LEED: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
Article Images
Line 4:
{{Multiple issues|{{Update |date=December 2022}}
{{excessive examples|date=May 2021}}}}
[[File:Shanghai, China, December 2015 - 044.JPG|thumb|305x305px|[[Shanghai Tower]] is the tallest building to be LEED-certified since 2015 and the third tallest building in the world overall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shanghai Tower {{!}} LEED Lookbook |url=https://leed.usgbc.org/shanghai-tower |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=leed.usgbc.org}}</ref>]]
[[File:Tower_of_Taipei_101(cropped).jpg|230px|thumb|[[Taipei 101]] is one of the tallest buildings to be LEED-certified]]
[[File:1225 Connecticut Ave.JPG|thumb|[[Washington, D.C.]], is the first LEED Platinum city in the world.<ref name="Washington DC news">{{cite web |title=Washington, D.C. Named First LEED Platinum City in the World {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/washington-dc-named-first-leed-platinum-city-world |website=www.usgbc.org |language=en |access-date=2020-07-17 |archive-date=2020-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717131848/https://www.usgbc.org/articles/washington-dc-named-first-leed-platinum-city-world |url-status=live}}</ref> Pictured is 1225 Connecticut Avenue, the first redeveloped office building on the [[East Coast of the United States|U.S. East Coast]] to receive LEED Platinum status.<ref name=plumb>{{cite news |url=http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/10/05/daily89.html |title=1225 Connecticut Avenue gets LEED Platinum |last=Plumb |first=Tierney |date=8 October 2009 |work=[[Washington Business Journal]] |access-date=21 June 2010 |archive-date=17 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017154903/https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/10/05/daily89.html |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Line 10:
{{As of|2023}} there were over 105,000 LEED-certified buildings and over 205,000 LEED-accredited professionals in 185 countries worldwide.<ref name="N2023"/>
In the USAUS, the [[District of Columbia]] consistently leads in [https://certification-batiment.fr/leed/ LEED-certified] square footage per capita,<ref name="Verdinez">{{cite news |last1=Verdinez |first1=Deisy |title=USGBC Releases its Top 10 States for LEED, Recognizing Leaders Committed to More Sustainable and Resilient Buildings, Cities and Communities {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/usgbc-releases-its-top-10-states-leed-recognizing-leaders-committed-more-sustainable-and |work=www.usgbc.org |date=26 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref> followed in 2022 by the top-ranking states of Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California, and Maryland.<ref name="N2023" />
Outside the United States, the top-ranking countries for 2022 were Mainland China, India, Canada, Brazil, and Sweden.<ref name="Deisy">{{cite news |last1=Verdinez |first1=Deisy |title=The Top 10 Countries for LEED demonstrate that green building is a truly global movement {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/top-10-countries-leed-demonstrate-green-building-truly-global-movement |work=www.usgbc.org |date=7 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
LEED Canada has developed a separate rating system adapted to the Canadian climate and regulations.
Some U.S. federal agencies, state and local governments require or reward LEED certification. This can include tax credits, zoning allowances, reduced fees, and expedited permitting. Offices, healthcare-, and education-related buildings are the most frequent LEED-certified buildings in the US (over 60%), followed by warehouses, distribution centers, retail projects and multifamily dwellings (another 20%).<ref name="Sarah">{{cite news |last1=Stanley |first1=Sarah |date=9 February 2021 |title=USGBC Top 10 States for LEED in 2020: Healthcare, Schools, Offices Account for More Than 60% of Green Building Certifications {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |language=en |work=www.usgbc.org |url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/usgbc-top-10-states-leed-2020-healthcare-schools-offices-account-more-60-green-building}}</ref>
Studies have found that for-rent [https://certification-batiment.fr/leed/ LEED] office spaces generally have higher rents and occupancy rates and lower capitalization rates.
