LEED-NCv2.1 Front Intro

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Second EditionMay 2003

Reference GuideFor New Construction &

Major Renovations(LEED-NC)

Version 2.1


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U.S. Green Building Council

ISBN 1-932444-00-9

Copyright

Copyright 2003 by the U.S. Green Building Council. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Green Building Council authorizes you to view the LEED Version 2.1Reference Guide for your individual use. In exchange for this authorization, you agreenot to sell or modify the LEED Reference Guide or to reproduce the LEED ReferenceGuide in any way for any public or commercial purpose, including display on a Website or in a networked environment. Unauthorized use of the LEED Reference Guideviolates copyright, trademark and other laws and is prohibited.

Note that the text of the federal and state codes, regulations, voluntary standards, etc.,

reproduced in the LEED Reference Guide is either used under license to the U.S.Green Building Council or is in the public domain. All other text, graphics, layoutand other elements of content contained in the LEED Reference Guide are owned bythe U.S. Green Building Council and are protected by copyright under both UnitedStates and foreign laws.

Trademark

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a registered trademark ofthe U.S. Green Building Council.

Disclaimer

None of the parties involved in the funding or creation of the LEED Reference Guide,

including the U.S. Green Building Council and its members, make any warranty (ex-pressed or implied) or assume any liability or responsibility, to you or any third partiesfor the accuracy, completeness, or use of, or reliance on, any information contained inthe LEED Reference Guide, or for any injuries, losses or damages (including, withoutlimitation, equitable relief) arising out of such use or reliance.

As a condition of use, you covenant not to sue, and agree to waive and release the U.S.Green Building Council and its members from any and all claims, demands and causesof action for any injuries, losses or damages (including, without limitation, equitablerelief) that you may now or hereafter have a right to assert against such parties as aresult of your use of, or reliance on, the LEED Reference Guide.

U.S. Green Building Council1015 18th Street NW, Suite 805Washington, DC 20036


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LEED-NC Version 2.1 Reference Guide

i

Foreword iii

Introduction 1Green Building Design 1

LEED Green Building Rating SystemTM 2

LEED Reference Guide 3

LEED Certification Process 4

Sustainable Sites 7

Prerequisite 1 Erosion & Sedimentation Control 9

Credit 1 Site Selection 13

Credit 2 Development Density 19Credit 3 Brownfield Redevelopment 25

Credit 4 Alternative Transportation 31

Credit 5 Reduced Site Disturbance 43

Credit 6 Stormwater Management 49

Credit 7 Heat Island Effect 59

Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction 69

Water Efficiency 79

Credit 1 Water Efficient Landscaping 81Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies 91

Credit 3 Water Use Reduction 99

Energy & Atmosphere 109

Prerequisite 1 Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning 111

Prerequisite 2 Minimum Energy Performance 121

Prerequisite 3 CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment 129

Credit 1 Optimize Energy Performance 133

Credit 2 Renewable Energy 151

Credit 3 Additional Commissioning 165

Credit 4 Ozone Depletion 169

Credit 5 Measurement & Verification 173

Credit 6 Green Power 181

Table of Contents


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Materials & Resources 185

Prerequisite 1 Storage & Collection of Recyclables 187Credit 1 Building Reuse 191

Credit 2 Construction Waste Management 199

Credit 3 Resource Reuse 207

Credit 4 Recycled Content 213

Credit 5 Regional Materials 221

Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials 227

Credit 7 Certified Wood 231

Indoor Environmental Quality 239Prerequisite 1 Minimum IAQ Performance 241Prerequisite 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control 245

Credit 1 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitoring 249

Credit 2 Ventilation Effectiveness 253

Credit 3 Construction IAQ Management Plan 261

Credit 4 Low-Emitting Materials 269

Credit 5 Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control 279

Credit 6 Controllability of Systems 283

Credit 7 Thermal Comfort 293Credit 8 Daylight & Views 301

Innovation & Design Process 311

Credit 1 Innovation in Design 313

Credit 2 LEED Accredited Professional 317

Index of Definitions 319


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ForewordThe New Reference Package

The second edition of the Reference Package corresponds to LEED Version 2.1 forNew Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC). Printed components of theReference Package include the updated Rating System and Reference Guide. Theremainder of the Reference Package, provided in electronic form via download from asecure page on the USGBC Web site, contains the following:

Bookmarked PDF files of the Reference Guide to allow convenient on-screen view-ing while traveling, either stored on a laptop computer or through any computerwith Internet access.

