Welcome to the Targeted Sustainable Facility eNews, Examining LEED, 
sponsored by E-Mon

The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) laid a solid foundation in the field of sustainable design when it introduced the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System in 2000. Striving to make environmentally friendly design more commonplace and accepted within the building community, the council embarked on a journey that picks up new riders on a daily basis.

Product Highlight

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Sustainable Facility LEED Resources

For more LEED-related news and features, visit www.SustainableFacility.com

Climate Solutions: Existing Buildings
A letter from Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council
It cannot be argued that we are entering a new phase of the climate change conversation that's focused on real, practicable, solutions. Over the period of about two years, the dominant question in the public's mind has evolved from "is it real?" to "what do we do about it?" And moreover, it is increasingly understood that we need solutions, not a single solution, and that it will be a process, not an event. more

Green Building Returns Outweigh Costs
By Ashley Katz
Not a penny more. The evidence that green buildings don't have to cost a penny more than their conventional counterparts continues to pile up, as do the studies that validate significant ongoing operational cost savings for both new and existing green buildings. And these studies are extending beyond time and material into very real and financially important factors associated with building valuation, along with the health and productivity of building occupants, be they employees, students or shoppers. more

Stakeholder Engagement is Key to LEED-EB
By Tommy Linstroth, LEED AP
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB), huh? There are plenty of classes out there. All taught by LEED faculty. You know the LEED-EB credits and basically what to do, but how is implementation established? It's easy to say, "We're going to use all green cleaners, and that's it," But is it? This has not been my experience - by a long shot. So, this column is dedicated to the actual implementation process - the most important but least talked about component of pursuing LEED certification. more

The Next Generation of LEED  
By Ashley Katz
With its introduction in 2000, the USGBC's LEED Green Building Rating System helped to spark a revolution, articulating a new set of integrated, measurable goals that changed how the building industry approaches the design, construction and operation of our offices, schools, hospitals and homes. During the past eight years, USGBC has moved LEED steadily forward, evolving the way building performance is measured and rated, and doing so against a backdrop of increasing urgency to find solutions to climate change and energy dependence. more

What Facility Managers Need to Know About LEED Lighting Control Requirements
By Scott Jordan
Where does a facility manager fit into the LEED equation? No matter a building's use or age, a facility manager is most often the person whose task it is to evaluate the merits of a LEED project, make recommendations, be the primary project director and explain the program to facility occupants. This means it's important to understand the nuances of the various LEED programs that are available and the certification levels within each that can most realistically be achieved, along with technologies that can simultaneously maximize system design and reduce costs. more

Initiatives: LEED-EB - Tangible Benefits for Those Acting Now
By Martine Dion AIA, LEED AP
The estimated 45 million existing commercial buildings in the U.S. contain far more potential to deliver real energy savings and reduce global warming than new buildings ever can, simply because they represent the overwhelming majority of commercial U.S. properties. LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB v2.0) provides owners with the benchmark and verification data needed to act. Improved performance can be realized immediately using a low-cost or no-cost approach. So, why wait to gain the benefits of sustainability in existing buildings? Here are six high-return initiatives for greening existing buildings. more

LEED-EB: O&M Templates Available Online
Washington, D.C. - Improved submittal templates are now available for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EB: O&M) in LEED Online. The new submittal templates reportedly streamline the LEED certification process in several ways. more

Upcoming Issues

The November 2008 print issue of Sustainable Facility will include a Product Focus section featuring Flooring; Efficient HVAC; and Lighting. The Sustainable Facility 2008 Editorial Calendar is available online - send your case studies, projects, stories, products and comments to Editor Joseph H. Mayton III, at maytonj@bnpmedia.com.