Facilities Planning & Management - LEED Lecture Notes

USGBC and LEED

Introduction

  • This lecture discusses Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
  • LCDR G. STEPHENS, P. E. presents the lecture for EN-4224 FACILITIES PLANNING & MANAGEMENT on 5/27/2025.

USGBC: Who Are They?

  • USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) comprises architects, building owners, planners, and governments at the federal, local, and state levels.
  • Also includes utility managers, nonprofit leaders, engineers, building tenants, property managers, product manufacturers, interior designers, code officials, landscape architects, and financial planners.
  • USGBC is a community of leaders transforming building and community design, construction, and operation.
  • USGBC envisions an environmentally responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment.

USGBC's Role

  • STEWARD this market transformation
  • OFFER expertise
  • EDUCATE the industry and the public
  • FORUM for industry dialog
  • PROVIDE tools

Massachusetts Executive Order 484

  • Issued on April 18, 2007.
  • Aims for Leading By Example – Clean Energy and Efficient Buildings.
  • Includes MA LEED Plus for new construction and major renovations.
  • Goals by 2020:
    • Reduce GHG emissions by 40%.
    • Reduce overall energy use by 35%.
    • Reduce potable water use by 15%.

Environmental Impact of Buildings

  • Buildings account for:
    • 12% of Water Use
    • 65% of Waste Output
    • 30% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • 70% of Electricity Consumption

Average Savings of Green Buildings

  • ENERGY SAVINGS: 30%
  • CARBON SAVINGS: 35%
  • WATER USE SAVINGS: 30-50%
  • WASTE COST SAVINGS: 50-90%
  • Source: Capital E

Improved Bottom Line with Green Buildings

  • ENERGY SAVINGS of 30-70%.
  • VERIFIED PERFORMANCE.
  • ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY.
  • REDUCED LIABILITY & IMPROVED RISK MANAGEMENT.
  • INCREASED VALUE.

Increased Productivity

  • HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIGHTING ENHANCES PRODUCTIVITY by 6.7%.
  • INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL ENHANCES PRODUCTIVITY by 3.6%.
  • 20% BETTER TEST PERFORMANCE in schools.
  • EARLIER DISCHARGE in hospitals.
  • INCREASED PRODUCTION in factories by 2-16%.
  • PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE in offices.
  • INCREASE IN SALES PER SQUARE FOOT in retail.

Benefits of Green Buildings

  • HEALTH BENEFIT
  • REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION
  • INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
  • POSITIVE MARKETING AND PROMOTION
  • LOWER OPERATING COSTS
  • OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT
  • Occupants and tenants perceive value in working in a green building.

LEED System Explained

  • LEADERSHIP in ENERGY and ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.
  • A leading-edge system for certifying DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, & OPERATIONS of the greenest buildings in the world.
  • Scores are tallied for different aspects of efficiency and design in appropriate categories.
  • LEED assesses:
    1. Site Planning
    2. Water Management
    3. Energy Management
    4. Material Use
    5. Indoor Environmental Air Quality
    6. Innovation & Design Process

LEED Impact Categories

  • Reverse Contribution to Global Climate Change
  • Enhance Individual Human Health & Well Being
  • Protect and Restore Water Resources
  • Protect, Enhance and Restore Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
  • Promote Sustainable and Regenerative Material Resource Cycles
  • Build a Greener Economy
  • Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, and Community Quality of Life

LEED Certification Categories

  • Location & Transport
  • Sustainable Sites
  • Water Efficiency
  • Energy & Atmosphere
  • Materials & Resources
  • Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

Levels of LEED Ratings

  • Green Buildings worldwide are certified with a voluntary, consensus-based rating system.
  • USGBC has four levels of LEED.

LEED Building Lifecycle

  • LEED addresses the complete lifecycle of commercial buildings.
  • Programs are in pilot for Homes and Neighborhoods.
  • Categories:
    • HOMES (CURRENTLY IN PILOT)
    • NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT (CURRENTLY IN PILOT)
    • COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
    • CORE AND SHELL
    • NEW CONSTRUCTION (Schools, Hospitals, Laboratories, Retail)
    • EXISTING BUILDINGS
  • Lifecycle stages: DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATIONS.

Building Operations & Maintenance of Existing Buildings

  • Prerequisites:
    • Assess Climate Resilience
    • Assess Social Impact
    • Establish Projected Baseline of Carbon Emissions
  • Credits:
    • Ops planning & Response for Resilience
    • Equity within Operations and Maintenance Staff
  • Categories:
    • Location & Transportation
    • Sustainable Sites
    • Water Efficiency
    • Energy & Atmosphere
    • Materials and Resources
    • Environmental Quality
    • Priorities & Innovation

LEED Zero Requirements

  • LEED Zero can be earned by projects achieving Gold Certification under LEED v5 Operations & Maintenance: Existing Buildings.
  • Requirements are outlined in Table 1.

LEED Zero Carbon Requirements (Table 1)

  • Prerequisite: Energy and GHG Emissions
    • Requirement: Achieve Gold LEED certification.
    • Achieve credit for no GHG emissions from onsite combustion (exceptions for emergency power and ultra-low temperature operations).
      • Achieve 100% renewable energy, including Tier 1 onsite and Tier 2.
    • Achieve ESPM Score of 85 or greater, or equivalent.
  • Prerequisite: Refrigerants
    • Measure and report recharge of refrigerants for one year (tenants excluded).
      • Leakage rate < 5%.
  • Prerequisite: Embodied Carbon
    • Meet the policy requirements for reduction of embodied carbon during renovations.
  • Prerequisite: Transportation
    • If project includes parking, achieve a minimum of 3 points for EV charging OR at least 10% sustainable transportation performance via survey or location-efficiency score.