The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a green building initiative started out in 1993. This certification program is based upon a points system, the more points you earn, the higher your rating.

LEED’s mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) you should consider constructing a LEED certified home or building for the following benefits:

• Healthier indoor space is better for the building occupants
• Lower use of energy and water resources reduce long-term costs.
• Higher resale value makes it a better investment
• Less impact on the community and environment
• Faster lease up rates

How does the LEED rating system work?

The LEED rating systems are grouped into five main categories:

• Building Design and Construction – New building or major renovations
• Interior Design and Construction – Interior living spaces
• Operations and Maintenance – Existing building improving with minor or no construction
• Homes – New single family and low and mid-rise multi-family structures
• Neighborhood Development – New or redeveloped projects for both residential and nonresidential use

The number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification it receives. There are four levels of certification:

• Certified (40–49 points)
• Silver (50–59 points)
• Gold (60–79 points)
• Platinum (80+ points)

You are free to choose the type of credits that you want if they apply to your project. Ultimately these provide the points needed for LEED certification. Many credits are easier to obtain than most people think possible.

Here are two small examples: For better air quality select a high strength, low volatile organic compound (VOC) spray adhesive. Seaming tapes can reduce air infiltration and improve the insulation effectiveness making heating and cooling less expensive.

You can go to the LEED homepage for more information on how to build a LEED certified building.

BlackHawk Industrial is committed to working with our customers to help them build better buildings. Our trained professionals are happy to help you with any of your questions.

We welcome you to contact us here:  https://www.bhid.com/ContactUs or call us TOLL FREE at (855) 610-1001.