LEED is a design tool rather than a performance-measurement tool and has focused on energy modeling rather than actual energy consumption.<ref name="Ireland">{{cite book |last1=Ireland |first1=Jeannie |title=History of Interior Design: – with STUDIO |date=22 February 2018 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=978-1-5013-1990-7 |page=? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i9HWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT1044 |language=en}}</ref> It has been criticized for a point system that can lead to inappropriate design choices and the prioritization of LEED certification points over actual energy conservation;<ref name="Schnaars"/><ref name="Gerrit-Jan">{{cite book |last1=Gerrit-Jan |first1=Knaap |last2=Rebecca |first2=Lewis |last3=Arnab |first3=Chakraborty |last4=Katy |first4=June-Friesen |title=Handbook on Smart Growth: Promise, Principles, and Prospects for Planning |date=8 July 2022 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |isbn=978-1-78990-469-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oLp8EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA297 |language=en}}</ref> for lacking climate specificity;<ref name="Gerrit-Jan"/> for not sufficiently addressing issues of climate change and extreme weather;<ref name="Hiar">{{cite news |last1=Hiar |first1=Corbin |title='A contradiction': U.S. subsidizes 'sustainable' buildings, but leaves them vulnerable to floods |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/25/leed-buildings-climate-floods-00104477 |work=POLITICO |date=25 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref> and for not incorporating principles of a [[circular economy]].<ref name="Fullerton">{{cite journal |last1=Fullerton |first1=Don |last2=Babbitt |first2=Callie W. |last3=Bilec |first3=Melissa M. |last4=He |first4=Shan |last5=Isenhour |first5=Cindy |last6=Khanna |first6=Vikas |last7=Lee |first7=Eunsang |last8=Theis |first8=Thomas L. |title=Introducing the Circular Economy to Economists |journal=Annual Review of Resource Economics |date=5 October 2022 |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=493–514 |doi=10.1146/annurev-resource-101321-053659 |s2cid=249809041 |url=https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-resource-101321-053659 |language=en |issn=1941-1340}}</ref> LEED v5 is projected to be published as of 1 January 2024<ref name="Amarnath"/> and may address some of the previous criticisms.<ref name="Casey">{{cite news |last1=Casey |first1=Chris |title=The Newest Version of LEED Will Focus More on Performance Value and Decarbonization |url=https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/the-newest-version-of-leed-will-focus-more-on-performance-value-and-decarbonization |work=GreenBuildingAdvisor |date=13 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="Bates">{{cite web |last1=Bates |first1=Liam |title=A Detailed Comparison of Indoor Air Quality in LEED v5 and LEED v4.1 Certification |url=https://learn.kaiterra.com/en/resources/comparison-of-indoor-air-quality-in-leed-v5-and-leed-v4.1-certification |website=learn.kaiterra.com |language=en |date=3 October 2023}}</ref>{{update-inline|date=August 2024}}
Despite concerns, LEED has been described as a "transformative force in the design and construction industry".<ref name="Schnaars"/> LEED is credited with providing a framework for green building, expanding the use of green practices and products in buildings, encouraging sustainable forestry, and helping professionals to consider buildings in terms of the well-being of their occupants and as part of larger systems.<ref name="Schnaars"/>
Line 24:
==History==
In April 1993, the [[U.S. Green Building Council]] (USGBC) was founded by [[Rick Fedrizzi]], the head of environmental marketing at Carrier, real estate developer [[David Gottfried]], and environmental lawyer Michael Italiano. Representatives from 60 firms and nonprofits met at the [[American Institute of Architects]] to discuss organizing within the building industry to support green building and develop a green building rating system.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission and vision {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://www.usgbc.org/about/mission-vision |website=www.usgbc.org}}</ref><ref name="Busta">{{cite news |last1=Busta |first1=Hallie |title=Sustainability USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi to Head the International Well Building Institute |url=https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/usgbc-ceo-rick-fedrizzi-to-head-the-international-well-building-institute_o |work=Architect |date=6 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Frank">{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Thomas |title='Green' growth fuels an entire industry |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/25/green-building-big-business-leed-certification/1655367/ |work=USA TODAY |date=25 October 2012}}</ref>▼
