In recent years, environmental protection has become a central consideration in the design, construction and management of buildings. Creating highly eco-friendly properties means bringing together energy efficiency, living comfort and construction quality, while encouraging a more responsible use of resources.
This is the aim behind LEED Gold certification, which confirms that a building has been designed and built according to high standards of sustainability, energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact, in line with the international LEED protocol, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is the third level in the certification system, following Certified and Silver, and sitting below the highest level, Platinum.
What is LEED certification?
Sustainability has been a major focus in the construction and building-design sector for some time now. Reducing energy consumption, limiting environmental impact and ensuring healthier indoor spaces are now key goals for both new builds and renovation projects.
In this context, LEED certification is one of the most widely recognised international standards for assessing a building’s environmental quality.
LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an international assessment system developed in the United States in the late 1990s. It has since spread to numerous countries, including Italy.
LEED certification can be applied to any type of building, commercial or residential, and covers its full life cycle: development of the design, construction, management and maintenance. The LEED system assesses a range of sustainability-related factors at each stage, awarding credits for each one.
The aim is to obtain as many credits as possible in every area, as the total determines the final score. Scores range from a minimum of 40 points to a maximum of 110, with the final result determining the level of certification awarded.
What is LEED certification for?
LEED certification demonstrates, through objective and verifiable criteria, that a building has been designed, constructed or managed in line with high environmental sustainability standards.
Obtaining certification brings several benefits, both economically and environmentally. Environmentally, it helps to:
- reduce energy consumption;
- limit CO₂ emissions;
- lower water use;
- encourage the use of sustainable materials.
From an economic point of view, LEED-certified buildings may benefit from:
- lower management costs;
- reduced energy bills;
- increased property value;
- greater appeal to investors and buyers.
Occupants of a LEED-certified building also see practical benefits, including greater comfort thanks to healthier spaces, more comfortable thermal conditions, better natural light and higher indoor air quality than in conventional buildings.
What are the levels of LEED certification?
The LEED system awards a number of credits based on the environmental performance achieved by a project. The total score determines the final certification level, beginning at 40 points and reaching up to 110. The four levels are:
- Certified (basic level): 40–49 points;
- Silver: 50–59 points;
- Gold: 60–79 points;
- Platinum: 80 points or more.
The more credits a project earns, the higher the certification level. LEED Gold certification sits one step below the top level and represents a near-excellent result, with a score of between 60 and 79 points.
What are the requirements for obtaining LEED certification?
To obtain LEED certification, a project must not only achieve the minimum number of credits required for one of the four levels, but also meet a number of conditions.
In detail, LEED certification requirements include:
- integrated process: encourages collaboration between the people involved in the project, identifying solutions that optimise the building’s energy, water and environmental performance;
- location and transport: assesses the building’s location and access to services and sustainable transport;
- sustainable sites: minimising the project’s impact on the surrounding environment;
- water efficiency: promotes lower water consumption through efficient fittings, sustainable irrigation systems and, where possible, rainwater or greywater recovery and reuse;
- energy efficiency: improving the building’s energy performance through an efficient building envelope, high-performance systems, renewable energy sources and consumption-monitoring systems;
- materials and resources: encourages the use of sustainable, recycled, recyclable or responsibly sourced materials. There are no LEED-certified products, as the certification is issued only for buildings;
- indoor air quality: ensuring healthy and comfortable indoor environments;
- innovation: this category rewards the use of innovative strategies that go beyond the certification’s standard requirements;
- regional priority: recognising design solutions that address specific environmental issues in the area where the building is located.
Who issues LEED certification?
LEED certification involves two separate bodies whose work is closely connected. The LEED assessment system was developed by, and is updated by, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
GBCI, short for Green Business Certification Inc., manages the document-verification process and issues official certification to projects that meet the protocol’s requirements. Throughout the process, it is often advisable to work with LEED certification professionals, who have specialist expertise in sustainable design and in managing certification applications.
