The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council representing all segments of the building industry developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution. LEED standards are currently available for:

• New Construction and Major Renovation Projects
• Existing Building Operations
• Commercial Interiors Projects
• Core and Shell Projects

Projects are rated on a point system. There are four levels of achievement (in order of lowest to highest): Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

LEED was created to:

• Define “green building” by establishing a common standard measurement.
• Promote integrated, whole-building design practices.
• Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry.
• Stimulate green competition.
• Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits.
• Transform the building market.

Many Federal Agencies are encouraging or mandating the use of the LEED rating system as a checklist to guide the design and construction process. These agencies include the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, NASA, Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention among others. Many States and Municipalities are also mandating that their buildings are required to be designed to LEED Certification Standards as a minimum and some are even requiring LEED Gold and Silver.

Solatube has been used in several LEED Certified projects and is specified in dozens of other projects that are still in design or awaiting certification. Basically, under LEED Solatube can earn or contribute to the following credits:

• Credit for Daylight. Minimum Daylight Factor of 2% (meaning light levels inside the space must be 2% minimum of the light levels outdoors) in 75% of all space occupied for critical visual tasks. (One point)
• Energy Optimization Credit. This credit is determined by reducing the design energy cost compared to the energy cost budget for energy systems regulated by ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 (without amendments), as demonstrated using a whole building simulation using the Energy Cost Budget Method described in Section 11 of the Standard. An analysis may be used comparing the design to local energy standards if a defensible equivalency to ASHRAE/IESNA Standards 90.1-1999 has been established. (One to Ten points available depending on the results of the energy simulation)
• Recycled Content. This credit relates to the recycled content of the entire building. Solatube can play a part in this because we use recycled content in our lenses, fasteners, and trim pieces. The qualification for this is that the project uses materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus onehalf of the post industrial content constitutes at least 5% of the total value of the materials in the project. (One point for 5%, an additional point is available if the recycled materials constitute 10% of the total value of the materials in the project)
• There is a credit available if the project uses a minimum of 20% of the building materials and products that are manufactured regionally within a radius of 500 miles. This is especially important for projects in Southern California and Arizona. (One point)
• Controllability of Systems (perimeter and nonperimeter). Solatube could be beneficial to achieving this credit if the Daylight Dimmer is used to offer occupants total control of the daylit environment. (One to Two points)
• Innovation in Design. Points are awarded for exceptional performance above the requirements set by the LEED Green Building Rating System and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories not specifically addressed by the LEED Green Building Rating System. (One to Four points)

There is likely a local U.S. Green Building Council chapter in your area. This is a great way to learn more about sustainable design and gives you the opportunity to network with design and construction professionals who are interested in using products that would help contribute to achieving LEED certification in their projects. For more information, check the US Green Building Council’s website at www.usgbc.org.

If you would like to receive the Solatube LEED Application Guide, please email us.