Designing with Masonry: Greener, Wiser, Wonderful
17 critical—and misunderstood—LEED terms
by Tristan Roberts
LEED AP BD+C, Editorial Director – LEEDuser BuildingGreen, Inc. Jan 03 2014 LEEDuser Moderator
The LEED family of rating systems uses specific terms to describe various aspects of its program. Whether you are a designer, contractor, consultant, manufacturer, educator, or owner, it is important to be clear and consistent about these terms. Becoming familiar with these terms is also a great way to gain a basic understanding of LEED.
LEED: Short for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” Don’t call it “Leeds”—that’s a city in England. LEED is a voluntary (except when required by specific municipal programs, or in government buildings) program meant to objectively measure how “green” or environmentally friendly a building is in several key areas: impact on site, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
USGBC: The U.S. Green Building Council is the nonprofit, nongovernmental, membership-based organization that…