"LEED is rapidly becoming the standard for performance metrics in the building industry," says Paul von Paumgartten, director of energy and environmental affairs at Johnson Controls and USGBC treasurer. "If they're not already on the program, today's facilities managers should be anticipating how they're going to implement LEED in the very near future."

The USGBC is a Washington D.C.-based non-profit organization consisting of more than 2,500 industry leaders working to promote environmentally responsible facilities. In addition to developing the extended suite of LEED products, the Council offers training workshops, professional accreditation, and support resources.

In March 2000 the Council rolled out LEED v2.0, a nationally developed voluntary program for certifying new buildings. Based on scientific and industry standards, the system established standards for ecologically responsible high-performance new construction.

"LEED was created to raise consumer awareness of green building benefits, establish measurement standards, and recognize environmental leadership in the industry," says von Paumgartten.

Four different levels of LEED certification can be achieved: green, silver, gold, and platinum. A project's rating is based on its combined score in each of five areas (site sustainability, materials and resources, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality). To be considered for basic certification, the building must meet minimum prerequisites in each area. Ratings are achieved by scoring additional points in each category, with a maximum of 69 points available.

For example, basic erosion control is a prerequisite for site sustainability, but a building receives points for urban redevelopment and alternative transportation elements. Likewise, the recycling of building materials is necessary to satisfy the materials and resources prerequisite, but the rating can be achieved by using certified woods, local products, and other green strategies.

Green All Over

All trends indicate that during the next few years corporate America is going to be inundated with high performance green buildings. The federal government has driven LEED intensively since its inception. The Department of Energy funded initial development of LEED v2.0, the Environmental Protection Agency is backing LEED-EB, and the General Services Administration is backing development of LEED-CI. State and local governments are also using LEED.  For example, every new building in Seattle is required to be rated LEED silver at a minimum.

"There are 73 projects currently registered in the LEED-EB program representing major industry players including private sector companies such as Johnson and Johnson, Nike, Microsoft, Milliken, and the National Geographic Society, and public sector organizations such as the Pentagon, the city of Chicago, the city of San Diego, and the state of Maryland. We have 700 new construction projects currently registered for certification and that's just in the course of two years," says von Paumgartten.

Workshops for LEED-NC are also held regularly across the country attended by architects and engineers who want to become LEED accredited.

"Organizations are going to become recognized for how many accredited professionals they have on staff who know how to apply this rating system," he says.

LEED Makes Cents

There are four and a half million buildings in the United States containing more than 58 billion sf of floor space. Given that commercial structures consume 60 percent of the nation's electricity and are responsible for 40 percent of all atmospheric emissions, reducing their environmental impact is significant. USGBC estimates that increased efficiency of both new construction and ongoing facility maintenance will result in big payoffs for chief executives and environmental advocates alike.

Many organizations have discovered that, in addition to being good for the planet, getting LEED certified can bring dramatic results to the bottom line. According to the Council, implementing green features can reduce a building's utility consumption by 20 to 50 percent, eliminate more than half of all waste disposal costs, and increase employee retention by as much as 40 percent.

Efficiency improvements at Johnson Controls have saved the company and its clients an estimated $16.7 billion over the past decade, resulting in a 2,500-megawatt reduction in electrical usage, enough to power every household in California for two years.

"Initial dollar savings drove these projects, but the great thing about reducing energy consumption is that the payoff continues year in and year out," says von Paumgartten.

Studies also show that workers in environments with such features as abundant natural lighting, controllability of systems, and fresh air contribute up to a 45 percent reduction in employee absenteeism, and an increase of up to 16 percent in productivity.

Forging Efficient Paradigms

Building green does not necessarily have to mean added expense. von Paumgartten maintains that many green construction strategies cost no more than their traditional alternatives.

"The logical goal for most buildings is LEED silver because it can be cost neutral. As you go up to gold and platinum, fuel cells, or other technologies may increase some initial costs, but LEED green and silver are an even exchange," says von Paumgartten.

Johnson Controls' new Brengel Technology Center in Milwaukee, Wis., one of the first LEED-certified (silver) buildings in the country, was built at an industry average of $125 per sf for that metropolitan area. The company's Metasys™ building automation system provides remote control of all building resources from lighting to air conditioning. Every office has windows made of a specialized glare-reducing glass, and plentiful natural lighting creates a pleasant work environment that requires few artificial lights. Employees control the temperature, lighting, and airflow of their personal workspace directly from their computer desktop, while a roof-mounted weather station improves overall accuracy of energy applications.

Sustainable Futures

LEED v2.0 was designed to assess new construction and major renovation projects. LEED-EB complements this system by rating the greenness of a facility's ongoing operations. It is applicable to pre-existing structures as well as new buildings.

LEED-EB helps organizations upgrade and manage pre-existing facilities to reduce ecological impact over a building's entire life cycle. The program addresses ongoing operational concerns including chemical use, indoor air quality, energy and water efficiency, recycling, and lighting performance. Pilot tested at more than 70 buildings (including the Pentagon's post-9/11 renovation), LEED-EB measures a building's operating performance in the same five areas. Several steps are involved including bringing maintenance systems up to modern standards, implementing green cleaning programs, and performance tracking and reporting to the USGBC.

Moving Ahead

As more and more buildings become environmentally friendly, construction and operating costs will inevitably decrease. However, building commissioning is now standard procedure for LEED certification and that will make for higher costs until the number of supplying agents meets the demand for green building commissions.

Organizations interested in LEED certification for their building or professional accreditation for their people should visit the USGBC Web site (www.usgbc.org). In addition to providing LEED application forms, users can register their construction projects and find a detailed explanation of the points system. The extremely content-rich site also offers educational and support resources, a comprehensive listing of LEED-accredited design firms, and a directory of businesses offering products necessary to the creation and maintenance of green buildings.

"LEED is not necessarily a radical idea. Any architect will tell you that a 'green' building is just one that is well designed," says von Paumgartten.

By Johnathon Allen

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