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LEED® 2009 - The Next Generation of Sustainable Building

The United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is on the forefront of green building and many people look to this rating system for guidance, as more than 3.5 billion square feet of building projects (10,000 individual projects) are registered to seek LEED certification. While it is apparent that LEED continues to grow, it is also evolving to meet the demands of the green world.

LEED 2009, or LEED Version 3 (LEED v3) is not a 'tear down and rebuild' of the current LEED Rating System, but rather a reorganization. LEED v3 looks at several aspects:

LEED Prerequisite/Credit Alignment and Harmonization
· LEED 2009 seeks to synchronize and consolidate similar credits into a common program.
· There is a cross pool of credits for all rating systems with credits to address different market situations.

Predictable Development Cycle
· LEED will evolve on a set schedule based on the same method as building codes, and we'll look forward to the next published revision in 2011.
· As new technologies are brought to market, LEED will continue to react to the rapidly changing industry through Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIRs) and performance / intent equivalent alternative compliance paths (PIEACP).

Transparent Environmental/Human Impact Credit Weighting
· New weightings reflect potential to either mitigate a negative impact to humans and the environment, or to create positive impacts to the same.
· Heavy emphasis is now being placed on credits that reduce a buildings carbon footprint.
· Weightings take into account market analyses - what benefits are driving green building.

Regionalization
· Incentives are also provided through Innovation and Design style bonus points to those credits that are most important for that region.

With LEED, and all green building rating systems, it is essential to balance the efficiency of a building with the health of the building and its occupants. For example, LEED Credit Categories include sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regionalization. Each element is important when building green, but for the health of building occupants it is vital to ensure good indoor air quality (IAQ). Below is a break down of LEED Credit Categories and possible points.

The new weighting system has put greater emphasis on Energy and Atmosphere to the detriment of IEQ. This is a concern as many homes and buildings are being built to be as energy efficient as possible. Tight buildings mean less air ventilation, and this can result in higher levels of indoor pollutants if sources are available. The build-up of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can come from a myriad of sources: furniture, wall coverings, bedding, hobby or repair supplies and cleaning to name a few. Without proper ventilation these chemicals have nowhere to go so they continue to pollute the indoor air.

Tight buildings and reduced ventilation puts a burden on source control and making sure products and materials are chosen that introduce the least amount of VOCs and other pollutants. Look for GREENGUARD Certified products to ensure products have been independently tested for chemical emissions and meet stringent standards based on established health criteria.

GREENGUARD Certification is not only able to help achieve good IAQ, but also contributes to LEED point attainment. GREENGUARD Certification can be used to achieve key LEED credits including:

LEED for Commercial Interiors
· EQ Credit 4.3 - Low-Emitting Materials: Flooring Systems (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

· EQ Credit 4.5 - Low-Emitting Materials: System Furniture

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-Emitting Materials, Adhesives and Sealants (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-Emitting Materials, Paints and Coatings (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

LEED for New Construction/Core & Shell
· EQ Credit 4.3 - Low-Emitting Materials: Flooring Systems (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-emitting furniture can be applied toward an innovations credit following the criteria for LEED-CI EQ Credit 4.5 (administrative credit ruling AD00, date 1/23/03).

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-Emitting Materials, Adhesives and Sealants (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-Emitting Materials, Paints and Coatings (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

LEED for Existing Building
· EQ Credit 3.3: Green Cleaning: Purchase of Sustainable Cleaning Products & Materials (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)

· Innovation in Design Credit - Low-emitting furniture can be applied toward an innovations credit following the criteria for LEED-CI EQ Credit 4.5 (administrative credit ruling AD00, date 1/23/03).

LEED for Schools
· EQ Credit 4 - Low-Emitting Materials (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)
o Option 1 - Adhesives & Sealants
o Option 2 - Paints & Coatings
o Option 3 - Flooring Systems
o Option 4 - Composite Wood & Agrifiber Products
o Option 5 - Furniture & Furnishings
o Option 6 - Ceiling and Wall Systems
o EQ Credit 10 - Mold Prevention (GREENGUARD for Building Construction)

LEED for Homes
· MR Credit 2.2 - Environmentally Preferable Products (GREENGUARD Children and Schools) - Insulation

LEED Retail for Commercial Interiors/New Construction
· EQ Credit 4 - Low-Emitting Materials (GREENGUARD Children and Schools)
o Option A - Adhesives & Sealants
o Option B - Paints & Coatings
o Option C - Flooring Systems
o Option D - Composite Wood & Agrifiber Products
o Option E - Furniture & Furnishings
o Option F - Ceiling and Wall Systems

For more information on GREENGUARD Certified products or GREENGUARD Certification, please visit our website at www.greenguard.org, email us at info@greenguard.org or give us a call at 800.427.9681.

