Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide First Edition

Green building requires a holistic,integrated approach but in practice depends on new strategies in
the various aspects of design and construction. Accordingly, the heart of this book is an introduction
to the six categories used in LEED:
Sustamable Sites
o Water Efflciency
Energy and Atmosphere
e Materials and Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
.. I nnovation in DeSign
Each chapter reviews the basic concepts and strategies associated with each credit category, while
recognizing that they are all intimately linked and must be considered together during effective integrative
processes.
Throughout, the reader will find references to sources of
information for green building professionals. We also offer
examples of challenging questions faCing the green building
community-many of which lack straightforward answers-to
encourage more detailed study based on real-world projects.
At the end, a glossary defines tenos that may be unfamiliar to some readers or have specific meanings
in the context of green building.
Having absorbed the basics of green building concepts and strategies, the rcader can move fOJWard
on morc specialized pathways. Depending on one's field in the buildi ng industry, a logical next step
mighl be to study the relevant LE ED reference guide;
• LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, which covers the New
Construction, Core & Shell, Schools, Healthcare, and Retail rating systems:
• LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Interior Design and Construction, which covers the
Commercial Interiors and Retail Interiors rating systems:
• LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations and Maintenance, which covers the
Existing Buildings and Existing Schools rating systems; or
• LfED for Homes Reference Guide. which covers the Homes rating system.
Specialized educational programs also offer detailed understanding fo r the rating systems. Readers
iOlereSted in more in-depth technical training may wish to focus on specific elements, such as energy
modeling or lighting design. More information about educational opportunities in all of these
areas is available at "ffi'\V.usgbc.Qrg.
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Green Build ing and lEED Core Concepts Guide