What is LEED?

In urban settings, buildings have a greater impact on human health and the environment than perhaps any other aspect of life. Buildings tax natural resources such as wood and water, contribute to global warming, and consume vast amounts of electricity. And that is certainly the case in New York City, where buildings account for 79% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Impact of New York City Buildings

To support green building, Urban Green Council promotes the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, a voluntary, consensus-based standard to support and certify successful green building design, construction and operations. LEED provides a common framework, guidelines and certification system to promote integrated, whole-building design practices.

Properly designed buildings can help address many of our most critical environmental and health problems, whether the issue is global warming, water conservation or asthma.

A typical green building saves 30% in energy; 35% in greenhouse gas emissions; and up to 50% in water usage. In New York, it is vital to green the 950,000 buildings that are already in existence to reduce the city's negative impact on the environment. For more information on LEED, visit the national USGBC Website.

USGBC New York offers training for industry professionals to become LEED Accredited Professionals, demonstrating their knowledge of integrated design and their capacity to facilitate the LEED certification process. To become a LEED Accredited Professional, you must pass the examination. To learn more, visit the Green Building Certification Institute (the newly created independent organization responsible for administering credentialing programs).  Also visit Urban Green Council's LEED Credentialing FAQ page.

If you are looking for LEED Education in the New York City area, please take a moment to fill out our LEED Education Survey.