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Developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) as a tool to measure the “greenness” of projects, the LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven rating system based on proven technology. It evaluates environmental performance from a “whole building” perspective over a building’s life cycle, rating it against recognised benchmarks.
LEED - which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is based on accepted energy and environmental principles. It strikes a balance between known practices and emerging concepts that offer practical strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor environmental quality.
LEED awards credits for satisfying various criteria and different levels of certification - certified, silver, gold and platinum - depend on the total credits earned.
The Role of USGBC:
1. Stewards market transformation
2. Provides tools and expertise
3. Builds community
4. Forum for industry dialog
5. Educates the industry and the public
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