LEED Version 2.1 Letter Template, a dynamic tracking and documentation toolthat is used by project teams to track progress and prepare a LEED application.The Template is occasionally improved, uploaded and dated for reference.

LEED Version 2.0 Reference Guide files, for professionals working on Version 2.0

projects.

The Revised Reference Guide

This edition of the Reference Guide was developed for two main reasons: to correspondwith LEED-NC Version 2.1 Rating System, and to improve the content. In response toUSGBC members and other LEED users, LEED-NC Version 2.1 provides technical clari-fications and streamlines certification submittal requirements. Performance levels have notchanged from Version 2.0 (see the Introduction section for related discussion), althoughcalculation methodologies for several credits have been modified.

The Version 2.0 Rating System componentsintent, requirements and submittalswere the first to be reviewed and judiciously altered for Version 2.1 by LEED technical

committees with guidance from the LEED Steering Committee. The Letter Templateapproach to documentation and application submittal have been incorporated intothe Reference Guide, as have clarifications made to LEED requirements.

The revised Reference Guide includes corrections and clarifications that have beenrequested by users (often through the Credit Interpretation process), technical com-mittees and staff. Procurement details for referenced standards are more specific. Website resource sections are now updated and in some cases expanded. General improve-ments have been made to content and text. Please note that while key details for mostprerequisites and credits remain unchanged from LEED Version 2.0 and its Reference Guide,SS Credit 8 (Light Pollution), MR Credit 4 (Recycled Content) and EQ Credit 6(Controllability of Systems) have been substantially overhauled, and thus should bethoroughly reviewed by LEED practitioners.

In addition, significant changes or corrections have been made, or helpful details added,to the requirements or calculation methodologies of SS Credit 3 (Brownfield Redevel-opment), SS Credit 4.3 (Alternative Fuel Vehicles), SS Credit 6 (Stormwater Manage-ment), EA Commissioning Prerequisite and Credit, EA Energy Performance Prerequi-site and Credit, EA Credit 6 (Green Power), MR Credit 7 (Certified Wood), IEQCredit 4 (Low-Emitting Materials), and IEQ Credit 7.1 (Thermal Comfort: Compli-ance). Other sections may have been edited to a lesser extent but may still containcorrections and clarifications of interest.


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Acknowledgements

At the October 2001 Board of Directors meeting, a Special Task Force was establishedto address important issues arising from the market uptake of the LEED Green Build-ing Rating System. Pursuant to Special Task Force recommendations and the Boardsdirective, the charge to develop LEED Version 2.1 was given by the LEED Steering

Committee to the LEED Version 2.x Committee and the LEED Technical AdvisoryGroups (TAGs), which consist of industry experts from USGBC member organiza-tions. Some of the TAG recommendations could be not be implemented for Version2.1 due to scope limitations. USGBC greatly appreciates their efforts during thisprocess and looks forward to implementing more substantial improvements in thenext version of LEED. The Reference Guide revision process was managed and imple-mented by USGBC staff and included review and suggestions by many core TAGmembers. We extend our deepest gratitude to all these individuals for their heroicvolunteer efforts and constant support of USGBCs mission.

LEED Steering Committee

Paul von Paumgartten (Co-Chair), Johnson Controls, Inc.Rob Watson (Co-Chair), Natural Resources Defense Council

Michael Arny, Leonardo AcademyLynne Barker, City of SeattlePenny Bonda, LC Clark Publishing Co.Ann Edminster, Design AVEnuesChristine Ervin, U.S. Green Building CouncilDonald Fournier, University of Illinois Building Research CouncilJ. Gary Gardner, Davis Gardner Gannon PopeJim Goldman, Turner ConstructionNigel Howard, U.S. Green Building Council

