1. An Introduction to LEED-CI: A LEED Green Building Rating System from the U.S. Green Building Council
AIA Honolulu, LEED-CI Gold
Intergen, LEED-CI Certified
Chong|Partners Architecture, LEED-CI Gold
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2. LEED Green Building Rating System™
under development
LEED-CS
(core & shell)
LEED-H
(homes)
LEED-ND (neighborhood developments)
available
LEED-NC
(new construction)
LEED-CI (commercial interiors)
LEED-EB
(existing buildings, operations and maintenance)
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3. intentions of the CI rating system
provide a voluntary standard for high performance green interior spaces
measure and verify green project achievements
promote integrated, sustainable design
recognize leaders
raise awareness
transform the built environment!
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4. when to use LEED-CI
fit outs of interior spaces that don’t include whole building or system upgrades
tenant upgrades
works with LEED-CS to establish green building criteria for developers and tenants
Earthjustice, LEED-CI Silver
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5. LEED-CI project types Corporate Offices NGO Offices Design Offices
Government Offices
Law Firms
Medical Facilities
Laboratory
Libraries
Banks
University Buildings
Historic Buildings
Showrooms
Arts Centers
Theaters
Hospitality Suites
Retail
Restaurants
Spa
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6. LEED-CI certified projects
Certified Buildings
Number of Buildings: 21
Floor Area of Buildings: 1,612,021
Ownership of Buildings
Non-Profit: 4
Business: 17
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7. LEED-CI categories & points
sustainable sites
water efficiency
energy& atmosphere
materials& resources 14
indoor environmental quality 17
innovation& design process 5
TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE 57
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8. measuring achievement
Points are awarded under LEED-CI when the requirements of a credit are satisfied. Total points awarded determines the level of certification.
LEED-CI: levels of certification
Certified points
Silver points
Gold points
Platinum points
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9. LEED-CI point distribution
+ innovation in design process
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10. sustainable sites goals
develop only appropriate sites
reuse existing buildings and/or sites
protect natural and agricultural areas
reduce need for automobiles
protect and restore sites
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11. water efficiency goals
reduce the quantity of water needed for the building
reduce municipal water supply and treatment burden
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12. energy and atmosphere goals
Establish energy efficiency and system performance
Optimize energy efficiency
Encourage renewable and alternative energy sources
Supply ozone protection protocols
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13. materials and resources goals
reduce the amount of materials needed
use materials with less environmental impact
reduce and manage waste
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14. indoor environmental quality goals
establish good indoor air quality
eliminate, reduce and manage the sources of indoor pollutants
ensure thermal comfort and system controllability
provide for occupant connection to the outdoor environment
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15. Why Certify? triple bottom line benefits
“Incorporating USGBC’s LEED standards
into University practices makes sense from
all angles: financial, environmental, and
human health.”
– David Beaudoin, CEM, Manager of Operations, Energy & Utilities, Harvard School of Public Health; LEED-CI Pilot Project
The benefits of green design can be summarized as follows:
The local and global environment benefits from protecting air quality, water quality, and overall biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Economic benefits are experienced in building operations, asset value, worker productivity, and the local economy.
Occupants benefit from health and safety features. This also relates to risk management and economics. The U.S. EPA found that average Americans spend more than 90% of their time indoors, and indoor air quality can be two to five times worse than outdoor air quality.1
Community and municipal benefits include: lessened demand for large-scale infrastructure such as landfills, water supply, stormwater sewers, and their related development and operational costs; and decreased transportation development and maintenance burden (roads) and increased economic performance of mass transit systems.
Footnotes:
1. U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation, 1989, Report to Congress on Indoor Air Quality, Volume II: Assessment and Control of Indoor Air Pollution.
Build Green. Everyone Profits.
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16. environmental benefits
reduce the impacts of natural resource consumption
buildings represent:
39% of U.S. primary energy use
70% of electricity consumption
40% of raw materials use globally
12% of potable water consumption
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17. economic benefits increase building valuation and ROI
optimize life-cycle economic performance
qualify for state and local incentives
reduce operating costs
according to U.S. EPA research, tenants can save about 50 cents per square foot each year through strategies that cut energy use by 30%. This can represent a savings of $50,000 or more in a five-year lease on 20,000 square feet
Highlighting the economic benefits…
Green buildings can potentially reduce project costs. Green Building projects that are well integrated and are comprehensive in scope can result in lower or neutral project development costs. Rehabilitating an existing building can lower infrastructure and materials costs. Integrated design can use the payback from some strategies to pay for others. Energy-efficient building envelopes can reduce equipment needs – downsizing some equipment, such as chillers, or eliminating equipment, such as perimeter heating. Using pervious paving and other runoff prevention strategies can reduce the size and cost of stormwater management structures.
Energy- and water-efficient buildings have been able to reduce their operating costs significantly. Use can be cut to less than half than that of a traditional building, or even better, by employing aggressive and well-integrated green design concepts.
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18. occupant benefits decrease vacancy, improve retention reduce liability
high worker productivity
a study by Carnegie Mellon University measuring the relationship between increased lighting control and productivity showed an average increase of 7.1% in productivity
Highlighting the economic benefits…
Green buildings can potentially reduce project costs. Green Building projects that are well integrated and are comprehensive in scope can result in lower or neutral project development costs. Rehabilitating an existing building can lower infrastructure and materials costs. Integrated design can use the payback from some strategies to pay for others. Energy-efficient building envelopes can reduce equipment needs – downsizing some equipment, such as chillers, or eliminating equipment, such as perimeter heating. Using pervious paving and other runoff prevention strategies can reduce the size and cost of stormwater management structures.
Energy- and water-efficient buildings have been able to reduce their operating costs significantly. Use can be cut to less than half than that of a traditional building, or even better, by employing aggressive and well-integrated green design concepts.
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19. how to get started
visit to learn more about LEED-CI, review a copy of the rating system, and check out the FAQ
attend a LEED-CI Workshop
get involved with your local chapter
register your LEED-CI project online at
contact us at
LEED is a registered trademark of USGBC. Only buildings certified by USGBC under the LEED Green Building Rating System may refer to themselves as LEED buildings. The certification process involves the following:
Register the Project to initiate a relationship with USGBC and receive orientation materials. Registration during pre-design phase is highly recommended.
Technical Support comes in the form of the Reference Guide and Credit Rulings. In some cases, the design team may encounter questions about the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to the specifics of their project. The project contact should first thoroughly consult the Reference Guide. If questions remain, the contact should use the following credit interpretation procedure:
The project contact reviews the intent of the credit or prerequisite in question to self-evaluate whether their project meets this intent.
The project contact reviews the LEED Credit Rulings Page for a previously logged credit interpretation request (CIR) that may assist in answering their particular question. All LEED project contacts have access to this page.
If no similar or relevant credit interpretation has been logged, then the project contact may submit an on-line CIR to the USGBC.
Within two to five weeks, the USGBC Credit Ruling Committee posts its decision on the Credit Rulings Page.
Apply for certification. Application review can take anywhere from six weeks to several months. There are several opportunities for response and appeal throughout the review stages (administrative, preliminary technical, and final technical reviews).
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20. for more information, please visit www. usgbc
for more information, please visit or call us at (202)
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