What is the difference between leed platinum and silver ratings

Under the material and resources category, recycling programs are required. Credit points can be earned by using products and raw materials from companies that have been third party verified to be ecologically sound. Low emitting material use, high quality lighting, and ample daylight with glare control devices are credit possibilities in the indoor environmental quality category.

Once registered, the building owner will put together a project team, including a project administrator and individuals responsible for compliance with different credits. The administrator oversees the project, delegates to and supervises the team members, and checks the application for accuracy. The owner has ultimate control over the process, and receives priority response with the LEED reviewers. Step two is to begin the application process by identifying which credits to pursue, and assigning them to team members.

As team members submit data on credits achieved, the project administrator will thoroughly review each form and attached file, and cross-check credits and prerequisites to be sure the form is accurate and complete. The application fee is a per-project scaled amount based on size of project and rating system, and must be paid before the review system begins. The application is reviewed in step three by the Green Building Certification Institute, the organization responsible for administering LEED certifications.

Expedited review cuts the review time from business days to business days, for a fee. Building owners can accept the decision, or appeal it. The following suggestions were provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council to give building owners their best shot at a successful application. Prerequisites are required elements, or green building strategies that must be included in any LEED certified project.

Credits are optional elements, or strategies that projects can elect to pursue to gain points toward LEED certification.

With four possible levels of certification certified, silver, gold and platinum , LEED is flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of green building strategies that best fit the constraints and goals of particular projects. Certification guides outline the process and necessary details for projects attempting LEED certification. Determine which rating system you will use. ESCS lightweight concrete building components maximize the effectiveness of both core and sheet insulation by the combination of R-values, thermal mass, thermal inertia and low thermal bridging.

The higher thermal resistance provided by substituting ESCS in place of normal weight aggregates will improve the insulating capabilities of building components. The optimized density will provide a structural thermally efficient wall system that provides thermal lag and helps to shift the peak cooling and heating loads to off-peak times. ESCS lightweight fills provide permanent insulation for shallow foundations, bermed construction, under concrete slabs and around water and steam lines, and other thermally sensitive elements.

Extend the lifecycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport. ESCS lightweight concrete masonry units and lightweight concrete have been utilized in the reuse of numerous buildings. ESCS building components are lighter while still being structural with comparable strength.

These lightweight components allow buildings to be redesigned, modified and expanded while still using existing foundations, structural frame, envelopes, and concrete elements.

Divert construction and demolition debris from disposal in landfills and incineration facilities. Redirect recyclable recovered resources back to the manufacturing process and reusable materials to appropriate sites. Building component that have previously been manufactured utilizing ESCS can be crushed after demolition into usable construction aggregates. The use of concrete products containing ESCS that meets the LEED criteria for pre-consumer recycled content contributes to the total recycled content of the project.

Building components manufactured with ESCS are manufactured at numerous facilities in close proximity to almost every building site. ESCS products have lower transportation requirements and use fewer trucks to transport the same amount of product when compared to normal weight aggregate or concrete.

Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 7. ESCS Improves the thermal performance of building components used to construct building envelopes. In concrete masonry ESCS reduces the thermal bridging that causes hot and cold spots in the wall. This improved energy performance lowers over all operating costs and improving occupant comfort for the life of a building.

Radiant floors constructed with lightweight concrete also help to provide a comfortable living environment. ESCS gives designers greater flexibility in creating solutions to meet current challenges of sustainability, dead load, terrain, seismic conditions, energy and fire requirements, pollution, water demands, construction schedules and budgets.

Suggested Credit — Efficient Use of Materials — The use of lightweight concrete building materials manufactured with ESCS lightweight aggregate allows delivery of more building products on each truck, compared to ordinary concrete products. This decreases the number of truckloads required to deliver the same volume of product. As a result, the project benefits from reduced deliver costs, less fuel is consumed, and the community receives the benefit of reduced air and noise pollution and less traffic congestion.

Suggested Credit — Fire Safety — Lightweight concrete masonry and structural lightweight concrete provide superior fire resistance, compared to ordinary concrete products. Because lightweight concrete slows the flow of heat through the wall or floor, the required fire rating can be achieved with a smaller volume of concrete thinner floors and walls. This reduction in thickness means less concrete materials are used in the project, less raw materials are consumed and less transportation is required.

LEED recertification is an important step in protecting your building asset. Recertification helps you maintain and improve your building while keeping your sustainability investment in place. Learn more about recertification. Recertification guide.

Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points for green building strategies across several categories. Learn more. Register a LEED project.

Brand Community. Better buildings equal better lives We believe green buildings are the foundation of something bigger: helping people, and the communities and cities they reside in—safely, healthily and sustainably thrive.