Jerry Lea, HinesMalcolm Lewis, CTG Energetics, Inc.Gail Lindsey, Design Harmony, Inc.Christine Magar, Southern California EdisonDru Meadows, The GreenTeam, Inc.Tom Paladino, Paladino & Company, Inc.Steven Piguet, Flad & Associates (previously of Armstrong)William Reed, Natural Logic, Inc.Tom Scarola, Tishman Speyer Properties

Board of Directors Special Task Force

Harry Gordon (Chair), Burt Hill Kosar Rittelman

Lucia Athens, City of SeattleRobert Berkebile, BNIM ArchitectsChristine Ervin, U.S. Green Building CouncilNigel Howard, U.S. Green Building CouncilMalcolm Lewis, CTG Energetics, Inc.Lynn Simon, Simon & AssociatesPaul von Paumgartten, Johnson Controls, Inc.


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Charles Eley, Eley AssociatesJohn Hogan, City of Seattle Department of Design, Construction, and Land UseBion Howard, Building Environmental ScienceSatish Kumar, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDaniel Nall, Flack+Kurtz Inc.William Prindle, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy

Jim Rogers, James K. Rogers, PEBob Rose, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyMick Schwedler, Trane

Special thanks to:

Chad Dorgan for his comprehensive effort on EA Prerequisite 1 and Credit 3John Hogan for his expertise on EA Prerequisite 2 and Credit 1

Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group

Nadav Malin (Chair), BuildingGreen, Inc.

Ann Edminster, Design AVEnuesChris Dixon, Mithun Architects+Designers+PlannersW. Laurence Doxsey, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentNancy Malone, Siegel & Strain ArchitectsKirsten Ritchie, Scientific Certification SystemsWayne Trusty, Athena InstituteGail Vittori, Center for Maximum Potential Building SystemMark Webster, Simpson Gumpertz & HegerGabe Wing, Herman Miller, Inc.Keith Winn, Catalyst Partners

Indoor Environmental Quality Technical Advisory GroupKirsten Childs (Chair), Croxton Collaborative Architects, P.C.

Jude Anders, Johnson Controls, Inc.Valerie Bennett, Envirosense Consortium, Inc.Terry Brennan, Camroden AssociatesBrian Cloward, Mithun Architects+Designers+PlannersJason McLennan, BNIM ArchitectsHernando Miranda, SolTierraDavid Nelson, Clanton & Associates

Special Thanks

The establishment and success of LEED and its supporting documents is greatly dueto support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The LEED Version 1.0Reference Guide and Pilot Program were developed by the U.S. Green Building Councilunder grant DE-FG36-97GO10268 from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency andRenewable Energy, Building Technology, State and Community Program. USGBCsincerely thanks DOE for kickstarting our efforts to transform the building industry,and for its continued support.


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About USGBC

The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy,health and productivity. Breakthroughs in building science, technology, products andoperations are now available to designers, builders and owners who want to buildgreen and maximize both economic and environmental performance.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is leading a national consensus to pro-duce a new generation of buildings that deliver high performance inside and out.Council members work together to develop industry standards, design guidelines, policypositions, conferences and educational tools that support the adoption of sustainabledesign and building practices. As the only national coalition that represents the entirebuilding industry on environmental building matters, our unique perspective and col-lective power provides our members with enormous opportunity to initiate change inthe way buildings are designed, built, and maintained.

Our membership is comprised of leaders representing the following categories:

Architectural FirmsBuilding Commissioning Providers

Building Control Service Contractors and ManufacturersBuilding Owners, Managers, Users, and BrokersContractors and BuildersConsultantsEngineering FirmsEnvironmental GroupsFinancial and Insurance FirmsGovernmentManufacturersPlannersPress

Professional SocietiesReal Estate DevelopersState, Local, and Federal GovernmentsUniversities and Technical Research InstitutesUtilities

Since its inception in 1993, USGBC has played a vital role in providing a leadershipforum and a unique, integrating force for the building industry. Council programs are:

Committee-Based

The heart of this effective coalition is our committees in which members design strat-egies that are implemented by staff and expert consultants. Our committees provide aforum for members to resolve differences, build alliances, and forge cooperative solu-

tions for influencing change in all sectors of the building industry.

Member-Driven

The Councils membership is open and balanced and provides a platform for carryingout important programs and activities. We target the issues identified by our membersas the highest priority. We conduct an annual review of achievements that allows us toset policy, revise strategies and devise work plans based on members needs.


