November 6, 2008

LEED- critics and advocates

by Environmental Building Strategies in LEED Tags: Green Building, LEED 621 Comments

LEED emerged over the past few years as the ultimate rating system for green buildings. It brings both critics and advocates. Some argue that LEED buildings are not always as efficient as statistics claim them to be, others cite it as an accreditation easily attained with adequate funds. While there may be some flaws with the existing system, most seem to agree that it appears to be moving in the right direction. One writer highlights an overheard conversation between sales representatives from a construction product company. They were discussing their commitment to LEED. “They are in the process of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis of their entire product line, searching for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.” While the LEED rating system may be flawed in some ways, it appears to be motivating people in the business to make more sustainable decisions. As the baseline for moving construction in a more sustainable direction, LEED certainly seems to have a lot of potential.