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Green Buildings ArticlesLEED - The Green Building Rating System
By
David
Leonhardt
As with everything else, concern for the environment and for
energy use has been a big issue in the construction sector. Inefficient buildings
waste resources, including energy, land, materials and water. On the other hand,
green buildings more efficiently these resources, so ways to encourage green building
are considered valuable. A rating system, known as the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), a voluntary system for defining what elements make
a building green, was therefore created. Originally developed in United
Sates by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), many other countries have already
adopted a similar system. The best way to demonstrate that a building is "green"
is by achieving LEED certification. LEED has also become a great marketing
tool to encourage sustainable environmental design and the incorporation of environmental
elements into the design of buildings, from residential and commercial industry
right down to industrial practices. "LEED certification will provide challenges
to the industry including the need to ensure an understanding of a new generation
of materials properties and developing the practices and processes needed to ensure
specifications and finished products meet the standards of green building. I am
especially exited to be part of this process and in making a contribution towards
shaping new building technologies." Ken Moscrip, President of Paramount Roll and
Forming - one of Southern California's most prominent metal rolling companies. Consisting
of a clear set of environmental performance criteria organized into six categories,
the Canadian version of LEED, which is very similar to the USGBC version, is listed
below: - Sustainable Sites
- Water Efficiency
- Energy and
Atmosphere
- Materials & Resources
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Innovation
in Design
"Building Green is not a new thing it is the right thing,
and we always strive to use the most environmentally neutral building practices
and materials. However, construction debris is always an issue, by ordering what
we need and using it when we need it, it has helped us to divert as much as possible
from the local landfill. There are tradeoffs which we all must take, however protection
of our future and wise stewardship of our planet must be one of our upmost priorities."
Justin Linden, President of ServiceBlocks Inc - a home renovations company in
Ottawa, Canada. Benefits of Building Green Sustainable buildings
considerably lower operating and maintenance costs, and these financial benefits
are realized over the life of the building: - Reduced energy costs
- Reduced
water usage
- Reduction in resource consumption
- Reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions
For the construction industry, building green will continue
to grow in importance, whether it is because of consumer demand, regulatory requirements,
or the cost of energy. "The LEED process guides designers and builders to
make technically superior decisions in a manner that is environmentally responsible.
By embracing this process, they are showing commitment to their clients, their
profession and the world community at large. It allows them to provide the best
design solution for both the owner and the environment." Vipul Acharya, Durisol
Building Systems Inc., a leader in ICF green building materials. For further
information on LEED certification contact: - In Canada - Canada Green
Building Council http://www.cagbc.org
- In United States - U.S. Green Building
Council http://www.usgbc.org
About the AuthorDavid
Leonhardt and Corey Rozon are freelance web writers. The people quoted in this
article come from Service
Blocks general contractors in Ottawa, Paramount
Roll steel bending experts, and Durisol,
offering LEED green building with ICF forms. Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Leonhardt
http://EzineArticles.com/?LEED---The-Green-Building-Rating-System&id=992815  | This
website was created as a public service to promote green building and LEED certification,
by Bob Moore Construction and General Contractor.com. Bob Moore Construction has
been a leading commercial construction company in Texas since 1946, winning several
awards including the AGC General Contractor of the Year. The company is the first
Platinum Level member of the U.S. Green Building Council in north Texas. It is
also a member of AGC, Tilt-up Concrete Association, and the OSHA Local Partnership
Program. For more information about Bob Moore Construction's green building program,
please visit their website at General
Contractor.com |
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