LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) represents excellence in green building design, construction, renovation, and operations and maintenance. This continuously-evolving standard provides a concise framework to measure sustainability in all commercial building types – office, retail, schools or healthcare – as well as tenant improvements and significant retrofits. LEED Version 4 launched in November 2013, increasing the thresholds in energy, water, and indoor environmental quality and driving the goals of green building farther than ever.

LEED Ratings

LEED addresses performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED 2009 awards 100 possible base points, with credits weighted to reflect potential environmental impacts, with additional points for “Innovation in Design” and “Regional Priorities”.

The independent Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) administers project registration and certification to assure that LEED buildings are constructed as intended. GBCI certifies buildings on four levels:

• Certified: 40-49 points
• Silver: 50-59 points
• Gold: 60-79 points
• Platinum: 80 points and above

In Search of LEED

The Missouri Gateway Region boasts a growing number of LEED-certified buildings: newly constructed, renovated, historic, high-performance, interiors, core and shell, landscapes, and more. See the full list here and scan the LEED map for project locations within our Chapter territory. The region is also the scene of great innovation, featuring a number of LEED schools, homes and neighborhoods currently in development.

To learn more about LEED Platinum, Gold, Silver and Certified buildings in our region, check out Missouri Gateway LEED profiles. Scan the LEED Project Directory for a complete list of certified and registered projects nationally.