[[File:1812 North Moore and Rosslyn skyline.jpg|thumb|[[Arlington County, Virginia]], is the first LEED Platinum community in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgbc.org/press-room|title=Press Room | U.S. Green Building Council|website=www.usgbc.org|access-date=2020-12-25|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031141253/https://www.usgbc.org/press-room|url-status=live}}</ref> Pictured is [[1812 N Moore]], the tallest LEED Platinum building in the [[Washington metropolitan area]], and other towers of various LEED status.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}]]▼
[[File:PlantPic.jpg|thumb|[[Shearer's Foods]] plant in [[Massillon, Ohio]], is the first food manufacturing plant to receive LEED Platinum status.<ref>{{cite news |last=Staley |first=Doug |title=Shearer's, Fresh Mark, Drummond are success stories |date=14 March 2011 |url=http://www.indeonline.com/x698047252/Shearer-s-Fresh-Mark-Drummond-are-success-stories |work=[[IndeOnline.com]] |location=Ohio, United States |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502022459/http://www.indeonline.com/x698047252/Shearer-s-Fresh-Mark-Drummond-are-success-stories |archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref>]]▼
▲In April 1993, the [[U.S. Green Building Council]] (USGBC) was founded by [[Rick Fedrizzi]], the head of environmental marketing at Carrier, real estate developer David Gottfried, and environmental lawyer Michael Italiano. Representatives from 60 firms and nonprofits met at the [[American Institute of Architects]] to discuss organizing within the building industry to support green building and develop a green building rating system.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mission and vision {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://www.usgbc.org/about/mission-vision |website=www.usgbc.org}}</ref><ref name="Busta">{{cite news |last1=Busta |first1=Hallie |title=Sustainability USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi to Head the International Well Building Institute |url=https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/usgbc-ceo-rick-fedrizzi-to-head-the-international-well-building-institute_o |work=Architect |date=6 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Frank">{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Thomas |title='Green' growth fuels an entire industry |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/25/green-building-big-business-leed-certification/1655367/ |work=USA TODAY |date=25 October 2012}}</ref>
Also influential early on was architect Bob Berkebile.<ref name="Pedersen">{{cite news |last1=Pedersen |first1=Martin C. |title=Bob Berkebile: "That Was the Brilliance of LEED—It Included Everyone in the Conversation" |url=https://commonedge.org/bob-berkebile-that-was-the-brilliance-of-leed-it-included-everyone-in-the-conversation/ |work=Common Edge |date=23 May 2022}}</ref>
▲[[File:PlantPic.jpg|thumb|[[Shearer's Foods]] plant in [[Massillon, Ohio]], iswas the first food manufacturing plant to receive LEED Platinum status in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last=Staley |first=Doug |title=Shearer's, Fresh Mark, Drummond are success stories |date=14 March 2011 |url=http://www.indeonline.com/x698047252/Shearer-s-Fresh-Mark-Drummond-are-success-stories |work=[[IndeOnline.com]] |location=Ohio, United States |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502022459/http://www.indeonline.com/x698047252/Shearer-s-Fresh-Mark-Drummond-are-success-stories |archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref>]]
Fedrizzi served as the volunteer founding chair of USGBC from 1993 to 2004, and became its CEO as of 2004. As of November 4, 2016, he was succeeded as president and CEO of USGBC by Mahesh Ramanujam.<ref name="Busta"/><ref name="Fabris">{{cite news |last1=Fabris |first1=Peter |title=Mahesh Ramanujam takes reins as U.S. Green Building Council President and CEO |url=https://www.bdcnetwork.com/mahesh-ramanujam-takes-reins-us-green-building-council-president-and-ceo?page=5 |work=Building Design + Construction |date=18 November 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Ramanujam served as CEO until 2021. Peter Templeton became interim president and CEO of USGBC as of November 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=USGBC Announces Leadership Change and Strategy Review |url=https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/usgbc-announces-leadership-change-and-strategy-review_o |work=Architect |date=8 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=USGBC Announces Launch of CEO Search : PaintSquare News |url=https://www.paintsquare.com/news/view/?24603 |work=Paint Square |date=13 January 2022}}</ref>
Line 44 ⟶ 43:
The LEED initiative has been strongly supported by the USGBC Board of Directors, including
