Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide First Edition

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Carbon Overlay The U.S. Green Building Council is a signatory to the Wingspread Principles on a U.S. Response to Global Warm ing, a SCt of propositions signcd by individuais and organizations declaring their comminnent to addressing the issue of climate change. These principles arc based on recognition that global climate change is a critical challenge that requires changes in our economy. policies, and behaviors. The Wingspread Principles call for urgent and effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% to 80% below 1990 levels by midcentury. LEED-rated buildings typically have lower greenhouse gas emissions than comparable conventionally bUilt structures. However, some green buildings have greater reductions than others, sometimes because of the specific strategies used to achieve LEED certification, and sometimes because of the circumstances of the project, such as its location or source of purchased electricity. Accordingly, USGBC now identifies and prioritizes LEED credits based on their relative value for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. This "carbon overlay" is a quantitaJive index of the relative importance of individual credits. The score for each LEED credit is estimated based on the carbon footprint for a typical LEED building. A building's carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with its construction and operation, which include the following: • Energy used by building systems; • Building-related transportation; • Embodied emissions of water (electricity used to extract, convey, treat, and deliver water); • Embodied emissions of solid waste (life-cycle emiSSions associated with solid waste); and • Embodied emissions of materials (emissions associated with the manufacture and transport of materials). The carbon footprint for constructing and operating a cypicaI135,ooo-squarc-footoffice building is represented in Figure 5. which illustrates the sources of emissions of the annual total of 4.700 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This distribution can be used fO priorilize credits based on their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The credits addressing the most important emissions sources receive the highest scores in the carbon overlay. The carbon overlay is included in the LEED 2009 workbooks. including LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation, LEED for Operations & Maintenance, and LEED for Neighborhood Development. U.S. Green BUilding Council and Its Programs 21
Carbon Footprint Building Systems . Transportation. Water . Materials. Flgllre 5. Carbon Footprint Distribution of T~pjcal Office Building (Source: USGSC LEW 2009 Weightings Workbook) More information about carbon overlays in LEED 2009 is available at http-:Uwww.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspxCMSPageID=18"9· THINK ABOUT IT LEED and greenhouse gas reduction. Many government agencies and organizations have established requirements for LEED certification as a way of meeting their climate change goals. Do green buildings rated with flexible, voluntary standards always reduce greenhouse gas emissions What factors can complicate the relationship between green building and greenhouse gas emissions reduction Certification Process Achieving LEED certification requires satisfying all prerequisites and earning a minimum number of points as described in the applicable rating system. Each LEED rating system corresponds with a LEED reference guide that explains credit criteria, describes the benefits of complying with the credit, and suggests approaches to achieving credit compliance. 22 Green BUilding and LEED Core Concepts Gu ide
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Page 17 and 18: • "Costing Green: A Comprehensive
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Page 31 and 32: The drivers of transportation impac
Page 33 and 34: THINK ABOUT IT Electric cars and ne
Page 35 and 36: THINK ABOUT IT Regenerative design.
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Page 41 and 42: Strategies for reducing indoor wate
Page 43 and 44: THINK ABOUT IT Green lawns and gree
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Page 47 and 48: Strategies for redu cing energy dem
Page 49 and 50: • Use thermal energy storage. Gen
Page 51 and 52: To achieve LEED certification, new
Page 53 and 54: Primary Resources: Cost-Effectivene
Page 55 and 56: Assessments and Measurements • Ra
Page 57 and 58: LIFE-CYCLE IMPACTS LEED increasingl
Page 59 and 60: ENVIRONMENTAL According to the EPA,
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