What is LEED?

LEED is redefining the way we think about the places where we live, work, and learn. As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions.

With nearly nine billion square feet of building space participating in the suite of rating systems and 1.6 million feet certifying per day around the world, LEED is transforming the way built environments are designed, constructed, and operated—from individual buildings and homes, to entire neighborhoods and communities. Comprehensive and flexible, LEED works throughout a building’s life cycle.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Developed by the USGBC in 2000, the LEED rating systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees. The latest update of the LEED rating system, coined LEED v4, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and on-going development cycle of LEED. To learn more about LEED, visit the USGBC website.