How LEED Certified Buildings Are Outperforming Regular Buildings
With the world’s increasing awareness on environmental conservation and protection, there is a growing concern on a building’s performance among stakeholders, building owners, property managers, which increase the demand for a LEED-certification.
What Is LEED?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a globally-recognized third-party verification for environmentally friendly buildings.
LEED is developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Green Building Certification Institute, on the other hand, qualifies LEED-accredited professionals and evaluates all LEED-projects.
If you’re interested in LEED-certified buildings or you want to become a LEED professional, your next question might be, “How are they outperforming regular buildings?” Let’s take a look.
Energy-Savings
A combination of factors, including energy saving lighting system and increased HVAC efficiency, insulated roofs, insulated walls and windows all save energy. In terms of lighting, LEED buildings can save between 25% and 90% by using high-quality fixtures, smart control systems and daylight responsive dimming. The installation of cool roofs or vegetated roofs absorb less sunlight and lowers ambient air temperature, resulting in reduced energy demand. These roofing systems also last longer than standard ones because they don’t suffer from much contraction and expansion vs. non-reflective roofs in conventional buildings do.
LEED standard schools recorded an average of 33% in energy reduction versus conventionally-designed buildings did according to the Capital E analysis of 30 LEED-certified schools. This figure translated to $0.38 per square foot in energy savings. Additionally, many green buildings use renewable energy sources, while regular buildings rely primarily on electricity and fossil fuel.
Water and Wastewater Savings
Green building plumbing designs include graywater systems, rainwater catchment, and highly-efficient plumbing fixtures.
As a result, LEED building owners can take advantage of lower water bills versus their counterparts do. So, if large projects would use LEED designs in building construction, the society can also benefit from reduced pollution and lower waste water treatment cost.
Tax
Companies may be able to reduce tax with the potential tax benefits, depending on their line of business and location if they’re leasing space in a LEED building. Plus, if these commercial spaces/facilities are in economic zones that can also mean minimal to no local/state taxes.
Environmental Impact
Green buildings help conserve nature because they don’t primarily rely on gas unlike conventional buildings. As a result, they can lower emissions and reduce air pollution.
Lower greenhouse gas emissions, one of the benefits of LEED-certified buildings, reduces the overall social and financial cost of global warming. That’s possible with energy-efficient HVAC, lighting systems, roofs and other environment-friendly materials in the design and construction of green buildings.
Investors and builders with a LEED-building certification can improve their public image and display corporate responsibility to the society with “going green” efforts better than their counterparts do.
Maintenance Savings
As green builders included reuse and adaptability in design, they cut the overall operation and maintenance cost. Thanks to the sturdier materials and more efficient systems they use for these eco-friendly buildings.
Building owners also don’t need to replace them sooner than what conventional non-LEED buildings use in construction. A part of it, green buildings also reduce waste disposal cost.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, LEED-certified buildings outperform regular buildings. While premium initial cost may be higher than the latter, green buildings can offer a better return on investment within a few years, reduce emissions and air pollution, and allow builders to save on overall cost, including on utilities, wastewater treatment, and system (lighting, HVAC, roofing, etc.) repairs and replacement.
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