LEED…in case you haven’t heard.

Piloted in 1999 and launched in March of 2000, LEED or Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design is a guideline put together by the US Green Build Council to help certify projects and accredit building professionals ranging from architects to contractors and consultants to ensure green and sustainable building methods. Essentially it is a rating system for buildings and is completely voluntary except in a growing number of states where it has been adopted as a requirement for public projects. The USGBC is a non-profit non-government organization.

"The purpose is to transform the building market to make it more green." said Darah Zycherman a representative of the USGBC in a recent PSFK interview. LEED serves to educate and is mostly a grass roots movement; not a lobby and they don’t advertise. It is basically the only project of its kind, certainly of its scope. It defines what a green building is and adds validity to green building principles. The ratings system is available on the website.

Anyone may take the test but most who do have some basic knowledge of building methods and practices. Zycherman explained that it was not like a board exam and that it might take a month or more of study to pass the accreditation test. At the time of the interview the test had about a 69% pass rate and the can be taken until it is passed as long as the test taker is willing to pay the 3rd party test center fee each time. The test costs $250usd for USGBC members and $350 for non-members. There is also a workshop and a reference guide that are highly suggested for test takers.

Projects are rated in steps starting with certified and going on to silver, gold and platinum. Each step up denotes a higher level of green design, methods and materials in the building project. Levels are set up on a point system with seven pre-requisites and an additional 26 points required for the basic "certified" level. Points may be attained for any number of things from materials to methods with one point being awarded for having a LEED accredited professional working on the project.

LEED is considered the gold standard for green building and is growing fast. In 2003 there were 89 certified projects. 2004 had 167 and at the time of interview in 2005 there were 269 with more expected before the end of the year.

While it is not expected that builders will immediately jump into a Cradle to Cradle mode, LEED is designed to take the building industry in that direction. LEED is continuously updating and a new version is expected in about 2 years.

US Green Build Council

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; LEED

List of accredited professionals.

Eco.PSFK article on Cradle to Cradle.