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Consensus-Focused

We work together to promote green buildings and in doing so, we help foster greatereconomic vitality, environmental health and occupant well-being at lower cost. Thevarious industry segments bridge ideological gaps to develop balanced policies thatbenefit the entire industry.

USGBC Membership

The strength and diversity of the USGBC coalition provides the advantages of signifi-cantly enhancing the resources and the effectiveness of its individual members. Ourvoice is credible and powerful because of the diversity and balance of our membership.We strongly encourage you to join the Council. Your involvement is crucial to thesuccess and impact of our initiatives.

Member benefits include:

Marketing, educational and networking opportunities through USGBC events,programs and publications

Recognition as an industry leader in supporting a better built environment

Opportunity to participate in local chapters

Discounts on LEED certification, resource materials and training programs

The USGBC newsletter

Join the Council and take advantage of this opportunity to accelerate change and helpshape the green building industry.

For more information:

U.S. Green Building Council1015 18th Street NW, Suite 805Washington, DC 20036(202) 828-7422 Phone(202) 828-5110 [email protected]@usgbc.org


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Green Building Design

The term green building is synonymouswith high-performance building, sus-tainable design and construction as wellas other terms that refer to a holistic ap-proach to design and construction. Thereare many different conceptions of greenbuilding design due to the large scope ofsustainability issues and the novelty of sus-tainable principles. Definitions of envi-ronmental sustainability range from broadconcepts that incorporate all aspects ofsustainabilitymeeting the needs of to-day without compromising the ability offuture generations to meet their needsto narrow definitions focused on one spe-cific sustainable design feature such asenergy-efficiency. Within this broad spec-trum, green building design strives tobalance environmental responsibility, re-source efficiency, occupant comfort andwell-being, and community sensitivity.

Green building design includes all play-ers in an integrated development process,

from the design team (building owners,architects, engineers and consultants), theconstruction team (materials manufactur-ers, contractors and waste haulers), main-tenance staff, and building occupants.The green building process results in ahigh-quality product that maximizes theowners return on investment.

Why Design Green?

The building sector has a tremendous

impact on the environment. In 2002,there were more than 76 million residen-tial buildings and nearly five million com-mercial buildings in the United States.According to the U.S. Department ofEnergy (DOE), buildings in the UnitedStates consume more than 30% of ourtotal energy and 60% of our electricity

annually. Five billion gallons of potablewater are used to flush toilets daily. Atypical North American commercial con-struction project generates up to 2.5pounds of solid waste per square foot offloor space. Real estate development ap-propriates land from other uses such asnatural habitats and agriculture.

Buildings are a major source of the pol-lutants that cause urban air quality prob-lems and contribute to climate change.According to the DOE, buildings accountfor 49% of sulfur dioxide emissions, 25%

of nitrous oxide emissions, and 10% ofparticulate emissions all of which dam-age urban air quality. Buildings produce35% of the countrys carbon dioxide emis-sions. These are just a few examples ofthe environmental impacts associatedwith the construction and operation ofbuildings.

By the year 2010, another 38 millionbuildings are expected to be built. Greenbuilding practices can substantially reduce

the negative environmental impacts asso-ciated with these buildings and reverse thetrend of unsustainable construction ac-tivities. But that is only part of the story.Green design also reduces operating costs,enhances building marketability, poten-tially increases occupant productivity, andhelps create a sustainable community. Forexample, energy efficiency measures havereduced operating expenses of the Den-ver Dry Goods building by approximately$75,000 per year. Students in daylit

schools in North Carolina consistentlyscore higher on tests than students inschools using conventional lighting fix-tures. Studies of workers in green build-ings reported productivity gains of up to16%, including reductions in absentee-ism and improved work quality, based onpeople-friendly green design. Waste

Introduction


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management costs were reduced by 56%and 48 tons of waste were recycled dur-ing construction of a grocery store in Spo-kane, Washington. Resource-efficientbuildings have less impact on local infra-structure. Green design has environmen-

tal, economic, and social elements thatbenefit all stakeholders, including own-ers, occupants and the general public.

