The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System is an internationally recognized certification system providing a set of standards for environmentally sustainable design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED® is a voluntary certification program that can be applied to any building type and any building lifecycle phase.
For additional information regarding LEED®, click here.
INDIANA TECH SEITZ CENTER RENOVATION
FORT WAYNE, IN
Pursuing LEED® Silver
Built in 1857, the Seitz Center will preserve its historic significance as one of Fort Wayne's oldest buildings still used for its original purpose, education. While pursuing LEED® Silver Certification, it is the intent of the design to maintain the exterior brick shell of the building, windows, and door openings, while integrating a new floor and roof system. With the use of the LEED® v3 Green Building Rating System, the project will preserve natural resources, utilize regional and recycled content materials, salvage and reuse existing materials, and conserve natural resources with energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems. The Seitz Center will be the first building on campus to tie into the campus-wide geothermal "central plant" system that will be completed by winter 2010.
INDIANA TECH - RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTER
FORT WAYNE, IN
Pursuing LEED® Platinum - Net-Zero Energy
Currently in the schematic design phase, the Indiana Tech - Renewable Energy Center may be built as part of Indiana Tech's new renewable energy major now being offered on campus. The goal of the design is to be net-zero energy and is registered with the USGBC seeking LEED® Platinum certification status. With the use of the LEED® v3 Green Building Rating System, some of the highlights include geothermal heating and cooling systems - that will be tied into the campus-wide "central plant" system; photovoltaic powered engineering lab spaces; residential scale wind turbines; auxiliary solar tracking photo voltaic array; green (vegetated) roof; building systems information with real-time data displays; building occupancy sensors for heating, cooling, and light controls; day lighting sensors; and recycled as well as regional and reused building materials.
FORT WAYNE, IN
Pursuing LEED® Platinum - Net-Zero Stormwater Discharge
With the renovation of an existing building (formerly used as a residence hall) Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne will pursue LEED® Platinum certification for a new Sustainable Construction Lab. The new Lab will allow for demonstration of renewable energy source systems including wind, solar, and solar thermal. Building highlights include geothermal heating and cooling systems, chilled beam systems, photovoltaic systems, solar-thermal water heating systems, residential wind turbines, and a 800 megawatt industrial scale wind turbine that will generate enough power for the building and others adjacent to it. A net-zero energy goal as well as a net-zero stormwater discharge system will help to drive the design for this state-of-the-art facility which will be used by engineering students as well as being open to the public as an educational tool for all. All of these features will be displayed on real-time interactive flat panels within the building and over the internet. The new Lab schematic design is complete and is ready to move into the design development phase.
FEITLER RESIDENCE
AUBURN, IN
Pursuing LEED® Gold - LEED® for Homes
A new, 3,500 square feet, Modern-Style eco-friendly home to be located in Auburn is being constructed using 12” ICFs (insulated concrete forms). The ICFs give the exterior walls a true R-24 insulation rating as well as reducing the potential of air and noise infiltration. The new home was designed using the LEED® for Homes Green Building Rating System administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The exterior of the home will be constructed using commercial grade metal siding and standing seam roof. Interior amenities include LED lighting, water conserving fixtures, reclaimed wood and solid surface countertops, geothermal radiant heating, and automated clearstory windows for whole-house ventilation. The home is designed for a 4 kilowatt photovoltaic system to harness year-around southern sun exosure. With the use of these technologies, the home will have the potential to be "off-the-grid" and be able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utitlity services during certain parts of the year. Spaces include a 3 car garage, master bedroom suite, living room, family room, kitchen, dining room, laundry, outdoor patio, studio, and two (2) additional bedrooms on the second level.
LEED®
LEED® improves and recognizes performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water efficiency and savings, energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions reduction, materials selection and sensitivity to resources, and improved indoor environmental quality. LEED® allows building owners and operators to have the tools they need to observe an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.
LEED® certifications are awarded according to the following scale:
· Certified
· Silver
· Gold
· Platinum
LEED® - certified buildings are designed to:
· Lower operating costs and increase asset value
· Reduce waste sent to landfills
· Conserve energy and water
· Be healthier and safer for occupants and improve productivity
· Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
· Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities
· Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility
LEED® points are awarded on a 100-point scale, with an additional 10 bonus credits available, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts and broken up to recognize performance in different key areas:
Sustainable Sites
Choosing a building's site and managing that site during construction are important considerations for a project’s sustainability. The Sustainable Sites category discourages development on previously undeveloped land; minimizes a building's impact on ecosystems and waterways; encourages regionally appropriate landscaping; rewards smart transportation choices; controls storm water runoff; and reduces erosion, light pollution, heat island effect and construction-related pollution.
Water Efficiency
Buildings are major users of our potable water supply. The goal of the Water Efficiency credit category is to encourage smarter use of water, inside and out. Water reduction is typically achieved through more efficient appliances, fixtures and fittings inside and water-wise landscaping outside.
Energy & Atmosphere
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use 39% of the energy and 74% of the electricity produced each year in the United States. The Energy & Atmosphere category encourages a wide variety of energy strategies: commissioning; energy use monitoring; efficient design and construction; efficient appliances, systems and lighting; the use of renewable and clean sources of energy, generated on-site or off-site; and other innovative strategies.
Materials & Resources
During both the construction and operations phases, buildings generate a lot of waste and use a lot of materials and resources. This credit category encourages the selection of sustainably grown, harvested, produced and transported products and materials. It promotes the reduction of waste as well as reuse and recycling, and it takes into account the reduction of waste at a product’s source.
Indoor Environmental Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans spend about 90% of their day indoors, where the air quality can be significantly worse than outside. The Indoor Environmental Quality credit category promotes strategies that can improve indoor air as well as providing access to natural daylight and views and improving acoustics.
Locations & Linkages
The LEED® for Homes rating system recognizes that much of a home's impact on the environment comes from where it is located and how it fits into its community. The Locations & Linkages credits encourage homes being built away from environmentally sensitive places and instead being built in infill, previously developed and other preferable sites. It rewards homes that are built near already-existing infrastructure, community resources and transit, and it encourages access to open space for walking, physical activity and time spent outdoors.
Awareness & Education
The LEED® for Homes rating system acknowledges that a green home is only truly green if the people who live in it use the green features to maximum effect. The Awareness & Education credits encourage home builders and real estate professionals to provide homeowners, tenants and building managers with the education and tools they need to understand what makes their home green and how to make the most of those features.
Innovation in Design
The Innovation in Design credit category provides bonus points for projects that use new and innovative technologies and strategies to improve a building’s performance well beyond what is required by other LEED® credits or in green building considerations that are not specifically addressed elsewhere in LEED®. This credit category also rewards projects for including a LEED® Accredited Professional (AP) on the team to ensure a holistic, integrated approach to the design and construction phase.
Regional Priority
USGBC’s regional councils, chapters and affiliates have identified the environmental concerns that are locally most important for every region of the country, and six LEED® credits that address those local priorities were selected for each region. A project that earns a regional priority credit will earn one bonus point in addition to any points awarded for that credit. Up to four extra points can be earned in this way.
source: U.S. Green Building Council
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