Is LEED Really Worth It?

Is LEED Certification really worth it? 

While much of the U.S. real estate market has been floundering, one area has not seen a dip. Green building now accounts for nearly one-third of new construction in the U.S. That's up from 2 percent in 2005, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, which tracks the industry.

The numbers suggest a revolution is taking place within an industry that is historically slow to change. There are many factors — and many players — in this move toward green building.

The University of Michigan officials ran the numbers this year and decided that yes: the intangibles that come from LEED are worth the investment. The university committed to seek certification on all of its new building projects worth more than $10 million. -The cost of LEED certification is a relatively small percentage of the overall cost of a building.




-For a $100 million project of the average building type, the additional cost to reach LEED silver is only about 2 percent.
-LEED silver certification would add 4.7 percent to the cost of that same $100 million project.

Certified buildings get a plaque for prominent display. And if you already know all of this, it's a sign of the brand recognition LEED has developed.

How LEED Works

LEED is set up like an arbiter of a sort of building Olympics. Projects earn points for various features. Use renewable cork flooring, for instance, get a point in the materials and resources category. Use paint that doesn't give off toxic substances — score a point for indoor environmental quality. There are categories for water efficiency and energy. Pay the fees, rack up enough points, and win a basic, silver, gold or platinum rating. The Ross building achieved silver.

The word LEED meant nothing 10 odd years ago. And now that is literally like Kleenex is to tissues. I mean, you think of a LEED building and people think, 'Oh, it's a green building.' "


(www.npr.com)