Over the past 20+ years since the U.S. Green Building Council first developed its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the demand for LEED consulting services has increased. In fact, LEED-certified construction has grown to comprise about 40% of green construction’s contribution to the economy in the United States and projections for LEED consulting services and certified construction is only expected to grow- to nearly $30 million by 2018.
What is LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ensures and verifies that buildings are sustainable and designed with environmentally friendly, green, proven technologies. It is based on a point-based program, Green Building Rating System, that guides design teams through the design and construction of a high-performance building. A LEED building can potentially achieve four different levels of certification based on the number of points achieved:
- LEED Certified – 40 to 49 Points
- LEED Silver – 50 to 59 Points
- LEED Gold – 60 to 69 Points
- LEED Platinum – 80 to 110 Points
Top US Cities for LEED Consulting Services and Construction
Washington, D.C. has been named the LEED capital of the United States which holds almost 311 million commercial LEED-certified square feet. That, in combined with their LEED residential area, makes up over one-third of the nation’s entire LEED-certified space making it the world’s first LEED Platinum city. To qualify for the designation, the District had to set sustainability objectives, including greenhouse gas emissions and clean energy innovation and then submit data to the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) showing how it met those goals.
Other cities leading the way in innovative green construction include Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and San Jose.
LEED Consulting Benefits: Improve Productivity and Boost ROI
Last year, a World Green Building Council report, “Building the Business Case: Health, Wellbeing and Productivity in Green Offices,” indicated that in addition to improving employee health and job satisfaction, green building features could pay off financially for employers by increasing worker productivity. The avoidance of hazardous building materials is one of the top healthy building practice, other common incentives considered for implementation are those that promote physical activity and continual indoor air quality improvement measurement in buildings.
According to a report by Dodge Data & Analytics, almost 75% of U.S. architects and more than 30% of building owners consider health effects when designing or constructing buildings. Of those companies that implemented such green, wellness-related features, 73% noted increased rates, and 62% said their buildings had risen in value.
Now, more than ever, savvy businesses are turning their focus toward energy conservation and sustainable solutions – not only for environmental benefits, but also the resulting ROI. To ensure the highest quality outcome while staying on schedule and on budget, it makes sense to employ the services of a professional, qualified LEED consulting firm.
KMB Design Group LEED Consulting Experts
At KMB, our LEED consulting experts are experienced in the latest strategies used for high-performance building design, construction and operation. We are dedicated and passionate about what we do and dedicated to delivering only the highest quality result for your project both now and in the future.
Contact the LEED Consulting experts at KMB Design Group to learn more about pursuing a LEED Certification. We can help you incorporate high-performance green building practices into your next project!