LEED has a distinct rating system for building types. Having rating systems adapted for a building type guarantees 100% performance from LEED. Like for example, if a school is undergoing major renovation, LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovation is more appropriate than LEED for Retail. LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovations is a rating system developed for schools that are interested in creating a green school or transforming a school into an environment friendy building. This rating system did not arise out of nowhere. It was created out of agreements from LEED committees. USGBC committees are trained in building and building strategies.

LEED focuses to make better buildings using strategies like Sustainability, Energy and water efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, preservation of natural resources, and improved indoor environment quality.

LEED Green Rating System for Schools is a performance standard to attest the design and construction of academic institutions. These rating systems are made so that buildings design and construction are more healthy and environment friendly.

There are 7 topics being addressed in LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovations:
1. Sustainable Sites (SS)
2. Water Efficiency (WE)
3. Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
4. Materials and Resources (MR)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
6. Innovation in Design (ID)
7. Regional Priority (RP)

LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovations has a maximum of 79 points and is awarded depending on the following scale:

Certified 29-36 points
Silver 37-43 points
Gold 44-57 points
Platinum 58-79 points

Additional 1-2 points can be allotted if the building exceeds in performance or has innovative designs unknown in any LEED rating system.

LEED for Schools is only dedicated for schools both new buildings or existing buildings that does major renovations. K-12 schools are its primary focus but it can also be used in postsecondary and prekindergarten buildings.

Interested in using LEED for Schools? Before anything else, here are some of its benefits:

Increased energy and water efficiency therefore 50% of the monthly consumption is reduced
LEED strategies serve as a teaching tool for students.
Improved indoor air quality and keeps away Island Heat Effect.
Take advantage of natural lighting during the day.
Using carefully planned strategies like minimizing the build up of moist can improve the building quality.
Alternative source of energy like solar panels and wind turbines makes the building rely less on power grids thus reduce electricity cost.

Registration of the project requires a project team. Project teams must then register the project on the GBCI website and upload the necessary documents required by LEED. Registration of the project is an important step LEED certification is only available on a registered project. USGBC will only provide software tools, updates on the rating system, discounts and other essential information to USGBC members.

Before registering a project, check first the minimum program requirements of LEED. LEED 2009 MPR are as follows:

1. Must follow national and state environmental laws.
2. Must be a building and is fixed on a pre-existing land.
3. Follows the minimum lot area required by LEED.
4. Must allow USGBC to access energy and water usage data.
5. A building must meet the proper building to lot area ratio.

The expense paid to register a school varies according to the project’s lot area and the rating system used. For example a 100,000-square-foot school can cost about $5,500 if LEED for School and Major Renovation is used and could cost about $3,500 for other related rating systems like LEED For Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. That is only the price for USGBC registered member. A non-USGBC member will pay for the non-USGBC price.

After registration, project teams will aim for their requested rating level. Below are the maximum achievable points on each category:

Sustainable Sites (SS) = 24 points
Water Efficiency (WE) = 11 points
Energy and Atmosphere (EA) = 33 points
Materials and Resources (MR) =  12 points
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) = 19 points
Innovation in Design (ID) =  3 – 6 points
Regional Priority (RP) = 1- 4 points

To attain the highest possible score, here are some tips:

The project must have space for plants, trees, and other vegetation.
Add several types of plants. This also serves as an educational material.
Maximize pedestrian pathways from residential areas to the school.
Strategically plan where a project can make use of daylight.
Design energy efficient buildings by using sustainable energy like solar panels, wind turbines, etc.
Consider adding greenhouses for growing plants.
Use photovoltaic lighting system for outdoor lamps, parking spaces, etc.
Use dimmable lights to minimize light during the day or maximize artificial light usage only when needed.
Go with an advanced recycling method such as those suggested by Multi Recyclage.
Use strategies/materials that helps catch rainwater.
Use the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle waste management plan.
Take emphasis on alternative transportation.

The LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovations are only for existing schools having major renovations or new schools. For more information and a detailed explanation about LEED for Schools: New Construction and Major Renovations with checklists, visit www.usgbc.org

Ref. AQ2342349