LEED Certification (Leadership in Energy in Environmental Design) is another type of certification still voluntary but increasingly implemented, which has been developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and is based on a scoring system that measures the level of respect for the environment and health of buildings. LEED Certification is divided into 5 main categories:
- LOCATION: measures the impact of selecting a specific site on the local environment.
- WATER MANAGEMENT: includes the integration of technologies and strategies to reduce the amount of water consumed in the building.
- INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: it takes into account the use of natural light, thermal and acoustic comfort, ventilation and other aspects that affect the environmental health of a place.
- MATERIALS: promotes the reduction of construction waste, household recycling and the use of recycled or renewable materials for construction.
- ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE: measures the efficiency and the building energy performance and promotes the integration of renewable energy.
Within each of these categories there are points for the fulfillment of specific objectives. Based on points earned, can achieve 4 levels of certification: CERTIFICATE, SILVER, GOLD or PLATINUM.
