Chapter 2:

Introduction to LEED
Rating Systems

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Disclaimer

LEED and USGBC are registered

trademarks of the U.S. Green
Building Council. The author is not
affiliated to USGBC or GBCI. The
information provided in the
presentation are compiled by the
author and is not endorsed by
USGBC or GBCI
2015 Green Building Academy. All rights reserved. 2
Learning Objectives

What is LEED?
Principles of LEED
Various LEED Rating systems
How does the LEED Rating systems
work?
USGBC, GBCI & LEED Online
Minimum Program requirements of
LEED
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LEED Leadership in
Energy & Environmental
How
Design
Did I many
pass? points did
I score?
Internationally
recognized
Green Building
rating system
developed by
USGBC
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Characteristics of LEED

Provide a concise framework for

identifying and implementing practical
and measurable green building design,
construction, operations and
maintenance solutions
Voluntary Rating System
Consensus based system
Third party Certification

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Triple bottom
line
Social Responsibility
(People): Better living
conditions for people
Environmental
Stewardship (Planet) :
Less impact on
environment
Economic Prosperity
(Profit): Reduce the Life
Cycle cost of building

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Various LEED Rating
Systems

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LEED Rating System
families
LEED for LEED for LEED for LEED for LEED for
BD+C ID+C O+M ND Homes
Applicable Applicable Existing Applicable Applicable
for New for buildings for Land for all
constructi Projects undergoing developme residential
improveme nt projects. projects
on and whose nt Mixed use except high
Major scope is Minor developme rise
renovatio limited to upgrade nts etc residential
n of interior fit may be building
buildings* out included

Major Renovation includes any of the

following
a. Building Envelope Changes
b. HVAC system changes
c. Major Interior changes
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LEED for BD+C adaption
LEED BD+C: New Construction
LEED BD+C: Core and Shell
LEED BD+C: Schools
LEED BD+C: Retail
LEED BD+C: Healthcare
LEED BD+C: Data Centers
LEED BD+C: Hospitality
LEED BD+C: Warehouses and Distribution
Centers
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ED BD+C: Core & Shell
Applicable for
Projects whose scope
is significantly
restricted to Core &
Shell of the building
Core Structure
Shell building
envelope
Example: Shopping
Malls
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ED BD+C: Schools
Applicable for
Academic buildings of
K-12 schools
Non academic
buildings of schools,
Post secondary
academic buildings
and pre kinder garden
buildings may qualify
for both for LEED
BD+C: Schools & NC

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ED BD+C: Data Centers
Applicable for
specifically
designed and
equipped to meet
the needs of high
density computing
equipment such
as server racks,
used for data
storage and
processing.
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ED BD+C: Retail

Applicable for retail

building projects like
banks, restaurants,
apparel, electronics,
big box etc.

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LEED BD+C:
Warehouse and
distribution Centers
Applicable for
buildings used to
store goods,
manufactured
products,
merchandise, raw
materials or personal
belongings

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ED BD+C: Hospitality

Applicable for buildings

dedicated to hotels,
motels, inns, or other
businesses within the
service industry that
provide transitional or
short-term lodging with or
without food.

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ED BD+C: Health Care

Applicable for
Inpatient and outpatient
health care facilities
Licensed long term health
care facilities.
Medical offices, assisted
living facilities and medical
education and research
centers

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LEED BD+C: New
Construction
Applicable for
Office buildings,
library, museum,
church etc
High rise
Residential buildings
i.e. 9+ habitable
stories

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LEED for Homes adaption

LEED Homes: Homes and

Multifamily Lowrise

LEED Homes: Multifamily Midrise

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LEED Homes: Homes
and Multifamily
Lowrise

Applicable for
Single family housing
Low rise multi family housing( upto 3
habitable stories)

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LEED Homes:
Multifamily Midrise

Applicable for multi-family residential

buildings of 4 to 8 occupiable stories
above grade.
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LEED for ID+C adaption

LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors

LEED ID+C: Retail

LEED ID+C: Hospitality

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LEED ID+C: Retail

Applicable for retail

interior projects like
banks, restaurants,
apparel, electronics,
big box etc.

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LEED ID+C: Hospitality

Applicable for interior

spaces dedicated to
hotels, motels, inns, or
other businesses
within the service
industry that provide
transitional or short-
term lodging with or
without food.

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LEED ID+C: Commercial
Interiors

Applicable for
Interior spaces
dedicated to
functions other than
retail or hospitality.