Chair of the Board of Directors Steven Winter (1999–2003).<ref>{{cite web |title=Steven Winter Associates, Inc | U.S. Green Building Council |url=http://dev1.usgbc.org/organizations/steven-winter-associates-inc?view=overview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724215822/http://dev1.usgbc.org/organizations/steven-winter-associates-inc?view=overview |archive-date=2015-07-24 |access-date=2015-07-24}}</ref> The current chair of the Board of Directors is Anyeley Hallová (2023).<ref>{{cite news |title=USGBC Announces Its 2023 Board of Directors and Officers |url=https://www.aspe.org/pipeline/usgbc-announces-its-2023-board-of-directors-and-officers/ |work=ASPE Pipeline |date=13 January 2023}}</ref>
▲[[File:1812 North Moore and Rosslyn skyline.jpg|thumb|[[Arlington County, Virginia]], iswas the first LEED Platinum community in the world in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgbc.org/press-room|title=Press Room | U.S. Green Building Council|website=www.usgbc.org|access-date=2020-12-25|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031141253/https://www.usgbc.org/press-room|url-status=live}}</ref> Pictured is [[1812 N Moore]], the tallest LEED Platinum building in the [[Washington metropolitan area]], and other towers of various LEED status.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}]]
LEED has grown from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive system of interrelated standards covering aspects from the design and construction to the maintenance and operation of buildings. LEED has also grown from six committee volunteers to an organization of 122,626 volunteers, professionals and staff.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |url=http://www.usgbc.org/profile |title=LEED Projects Directory |access-date=October 20, 2023 |publisher=US Green Building Council }}</ref>
Line 74 ⟶ 75:
{{cite web|url=http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1970|title=LEEDv3|publisher=US Green Building Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225022230/http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1970|archive-date=25 February 2010|url-status=live|access-date=20 February 2010}}</ref> It reflects a continuous development process, with a revised third-party certification program and online resources.
Under LEED 2009, an evaluated project scores points to a possible maximum of 100 across six categories: [[sustainable sites]], [[water efficiency]], [[building performance|energy]] and [[indoor air quality|atmosphere]], [[sustainable architecture|materials and resources]], [[building science|indoor environment quality]] (IEQ) and design innovation. Each of these categories also includes mandatory requirements, which receive no points. Up to 10 additional points may be earned: 4 for regional priority credits and 6 for innovation in design. Additional performance categories for residences (LEED for Homes) recognize the importance of transportation access, open space, and outdoor physical activity outdoors, and the need for buildings and settlements to educate occupants.{{efn|The LEED for Homes guidelines were also adopted by the DOE Net Zero Energy Homes Project.<ref name="ephotinc"/>}}<ref name="ephotinc">{{Cite web|url=https://ephotinc.yolasite.com/|title=EPHOT inc|website=ephotinc.yolasite.com|access-date=2021-02-02|archive-date=2021-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123012153/https://ephotinc.yolasite.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Shanghai - Shanghai Tower - 0003.jpg|thumb|[[Shanghai Tower]], the tallest and largest LEED Platinum certified building in the world since 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World's second largest building, Shanghai Tower, achieves LEED Platinum {{!}} U.S. Green Building Council|url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/world-s-second-largest-building-shanghai-tower-achieves-leed-platinum|access-date=2021-12-10|website=www.usgbc.org|language=en}}</ref>]]
Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:
Line 152 ⟶ 153:
The second IEQ study used occupant interviews and physical site measurements at 12 LEED buildings to report superior indoor environment performance compared with 12 similar non-certified buildings.<ref name=Newsham />
