LEED-EB Consulting

Great Forest uses the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Rating System to advise property owners and managers on how to reduce their environmental impacts.

The operations and maintenance of a building has a large impact on the environment. Nationally, residential and commercial buildings account for 38% of greenhouse gas emissions; in New York City, building-related emissions are almost double that.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed in 1993 by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a set of consistent benchmarks with which to measure environmental performance and to commit to sustainable practices. According to the USGBC, "LEED for Existing Buildings is a road map for delivering economically profitable, environmentally responsible, healthy, productive places to live and work."

All LEED categories have four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum, based on points earned in five categories of environmental performance.  The USGBC considers:

• Sustainable Sites
  Assesses site related issues, including planting and landscaping, transportation, water emissions, soil erosion and ecological impact.
• Water Efficiency
  Looks at water efficiency, wastewater innovations, discharge water compliance and water use reduction.
• Energy & Atmosphere
  Takes into account building commissioning, energy performance standards, renewable energy, building operations, maintenance and measurement.
• Materials & Resources
  Examines recycling and source reduction, toxics reduction, hazardous waste, construction and demolition recycling and environmentally preferable purchasing.
• Indoor Environmental Quality
  Reviews outside air, asbestos and PCBs, ventilation and monitoring, indoor pollutants, and thermal comfort, amongst other initiatives.

In addition to the numerous environmental and health benefits for building occupants, LEED-EB certified buildings also offer energy savings that range from 30%-70% annually, yielding lower building operations costs.

Great Forest's LEED® accredited professionals help building owners and managers coordinate the design, implement the phases of sustainability initiatives, achieve LEED certification and communicate the message of sustainability to both occupants and the public at large.