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LEED for O+M adaption

LEED O+M: Data Centers

LEED O+M: Warehouses and
Distribution Centers
LEED O+M: Hospitality

LEED O+M: Schools

LEED O+M: Retail

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

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LEED for ND adaption

LEED ND: Plan

LEED ND: Build Project

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LEED for Neighborhood
Development(LEED ND): Plan
Applicable for
projects in
conceptual
planning or
master planning
or under
construction
stage

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LEED for Neighborhood
Development(LEED ND): Built
Project

Applicable for completed development

projects.
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Summary of LEED Rating system
Adoption for
different project
LEED For Building
typologies LEED for
LEED for LEED for LEED for
Design and Homes Interior Building Neighbourh
Construction Design and Operation ood
Constructio and Developme
n Maintenance nt:

LEED BD+C: New LEED LEED LEED O+M: LEED ND:

Construction Homes: ID+C: Existing Plan
LEED BD+C: Core Homes Commercial Buildings LEED ND:
and Shell and Interiors LEED O+M: Build Project
LEED BD+C: Multifami LEED Data Centers
Schools ly ID+C: Retail LEED O+M:
LEED BD+C: Lowrise LEED Warehouses
Retail LEED ID+C: and
LEED BD+C: Homes: Hospitality Distribution
Healthcare Multifami Centers
LEED BD+C: Data ly Midrise LEED O+M:
Centers Hospitality
LEED BD+C: LEED O+M:
Hospitality Schools
LEED BD+C: 2015 Green Building Academy. All rights LEED O+M:
reserved. 29
Selecting an appropriate
rating system
Most projects shall fit into a particular
rating system.
In case of confusion
Apply 60/40 rule. Select the rating system
which is applicable for 60% or more the
project area.
The rating system which is most applicable for
the project should be selected.

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Single Project/Building can
earn Multiple Certification

Example: Owner of a new Core &

Shell building may apply for LEED
BD+C: CS and tenants of the same
building may apply for LEED ID+C, the
owner may apply for LEED O+M:
Existing Buildings after the building is
occupied

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How does LEED
Rating Systems
work?

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Credit Categories in LEED
Rating systems
Integrative Process (IP)
Location and Transportation(LT)
Sustainable Sites(SS)
Water Efficiency(WE) Main Credit
categories
Energy & Atmosphere(EA)
Materials & Resources(MR)
Indoor Environmental Quality(IEQ)
Innovation(IN) Bonus
categories
Regional Priority(RP)
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Prerequisites are mandatory
requirements for a project to be
certified.

Credits are optional requirements. Points

are awarded when project comply with credit
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Levels of LEED
Certification

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 LEED Rating System

Credit Categories
Prerequisite
+ Credits
s
Satisfy mandatory requirements
+ earn points
Certified, Silver, Gold or
Platinum
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How Points are
allotted?
Points are allotted based on how the credit
supports LEED Goals

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Weight age for different
Impact categories

5% 10% Climate Change Human Health

5% 35% Water Resources Biodiversity
10% Green Economy Community
15% Natural
20% Resources

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LEED Reference Manuals : Publications by USGBC
which details the intent, requirement, strategies,
calculations etc for each credit in the rating system.

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USGBC, GBCI & LEED
Online

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Points to remember about
LEED
Only buildings can be certified by LEED
& LEED
USGBC Green Associate, LEED AP and LEED AP
Fellow are LEED Credentials
LEED does not endorse or certify any
products. Products can only help you
complying with credit requirements
Individuals cannot be members of USGBC.
Only companies can be members.
Full time employees of USGBC member
companies are considered as USGBC
members.
USGBC member companies can use USGBC
logo in website, business cards and email
signatures 2015 Green Building Academy. All rights reserved. 41
Minimum Program
Requirements MPR

Must be in a permanent location on existing land

Must use reasonable & consistent site/LEED boundaries
Must comply with project size requirements
1000 sq.ft for LEED BD+C and LEED O+M and 250 sq.ft
for LEED ID+C
LEED ND: should contain at least two habitable buildings
and be no larger than 1500 acres
LEED Homes: Should be a dwelling unit

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Site Boundary/LEED Boundary

Existing
Building 1 Existing
Building 2

Proposed site
New Building boundary(building
foot print + area
affected because of
the development)

The LEED project boundary is the portion of the project site

submitted for LEED certification. For multiple building
developments, the LEED project boundary may be a portion of
the development as determined by the project team.
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Purpose of MPR

To provide clear guidance to the

customers
To reduce the challenges that may
arise during the certification process
To protect the integrity of LEED
program

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Requirements for a
Project to be LEED
Certified
The project should comply with
Minimum Program Requirements
of the rating system
The project should comply with all
the prerequisites of the rating
system
The project should earn minimum
number of points required for
2015 Green Building Academy. All rights reserved. 45
Summary

What is LEED?
Principles of LEED
Various LEED Rating systems
How does the LEED Rating systems
work?
USGBC, GBCI & LEED Online
Minimum Program requirements of
LEED
2015 Green Building Academy. All rights reserved. 46
 Questions?
Ask your questions in the forum section

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