LEED CoreConcepts&Strategies_3rd edition - Page 097

Extracted Content

Natural Resources

Community

Green Economy

Biodiversity

Water Resources

Human Health

Climate Change

Figure 5.2. Relative Importance of LEED v4 Impact Categories

GREEN BUILDING CODES, STANDARDS, AND RATING SYSTEMS

A growing number of state and local governments are analyzing and revising their building codes to better align with their sustainability goals and green building programs. Even where codes are determined at the state level, many local governments are finding that regulatory minimums for the private sector may need upgrades and more comprehensive enforcement strategies to improve public health, safety, and environmental quality.

A landmark national effort to codify green building practices into adoptable, adaptable and enforceable green building codes has produced regulatory documents that are now available as an overlay to more traditional building codes. The International Green Construction Code (IGCC), including ASHRAE Standard 189.1 as an alternate path to compliance, is a widely supported and first-of-its-kind regulatory

framework that recognizes an entire set of risks not otherwise addressed in the codes.

Both distinct and complementary to green building rating systems such as LEED, green building codes are redefining the fundamental protections that are the basis of smart public policy. And, as the floor is raised through the codes, so too is the ceiling raised through beyond-code rating systems like LEED that continue to pave the way, continually raising the bar for leadership.

PROJECT CERTIFICATION

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. Early in the development of a project, the integrated project team needs to determine the project’s goals, the level of certification to pursue, and the credits that will help them achieve it. The certification steps generally proceed as follows and are detailed on usgbc.org/leed/certification.

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