The Leadership in Energyand EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) GreenBuilding Rating System

History of LEED

Following the formation of the U.S.Green Building Council (USGBC) in1993, the membership quickly realizedthat a priority for the sustainable build-ing industry was to have a system to de-fine and measure that which shouldqualify as a green building. TheUSGBC began to research existing greenbuilding metrics and rating systems. Lessthan a year after formation, the member-ship followed up on the initial findingswith the establishment of a committee tofocus solely on this topic. The diverseinitial composition of the committee in-cluded architects, realtors, a buildingowner, a lawyer, an environmentalist andindustry representatives. This cross-sec-tion of people and professions added arichness and depth both to the processand to the ultimate product.

As part of their investigations, the com-mittee reviewed existing green buildingrating systems such as BREEAM (Build-

ing Research Establishment Environmen-tal Assessment Method) and BEPAC(Building Environment Performance As-sessment Criteria), both from the UnitedKingdom. Three options were assessed:(1) Accept the BREEAM rating systemand use it in the U.S. market; (2) tailorthe BREEAM system to the U.S. mar-

ket; or (3) create a separate U.S. greenbuilding rating system. The third optionwas selected because the committee felt astrong need for a green building measure-ment tool specific to the U.S. buildingmarket.

By the fall of 1994, the committee hadprepared a draft green building rating sys-tem for review. After additional develop-ment, the LEED Version 1.0 Pilot Pro-gram was launched at the USGBC Mem-bership Summit in August 1998. Twelveprojects completed the application pro-cess and were recognized as LEED Certi-fied Pilot Projects in March 2000.

Based on the success of LEED Version1.0, an expert review session was held at

Pocantico, New York in 1999 to shapeLEED Version 2.0. After extensive modi-fications, the revised rating system waspresented to the USGBC membership fora review and comment period, and a fi-nal approval vote. LEED Version 2.0 wasreleased in March 2000. Grants from theU.S. Department of Energy (Office ofBuilding Technologies, State and Com-munity Programs) provided start-upfunding for the pilot program, the devel-

opment of the LEED Reference Guides,and the initial LEED Training Workshop.Sustainable design and technologyinformation can be found on theU.S. DOE Web pages, includingwww.eere. energy.gov/buil dings andwww.sustainable.doe.gov.

The LEED Committee has since dividedinto the Steering Committee, several prod-uct committees and credit category-specificTechnical Advisory Groups (TAGs). TheTAGs are subcommittees that consist ofindustry experts who assist in developingcredit interpretations and technical im-provements to the system.

The keys to making this process and prod-uct work have been a strong common goalto produce a consensus-based rating sys-tem, a continually positive approachthroughout difficult decision-making dis-


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cussions, and a diversity of committedteam players. Since the collective knowl-edge regarding green buildings continuesto increase, LEED will continue to be adynamic and ever-changing system need-ing the input, scrutiny, and involvement

of diverse stakeholders.

The LEED flagship product is now calledLEED for New Construction and MajorRenovations (LEED-NC). This distinc-tion is necessary as rating system prod-ucts are being developed and launched forother market sectors, such as existingbuildings, commercial interiors, and coreand shell (speculative development).

LEED-NC Version 2.1

Consistent with USGBC policy for thecontinuous improvement of LEED, Ver-sion 2.1 is an administrative update ofLEED-NC Version 2.0. Its purpose is toaddress concerns raised by USGBC mem-bers and other LEED users by providingtechnical clarifications and streamliningthe documentation requirements forLEED certification.

These improvements are expected to sim-plify the documentation process for project

teams and to reduce the costs of docu-menting LEED credits while retaining thestringency and integrity of the LEED Ver-sion 2.0 standards. An approval vote byUSGBC membership was not required forVersion 2.1 because performance levelshave not been altered. In a few instances,methodologies have changed in order thatthey may be more straightforward or morecomprehensive. The new LEED LetterTemplate is a central component of theVersion 2.1 improvements (see below for

more information).

Features of the System

The LEED Green Building Rating Sys-tem is a voluntary, consensus-based, mar-ket-driven building rating system that isbased on accepted energy and environ-mental principles and strikes a balance

between established practices and emerg-ing concepts. It evaluates environmentalperformance from a whole-building per-spective, providing a definitive standardfor what constitutes a green building.The development of LEED was instigated

by the USGBC Membership, represent-ing all segments of the building industryand has been open to public scrutiny.