The 5th Annual Pub Night - A Huge Success!

GEI's 5th Annual Pub Night was attended by more than 600 GREENGUARD friends and 19 sponsors who spent the night socializing and showing off their dance moves at Ned Devines and Parris in Historic Faneuil Hall. Everyone patiently waited to see if they had the 'Luck of the Irish' when it came to door prizes. American Express and Best Buy Gift cards (Virco), Gas Cards (Knauf Insulation), MP3 Players (Guardian), the Embody Chair by Herman Miller, the Contessa Task Chair by Teknion and the stuffed Pink Panther (Owens-Corning) were the big items this year. However, no attendee went home empty handed - t-shirts were handed out to everyone as they called it quits for the night.

Greenbuild was remarkable with approximately 30,000 attendees. It is exciting to be a part of such important market transformation. Thank you for participating and supporting the GREENGUARD Certification programs. We will look forward to celebrating the 6th Annual Pub Night in Phoenix!

GEI Pub Night 2008 Sponsors

GREENGUARD News

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute often serves as a resource for publications and media outlets, providing information on various topics that relate to product emissions and indoor air quality. The following lists recent articles and features.

Indonesia News
Top Green Furniture Tips

FloorBiz.com
Certified Floors Offer Healthier Indoor Air Quality

GreenStrides
Jazz Up the Kitchen and Bath with Quartz

Travel Daily News
New hotel Indigo Chicago-Vernon Hills embraces eco-friendly, green agenda

Wallpaper News
OMNOVA’s Wallcovering Reclamation Program

Street Insider
Office Depot to Recognize Environmental Purchasing Leaders

To read these and past articles, visit the Press Room/Articles under the 'About GEI' tab on the GEI website. Read More...

Upcoming Events

In the next few months, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) will participate in several events.

Green California Schools Summit (Speaking)
December 8-10, 2008
Anaheim, CA

For more information, please visit the Events tab listed under 'About GEI' and click on 2008 Calendar.

Continuing Education

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is proud to be a recognized USGBC Education Provider, and provides numerous Continuing Education Courses related to indoor air quality principles, including the following:

Healthy Indoor Air by Design
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1 CEU), CSI (1-ECH), USGBC

This basic level course is designed to communicate the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and empower architects, designers and specifiers to employee strategies to improve the IAQ in the spaces they are creating. The course includes background on the impact of indoor air pollution on human health and economics. Participants will learn to identify sources of indoor air pollutants, illustrated by several case studies that highlight the effects of controlling, versus not controlling, IAQ at the design phase of building construction. Emphasis also will be placed on how participants can incorporate good IAQ principles into sustainable building projects.

Clearing the Air on IAQ: Making Sense of IAQ Standards and IEQ Requirements
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1 CEU), CSI (1-ECH)

This intermediate level educational program will help specifying professionals navigate the current state of IAQ criteria in the U.S., as it relates to product specification and green building programs. At the end of this one-hour program, participants will understand the current issues and solutions associated with indoor air quality. They will be able to differentiate between different product standards and certification programs in the U.S. marketplace. From an IEQ perspective, attendees will gain the knowledge they need to effectively navigate green building guidelines and programs.

Building Blocks for Healthy Indoor Air
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1CEU), USGBC

This basic level educational program will help designers creating educational spaces, specifically daycare and K-12 schools, achieve the best indoor air quality for those environments as it is fundamental to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of children. At the end of this one-hour program, participants will understand the health risks and sources of indoor air pollution in daycare and K-12 facilities. They will discover strategies for creating educational environments with healthy indoor air quality, and identify resources for improving and maintaining indoor air quality.

Design to Prevent the Damaging Effects of Mold
Credits: AIA (1LU), CSI (1-ECH)

This basic level course outlines the role of the architect in preventing mold in their projects. The participants will gain understanding of the impact mold has on building integrity and materials; quantify the financial impact of mold; and discuss its effects on human health. The course will explore the sources of moisture intrusion, and will detail preventive strategies to minimize moisture intrusion throughout the design, construction, and operations and maintenance of a building.

GEI is taking its courses on the road to architecture and design firms, industry meetings, campuses and manufacturer showrooms across the country. If your firm or group is interested in learning more about these courses, please send a request to education@greenguard.org.