What makes a school leed certified

Brown is a prime example of how the innovative work of project teams can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference. Certification is proof that buildings are going above and beyond to ensure space is constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability. These practices have a dramatic effect on measurable academic outcomes and health indicators among faculty and students alike. Austin ISD began green building with the Bond program and anticipates a total of 48 certified green buildings in the district by the end of the Bond program.

Brown is also awaiting certification by the Austin Energy Green Building. About the U. Green Building Council The U. This is one of the most valuable opportunities for identifying improvements to lower operating costs and to keep everyone comfortable.

Since it should be performed on any high performance school, the cost difference is a wash. This is another category that projects may try to avoid on non-certified projects. Finally an area with some pricing differences! We have worked on countless projects that started without a LEED consultant and needed one in the end to get their certification.

If so many projects cannot get it right with certification on the line, how will your team do if the stakes are even lower? And there are certifications fees, as well. Schools are, perhaps, the most important buildings to get right.

And students are typically the most vulnerable members of society — young lungs, developing brains, and inexperienced immune systems. The LEED Criteria have been designed to provide environments that are the most conducive to learning. Prior to obtaining LEED certification, schools focus on energy and water management , monitoring data, troubleshooting problems based on the data, and implementing energy-efficient measures and behavior programs, Heming explains.

Obtaining LEED certification provides a third-party verification that the building or district is performing in a sustainable way consistently. Heming notes that LEED certification is a useful benchmark with school decision makers, constituents, voters and parents to show how the school is performing.

Heming offers tips on how a school or district can begin working toward obtaining LEED certification:. Pick an area to focus on. Heming suggests deciding if you want to go broad or deep.

Determine whom to involve in the process. Who should be involved varies by project. Get buy-in before starting.