Five key considerations for your green building certification under LEED program of USGBC

• SUSTAINABLE SITES

The Sustainable Sites (SS) ensure that a project’s natural environment would be valued and respected throughout every step of the building process, from planning to construction to management. Buildings do not exist separately from the landscapes on which they are built, and that the environmental integrity of those landscapes should be preserved. Sustainable Sites can protect sensitive ecosystems by completing an early site assessment and planning the locations of buildings and hardscape areas. 

• INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

One of the primary aims of green buildings is to minimize negative impacts on their occupants by creating a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environment. The performance of indoor environment is described as indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The quality indoor environment can result in increased occupant satisfaction, enhanced performance and productivity, reduced liability, marketing advantage and lower operations and maintenance costs. Building characteristics such as location, climate, design and construction contribute significantly to the IEQ. Thermal, visual and acoustic comfort and existing levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) help to measure the IEQ of a green building.

• WATER EFFICIENCY

Green buildings are sustainable buildings demanding the water conservation as well as preventing pollution and use reuse of Grey water and recycle treated water ensuring potable water use for potable purpose only. Water efficiency means responsible use of freshwater. Water efficiency implies using improved technologies and practices that deliver equal or better service with reduced water consumption. For example, the use of low flow faucet could be more effective than conventional faucets. Water conservation on the other hand implies curtailment of water usage.

• ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE

The primary goal of the Energy and Atmosphere is to minimize the use of fossil fuels. The Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category is about designing a building that uses as little energy as possible through conservation, efficiency, and the use of alternative renewable energy sources.  Atmospheric problems can be reduced by increasing the efficiency with which energy is used‚ optimizing the use of natural energy resources‚ and understanding the effects of energy technologies on the atmosphere.

• MATERIALS & RESOURCES

The use of green building materials and products represents one important strategy in the design of a building. Green building materials have benefits to the building occupants like reduced maintenance/replacement costs over the life of the building, Energy conservation, Improved occupant health and productivity, Lower costs associated with changing space configurations and Greater design flexibility.
Green building materials are composed of renewable, rather than nonrenewable resources. Green materials are environmentally responsible because impacts are considered over the life of the product