).

Lesson 10:

Daylight

Intent:

To connect building occupants with the outdoors, reinforce circadian rhythms, and reduce the use of
electrical lighting by introducing daylight into the space.

Strategies:

Provide manual or automatic (with manual override) glare-control devices for all regularly occupied
spaces.Optimize the glazing orientation to maximize daylight and minimize heat gain/heat loss.Use
day lighting devices such as light shelves, sun tubes etc.Use glare control devices like internal and
external shades.Automated shading devices shall be used to control operation of the shading devices
in different time of the day.Reduce reflective glazing which may cause external glare and bird collision

Lesson 11:

Quality Views

Intent:

To give building occupants a connection to the natural outdoor environment by providing quality views.

Strategies:
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area.
View glazing in the contributing area must provide a clear image of the exterior, not obstructed by frits,
fibers, patterned glazing, or added tints that distort color balance.

Lesson 12:

Acoustic Performance

Intent:

To provide workspaces and classrooms that promote occupants wellbeing, productivity, and

communications through effective acoustic design.

Strategies:

Reduce background noise from HVAC EquipmentSound Transmission Class and Reverberation time to
comply with relevant standards.
Lesson 1:

Overview

Sustainable design strategies and measures are constantly evolving and improving. New technologies are
continually introduced to the marketplace, and up-to-date scientific research influences building design
strategies. The purpose of this LEED category is to recognize projects for innovative building features
and sustainable building practices and strategies.

Lesson 2:

Innovation

Intent:

To encourage projects to achieve exceptional or innovative performance.

Strategies:

Achieve significant, measurable environmental performance using a strategy not addressed in the LEED
green building rating system.Achieve one pilot credit from USGBCs LEED Pilot Credit Library.Achieve
exemplary performance in an existing LEED v4 prerequisite or credit that allows exemplary
performance, as specified in the LEED Reference Guide, v4 edition. An exemplary performance point
is typically earned for achieving double the credit requirements or the next incremental percentage
threshold.

Lesson 3:

LEED Accredited Professional

Intent:

To encourage the team integration required by a LEED project and to streamline the application and
certification process.

Strategies:

At least one principal participant of the project team must be a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) with a
specialty appropriate for the project.

Lesson 1:

Overview

Because some environmental issues are particular to a locale, volunteers from USGBC chapters and the
LEED International Roundtable have identified distinct environmental priorities within their areas and
the credits that address those issues. These Regional Priority credits encourage project teams to
focus on their local environmental priorities. USGBC established a process that identified six RP
credits for every location and every rating system within chapter or country boundaries. Participants
were asked to determine which environmental issues were most salient in their chapter area or
country. The issues could be naturally occurring (e.g., water shortages) or man-made (e.g., polluted
watersheds) and could reflect environmental concerns (e.g., water shortages) or environmental assets
(e.g., abundant sunlight). The areas, or zones, were defined by a combination of priority issuesfor
example, an urban area with an impaired watershed versus an urban area with an intact watershed.
The participants then prioritized credits to address the important issues of given locations. Because
each LEED project type (e.g., a data center) may be associated with different environmental impacts,
each rating system has its own RP credits.

The ultimate goal of RP credits is to enhance the ability of LEED project teams to address critical
environmental issues across the country and around the world.
Lesson 2:

Regional Priority

Intent:

To provide an incentive for the achievement of credits that address geographically specific environmental,
social equity, and public health priorities.

Strategies:

Earn up to four of the six Regional Priority credits. These credits have been identified by the USGBC
regional councils and chapters as having additional regional importance for the projects region. A
database of Regional Priority credits and their geographic applicability is available on the USGBC
website, http://www.usgbc.org.

One point is awarded for each Regional Priority credit achieved, up to a maximum of four