LEED + GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS

Green building rating systems are being developed by organizations throughout the world that serve as guidelines for building owners, governments, and building professionals  in designing and operating green buildings.  There are common goals throughout the systems, primarily in five main categories: siting of the structure, energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials, and indoor environmental quality.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) developed by the United State Green Building Council (USGBC) is the most widely used system in the United States, the most popular in Italy administrated under Green Building Council Italia,  and is used in many other countries in the world*.  Besides LEED, there are several other systems including BREEAM, PassivHaus, the Living Building Challenge, and Green Globes.

Amanda has consulted on the design and re-design of buildings, served as Project Administrator, and reviewed documentation for multiple LEED projects, including Italy’s first LEED Platinum (highest rating) building, a new mixed-use building of office, retail and laboratory space located in Milan.

*In June of 2013, the USGBC announced that certification fees (+/- $4000 USD) would be waived for the first projects to be certified in 114 countries (including all Southeast European countries) where LEED has not yet taken root.   More on this program here.

Press release for Italy’s first LEED Platinum building

Education Example: LEED Workshops