Those considering a purchase in the red-hot luxury condominium and townhome market should be familiar with LEED. The U.S. Green Building Council developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System as a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council representing all segments of the building industry developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution. LEED standards apply to new commercial construction, existing building operations, commercial interior projects and neighborhood development.

LEED was created to:
-Define “Green Building” by establishing a standard of measure.
-Promote integrated whole building design practices.
-Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry.
-Stimulate green competition.
-Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits.
-Transform the building market.

LEED provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Emphasized are strategies for site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. To learn more about LEED visit the USGBC website HERE.