LEED for New Construction and MajorRenovations (LEED-NC) is a measurementsystem designed for rating commercial andinstitutional buildings, with a focus on of-fice buildings. LEED-NC has also beenapplied to many other building types, in-cluding high-rise residential buildings.

The rating system is organized into fiveenvironmental categories: Sustainable Sites,Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere,Materials & Resources, and Indoor Envi-ronmental Quality. An additional category,Innovation & Design Process, addressessustainable building expertise as well as de-sign measures not covered under the fiveenvironmental categories.

LEED is a performance-oriented systemwhere points are earned for satisfying per-formance criteria. Different levels of

green building certification are awardedbased on the total points earned. Thesystem is designed to be comprehensivein scope, yet simple in operation.

LEEDReference Guide

The Reference Guide is the users manualfor LEED. The Guide is intended to as-sist project teams in understanding LEEDcriteria. The Guide includes examples ofstrategies, case studies of buildings thathave implemented these strategies success-fully, and links to other resources. TheGuide does not provide an exhaustive listof strategies for meeting the criteria, nordoes it provide all of the information thatdesign teams need to determine the ap-plicability of a credit to their project.


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Prerequisite and Credit Format

Each prerequisite and credit chapter in theReference Guide is organized in a stan-dardized format for simplicity and quickreference. The first section summarizes

key points regarding the measures intentand requirements. The subsequent sec-tions provide supportive information tohelp interpret, implement, and documentperformance. The standard chapter sec-tions are described in the following para-graphs.

Intent identifies the main goal of the pre-requisite or credit.

Requirements & Submittalsspecify thecriteria to satisfy the prerequisite or credit,

the number of points available, and thedocumentation required for the LEEDapplication. The prerequisites must beachieved. Each credit is optional, but con-tributes to the projects point total. Somecredits are divided into two or more sub-credits with independent or cumulativepoints.

Summary of Referenced Standardscitesthe technical standard(s) that LEED usesfor performance evaluation. A brief sum-mary of the standard is also provided inthis section. Users are strongly encour-aged to review the standard and not relysolely on the summary, unless otherwisenoted.

Green Building Concernsrelated to theprerequisite or credit are explained in thissection and divided into environmental,economic and community issues.

Design Approachpresents ideas and rec-ommendations for the project design andspecifications.

Synergies & Trade-Offsidentify areas ofsignificant interaction with other LEEDcredits. Users are advised to carefullyevaluate the benefits and disadvantages ofpursing these related credits.

Calculations are sample formulas or com-putations to assist with the determination

of compliance for a particular prerequi-site or credit. Some calculations have beenprogrammed into the LEEDVersion 2.0Calculator and the LEED Version 2.1Letter Template, both Microsoft Excelspreadsheets. These files are made avail-

able to registered projects in order to fa-cilitate the application process.

Resources such as Web sites and printmedia are provided for further researchand to assist justification, design and cal-culations efforts.

A Case Studyis provided to show how aproject has served the goals stated for theprerequisite or credit. The selected projectexemplifies one method to achieve theintent of the measure, although there maybe other methods.

LEEDCertification Process

Eligibility

All commercial buildings as defined bystandard building codes are eligible forcertification as a LEEDbuilding. Com-mercial occupancies include (but are notlimited to) offices, retail and service es-tablishments, institutional buildings (li-braries, schools, museums, churches, etc.),and hotels and residential buildings offour or more habitable stories.

Hotels and residential buildings of threehabitable stories or less are addressed bythe LEED Version 2.0 Application Guidefor Lodging, available for download fromthe USGBC Web site. If the applicationof LEED for a unique building type isquestionable, USGBC encourages theproject team to tally a potential point to-

tal using the checklist in the LEED Rat-ing System.

Registration

Project teams interested in obtainingLEEDcertification for their project mustfirst register through the USGBC Website. The Web site includes information


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on registration costs for USGBC mem-ber as well as non-members. Registrationduring the early phases of project designwill ensure maximum potential for achiev-ing certification.