In 2013, a paper published by Schiavon and architectural physicist Sergio Altamonte studied occupant IEQ satisfaction in LEED and non-LEED buildings.<ref name=Schiavon>{{cite journal |last1=Schiavone |first1=Stefano |last2=Altomonte |first2=Sergio |year=2013 |title=Occupant satisfaction in LEED and non-LEED certified buildings |url=http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35441/1/Altomonte%20Schiavon_BAE_2013.pdf |journal=Buildings and Environment |volume=68 |pages=66–76 |doi=10.1016/j.buildenv.2013.06.008 |bibcode=2013BuEnv..68...66A |s2cid=53602406 |access-date=2019-07-30 |archive-date=2020-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310223835/http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35441/1/Altomonte%20Schiavon_BAE_2013.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Using occupant surveys from the Center for the Built Environment<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/research/survey.htm |title=Center for the Built Environment: Occupant Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Survey |access-date=2015-11-15 |archive-date=2015-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117015655/http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/research/survey.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> at Berkeley database,<ref>{{cite journal |title=Quantitative relationships between occupant satisfaction and satisfaction aspects of indoor environmental quality and building design |journal =Indoor Air |date=2012-04-01 |issn=1600-0668 |pages=119–131 |volume=22 |issue=2 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0668.2011.00745.x |pmid=21929547 |first1=M. |last1=Frontczak |first2=S. |last2=Schiavon |first3=J. |last3=Goins |first4=E. |last4=Arens |first5=H. |last5=Zhang |first6=P. |last6=Wargocki |s2cid=12961761 |url=http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/1wc7t219 |access-date=2019-02-06 |archive-date= 2018-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109123647/https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1wc7t219 |url-status=live |doi-access=free|bibcode =2012InAir..22..119F }}</ref> 65 LEED-certified and 79 non-LEED buildings were analyzed for 15 IEQ-related factors. These factors include the ease of interaction, building cleanliness, the comfort of furnishing, the amount of light, building maintenance, colors and textures, workplace cleanliness, the amount of space, furniture adjustability, visual comfort, air quality, [[visual privacy]], noise, temperature, and sound privacy. The results showed occupants tend to be slightly more satisfied in LEED buildings for the air quality and slightly more dissatisfied with the amount of light. The overall finding was that there was no significant influence of LEED certification on occupant satisfaction in consideration of the overall building and workspace ratings.<ref name=Schiavon /> The paper noted that the data may not be representative of the entire building stock and a randomized approach was not used in the data assessment.
Based on similar dataset (21,477 occupants) in 2013, Schiavon and Altomonte<ref>{{cite journal |title=Influence of factors unrelated to environmental quality on occupant satisfaction in LEED and non-LEED certified buildings |url=http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35437/1/Schiavon%20Altomonte_BAE_2014.pdf |journal= Building and Environment |date=2014-07-01 |pages=148–159 |volume=77 |doi=10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.03.028 |first1=Stefano |last1=Schiavon |first2=Sergio |last2=Altomonte |bibcode=2014BuEnv..77..148S |access-date=2019-07-30 |archive-date=2020-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321222400/http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35437/1/Schiavon%20Altomonte_BAE_2014.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> found that occupants have equivalent satisfaction levels in LEED and non-LEED buildings when evaluated independently from the following factors: office type, spatial layout, distance from windows, building size, gender, age, type of work, time at workspace, and weekly working hours. LEED certified buildings may provide higher satisfaction in open spaces than in enclosed offices, in smaller buildings than in larger buildings, and to occupants having spent less than one year in their workspaces rather than to those who have used their workspace longer. The study also notes that the positive value of LEED certification from the aspect of occupant satisfaction may tend to decrease with time.
In 2015, a study on indoor environmental quality and the potential health benefits of green-certified buildings was developed by environmental health scientist Joseph Allen (et al.)<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Green Buildings and Health|journal = Current Environmental Health Reports|date = 2015-07-10|issn = 2196-5412|pmc = 4513229|pmid = 26231502|pages = 250–258|volume = 2|issue = 3|doi = 10.1007/s40572-015-0063-y|first1 = Joseph G.|last1 = Allen|first2 = Piers|last2 = MacNaughton|first3 = Jose Guillermo Cedeno|last3 = Laurent|first4 = Skye S.|last4 = Flanigan|first5 = Erika Sita|last5 = Eitland|first6 = John D.|last6 = Spengler| bibcode=2015CEHR....2..250A }}</ref> showing that green buildings provide better indoor environmental quality with direct benefits to human health of occupants of those buildings in comparison to non-green buildings. One of the limitations of the study was the use of subjective health performance indicators since there is a lack of definition on such indicators by current studies.
