What does leed stand for?

A “LEED” certified building has met exacting and definite standards set out by the US Green Building Council which rates a building as Platinum, Gold or Silver Certified.There is a submittal process and a building actually has to be approved and then certified before it can use the designation.

Things that are considered are indoor air quality, efficiency of internal systems as related to energy use and the amount of resources that are reused that go into the construction of the building. Basically it is rated for the “greenness” of the building on a point system.

More and more businesses and developers are evaluating their “carbon imprint” as good global citizens.

However, green buildings also make economic sense. Studies have shown that the slight increase in construction cost is realized in economic savings from reduced energy use and tenants realize decreased rental costs.

Developers benefit from the tenants they draw to the building as a result of lower operating costs as opposed to traditional office towers.

The “greening” of commercial real estate is not a fad, but rather a fundamental change and you can expect to see many more buildings of this genre.

Want information on space in green buildings in Toronto or any other building in the GTA?