What Is LEED-Certified Building & How to Earn LEED Certification

When you choose to certify your building with LEED®, you're choosing to build a healthier and more sustainable future. LEED projects prioritize more efficient, low impact building design and construction, over traditional construction practices, in an effort to reduce material waste and reuse materials where possible. Beyond taking greater environmental responsibility, owners of LEED-certified buildings also benefit from tremendous energy- and cost-saving opportunities.

What exactly does it mean to be LEED-certified, and how do you achieve it? Keep reading to learn what a LEED-certified building is and how to get a LEED-certified building project underway for new or existing properties.

What is a LEED-certified Building?

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the world's leading green building rating system. LEED’s proven and holistic approach helps virtually all building types lower carbon emissions, conserve resources, and reduce operating costs by prioritizing sustainable practices. Canada is one of the top territories in the world for LEED certification.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project was designed and built to achieve high performance in six areas of human and environmental health: location and transportation, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality, according to the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC).

• Certified: 40-49 points
• Silver: 50-59 points<
• Gold: 60-79 points<
• Platinum: 80+ points

Whether you're looking to make a commercial building more energy efficient, improve indoor air quality in a healthcare facility, lower the operating costs of a retail space, or develop a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, LEED has virtually limitless applications across nearly every building goal. Today, millions of people already live, work, and learn in LEED-certified buildings.

Benefits of LEED certification

Being LEED-certified signifies your building is built or maintained to the highest standard of sustainability and comes with numerous benefits to building owners, occupants, and the surrounding environment. Here are just a few of the many economic, environmental, and health benefits generated by LEED buildings, according to data gathered by the CAGBC:

• Save water, conserve energy, and reduce waste
• Lower CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions
• Reduction in waste sent to landfills
• Conserve resources such as water
• Reduced operating costs
• Improved quality of life through better air quality and natural light
• Improved leasing rates
• More equitable community development

"One of the big things that building owners tell me about when it comes to the benefits of LEED certification is the increased leasing rate that LEED-certified buildings command." 

-Robert Anderson, Regional Account Manager

The steps you take to achieve LEED certification depend on the building project you're undertaking. Are you looking to enhance the operations and maintenance of an existing building or bring sustainable practices to the design and construction of a new building? We've broken down several pre-application considerations to help you prepare for the certification process, followed by four simple steps to getting your building LEED-certified.

Whether constructing a new building or retrofitting an existing one, there are many ways to earn credits toward LEED certification. Team members can customize the types of green building improvements best suited for the building project in question, such as using green building materials, vegetated roofs, water recapture systems, energy-efficient windows, and much more. Holcim has decades of experience providing eco-conscious building solutions that meet and exceed LEED certification requirements, such as our ISOGARD polyiso roofing insulation that achieves up to 40% better thermal performance than competing ISO products.*

*Performed up to 40% better in cold temperature 4°C (40°F) applications according to ASTM C1289 standards than major competitors when tested by an independent third party in September 2022.

Preparing for the LEED Certification Process

Before starting the certification process for your building project, you and your team will need to make several decisions regarding your intended building rating and credits. Additionally, you will need to understand the minimum project requirements, upcoming deadlines, and applicable fees. Here is a breakdown of key items to consider before beginning the final certification process (applicable to both new and existing buildings under LEED v4.1):

• Determine the rating system for your project. The rating system you select will depend on the building project in question. Typically, projects fall into three main categories: new construction or major renovation projects (BD+C), complete interior fit-out projects (ID+C), and existing buildings undergoing improvements in operation and maintenance (O+M). Use CAGBC's rating system selection guide for a complete overview of your options.
• Check the project requirements. Regardless of your rating system, all LEED v4.1 buildings must comply with these three minimum project requirements to become certified:

                    Must be in a permanent location on existing land

                    Must use reasonable LEED boundaries

                    Must comply with project size requirements

• Earn credits. Teams earn points toward LEED certification by fulfilling credits. The LEED credit library provides a complete list of project options so you can customize your approach to earning points.
• Check deadlines. Not all LEED rating systems follow the same deadlines. Visit this page to know whether your desired rating system is open or closed for registration or certification.
• Assess fees. Understand the fees associated with registering and certifying your particular project.
• Establish team roles. Though your project team may consist of several people, there are generally three roles that can be assigned in the certification process.

4 Steps to Achieve LEED Certification

Once your team is in place with the appropriate rating system and credits chosen, you're ready to begin the LEED certification process as follows:

1. Register. Registration indicates your intent to pursue LEED certification. Complete the required forms and submit payment via the LEED Online platform.

2. Apply. Your application showcases your team's target LEED credits and their implementation. At this stage, team members collect nformation, perform calculations, analyze data, and prepare documentation that demonstrates you have achieved your selected    prerequisites and credits. Once all documentation is ready, submit the application and pay the certification fee.

3. Review. Once submitted, your application is reviewed by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), an independent third party responsible for verifying completed project requirements. Your project will face a preliminary review followed by an optional final review if revisions or supplementary information is necessary.

4. Certify. Upon completion of the review, your team can either accept the results and confirm your LEED certification or appeal the judgment to contest decisions on certain credits. Your final certification report will indicate the level of LEED certification you have achieved (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).

Earn LEED Credits with Elevate's Sustainable Building Solutions

At Elevate, we are committed to sustainability with Elevate roofing and building solutions that meet and exceed requirements for an eco-conscious building. Contact your local Elevate Sales Representative for more information about increasing your LEED credits through roofing or insulation.