Newsham et al. published a detailed study on IEQ and LEED buildings in August 2013.<ref name="Newsham">{{cite journal |last1=Newsham |first1=Guy R. |last2=Birt |first2=Benjamin J. |last3=Arsenault |first3=Chantal |last4=Thompson |first4=Alexandra J.L. |last5=Veitch |first5=Jennifer A. |last6=Mancini |first6=Sandra |last7=Galasiu |first7=Anca D. |last8=Gover |first8=Bradford N. |last9=Macdonald |first9=lain A. |last10=Burns |first10=Gregory J. |year=2013 |title=Do 'green' buildings have better indoor environments? New evidence |journal=Building Research and Information |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=415–434 |doi=10.1080/09613218.2013.789951 |bibcode=2013BuRI...41..415N |s2cid=109196172}}</ref> Field studies and post-occupancy evaluations (POE) were performed in 12 green and 12 conventional buildings across Canada and the northern United States. On-site, 974 workstations were measured for thermal conditions, air quality, acoustics, lighting, workstation size, ceiling height, window access and shading, and surface finishes. Responses were positive in the areas of environmental satisfaction, satisfaction with thermal conditions, satisfaction with outside views, aesthetic appearance, reduced disturbance from HVAC noise, workplace image, night-time sleep quality, mood, physical symptoms, and reduced number of airborne particulates. The results showed green buildings exhibited superior performance compared with similar conventional buildings.<ref name="Newsham" />
Line 205 ⟶ 206:
LEED has been developed and continuously modified by workers in the green building industry, especially in the ten largest metro areas in the U.S.; however, LEED certified buildings have been slower to penetrate small and middle markets.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wheatland.com/wheatland-standard/is-leed-certification-worth-it/ |title=Is LEED Certification Worth It? |first=Marvin |last=Phillips |work=wheatland.com |date=25 October 2012 |access-date=3 February 2019 |archive-date=4 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204015941/https://www.wheatland.com/wheatland-standard/is-leed-certification-worth-it/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.zekelman.com/zekelman-perspective/4-advantages-of-specifying-steel-construction-for-a-leed-project/ |title=4 Advantages of Specifying Steel Construction for A LEED Project |first=Jelani |last=Rucker |work=Zekelman |date=1 November 2012 |access-date=3 February 2019 |archive-date=4 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204014522/https://www.zekelman.com/zekelman-perspective/4-advantages-of-specifying-steel-construction-for-a-leed-project/ |url-status=live}}</ref> There has been criticism that the LEED rating system is not sensitive and does not vary enough with regard to local environmental conditions. For instance, a building in [[Maine]] would receive the same credit as a building in [[Arizona]] for water conservation, though the principle is more important in the latter case. Another complaint is that certification costs could be better used to make the project more sustainable. Many critics have noted that compliance and certification costs have grown faster than staff support from the USGBC.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kain |first=Patrick |date=2016 |title=Improving Green Building: Comparing LEED Certification to the FDA and Its Private, Third Party Ratings Approach |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3157412 |language=en |location=Rochester, NY|ssrn=3157412}}</ref>
For existing buildings, LEED has developed LEED-EB. Research has demonstrated that buildings that can achieve LEED-EB equivalencies can generate a tremendous return-on-investment.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} In a 2008 white paper by the Leonardo Academy comparing LEED-EB buildings vs. data from [[Building Owners and Managers Association|BOMA]]'s Experience Exchange Report 2007 demonstrated LEED-EB certified buildings achieved superior operating-cost savings in 63% of the buildings surveyed ranging from $4.94 to $15.59 per square foot of floor space.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leonardoacademy.org/download/Economics%20of%20LEED-EB%2020090222.pdf |title=Cost Analysis of LEED-EB |access-date=2014-02-14 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330221114/http://www.leonardoacademy.org/download/Economics%20of%20LEED-EB%2020090222.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-30}}</ref> The overall cost of LEED-EB implementation and certification ranged from $0.00 to $6.46 per square foot of floor space, demonstrating that implementation is not expensive, especially in comparison to cost savings.
==Incentive programs==