Registration is an important step that es-tablishes contact with the USGBC andprovides access to essential information,software tools, and communications.Upon registration, project contacts receiveaccess to resources that explain and facili-tate the LEED application process.

Documentation

Once a project is registered, the projectdesign team begins to prepare documen-tation to satisfy the prerequisite and credit

submittal requirements. This documen-tation will become the bulk of the projectsLEED Version 2.0 application, or theproof behind performance declarations inthe Version 2.1 application. It is helpfulto have a LEED Accredited Professionalas the project contact and team memberresponsible for coordinating the certifi-cation process.

Projects may submit using either versionsdocumentation path (it is simplest to cre-

ate a LEED application pursuant to onemethod of documentation), or a mixedsubmittal of the two (per credit). Mixedsubmittals are recommended for projectsthat registered under Version 2.0, butwould like to transition to Version 2.1 inorder to take advantage of the streamlinedLetter Template submittal path. Docu-mentation should be gathered through-out the design and construction phases.Use the software tools and templates pro-vided for Version 2.0 and/or Version 2.1

as appropriate.

LEED Version 2.0 submittal resourcesconsist of the Welcome Packet, Calcula-tor (spreadsheets) and Application Tem-plate (cover sheets for each credit). TheWelcome Packet provides examples of thetypes of documents that LEED often re-quires to supplement the calculation

tables and cover sheets in the application.The inclusion of extraneous documenta-tion (anything that is not listed as a creditsubmittal requirement) is discouraged, asthis slows the review process. Full build-ing commissioning reports, for example,

are not necessary because only the com-missioning plan is required.

The LEED Version 2.1 Letter Templateis a dynamic tracking and documentationtool that is used by project teams to trackprogress and prepare a LEED application.For each credit, the Letter Templateprompts LEED practitioners for sum-mary data and signed declarations of per-formance, indicates when documentationrequirements have been adequately ful-

filled for submittal, serves as a letter tem-plate for printing on letterhead, and sum-marizes progress. Some of the Templatepages include spreadsheets for calcula-tions, while others are simple declarationssigned by an appropriate team member.The Version 2.0 Calculator spreadsheetsare often useful when the Reference Guidecalls for credit calculations but no corre-sponding spreadsheet exists in the Version2.1 Letter Template.

During a Version 2.1 application review,the project team will be expected to pro-vide supporting documents for a portionof the prerequisites and credits. Support-ing documents are those which providespecific proof of meeting the requiredperformance level such as calculations,specifications, drawings, cutsheets,manufacturers literature, and other sourcedocuments that were used as a basis tojustify declarations of performance in theLetter Template. Many of these items are

implicitly described in the ReferenceGuides instructions.

Credit Interpretations

In some cases, project teams may encoun-ter difficulties applying a LEED prereq-uisite or credit to a specific project. Ques-tions sometimes arise when the Reference


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Guide does not sufficiently address a spe-cific issue or there is a special conflict thatrequires resolution. USGBC has estab-lished a uniform review process for regis-tered project inquiries, called credit in-terpretation requests (CIRs), to ensure

that rulings are consistent and availableto other projects. If a question arises,project teams should:

1. Consult the Reference Guide for adetailed description of the credit in-tent, requirements and calculations.

2. Review the intent of the credit or pre-requisite in question to self-evaluatewhether the project meets this intent.

3. Review the Credit Interpretation

(CIR) Web page for previously loggedCIRs on relevant credits. All LEEDregistered project contacts have accessto this page.

4. If a similar credit interpretation hasnot been logged, or does not answerthe question sufficiently, submit acredit interpretation request using theonline form. The inquiry should besuccinct and based on informationfound in the Reference Guide, withemphasis on the intent of the prereq-uisite or credit.

Application

Consult the Web site for important de-tails about the LEED application as wellas the certification review process, sched-ule and fees. The applicant project mustsatisfactorily document achievement all ofthe prerequisites and a minimum num-ber of points to attain the LEED ratingsas listed below.

For more information, visit the LEEDWeb page on www.usgbc.org.

LEED Certification Levels

Certification

Level Points

Certified 26 to 32

Silver 33 to 38

Gold 39 to 51

Platinum 52 or more

Documents

LEED-NCv2.1 Front Intro