LEED FAQ

What are the benefits of building a LEED project?
Benefits are many and varied:
    Building owners 
        Reduced energy costs 
        Reduced maintenance costs 
        Property tax reduction opportunities 
        More attractive tenant space 
        Increased property value 
        Greater re-sale value 
        Goodwill image

    Building occupants 
        Greater employee productivity 
        More ergonomically-friendly work environment
        Healthier indoor air quality
        More natural lighting
        Fewer sick days 

    Designers: architects, engineers and project managers
        Greater control of project specifications
        Helps protect against sick-building or environmental liability 
        High visibility projects
        Differentiated project list

    Jurisdictional building authorities
        Higher property values
        More desirable communities 
        Greater tax base

How do LEED projects get started?
Increasingly, public building codes are being revised to include more environmentally-friendly methods and materials. LEED is the most common utility used to make this happen. Even large private buildings in Los Angeles County must adhere to LEED standards.

In most cases, however, LEED is completely a voluntary effort of the building owner(s). The selected project manager is usually a LEED AP (Accredited Professional) who oversees project registration and documentation. Since 2001, over 100,000 people have passed the LEED Professional. Accreditation exam.

Projects are registered with USGBC and documented during the construction process. Cost is determined by scope and type of project with an average cost of $2,000. 


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