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What is LEED?
The USGBC created and maintains the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Green Building Rating System, the emerging national
standard for high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED emphasizes state of the art strategies for sustainable
site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and innovation. The USGBC has developed LEED criteria for the following categories: 1. New commercial construction and major renovation projects
(LEED-NC) 2. 3. 4. Existing building operations (LEED-EB) Commercial interiors projects (LEED-CI) Core and shell projects (LEED-CS)
5.
6.
Homes (LEED-H)
Neighbourhood Development (LEED-ND) For each category there is a checklist of available points that a
specific project can earn to receive one of four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. To be considered for certification, a project must first register with the USGBC.
building systems are not changed and which a tenant only takes up a few floors in a much larger building.
water use, or such issues as open space, landscaping or storm water management is either much smaller or nonexistent. Thus measures are incorporated into the evaluation system. These measures include choice that tenant can make about
method for assuring on-going accountability of LEED-NC buildings over time. It has become instead a stand-alone rating system for
building owners who want to benchmark their operations against a nationally recognized standard. LEED-EB address many issues not dealt with in new
construction, including upgrades, waste management programs, green house keeping, continuous monitoring of energy use, retrofitting water fixtures to cut use, relamping, and a host of other measures.
HELMUS BUILDING
The Helmus Building is more than just energy and water
efficient.
Under its one roof, the building mixes residential, commercial, Sustainable materials including low-VOC paints, recycled
and retail uses. carpeting, and recycled content ceiling pads were used throughout the renovation.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Initially, the exterior walls of the Helmus Building consisted of only brick. Upon renovation, all exterior walls were super-insulated
using the Icynene Insulation System, an open-cell foam insulation with an rating. Additionally, the energy efficiency of the walls was increased
through the use of thermal breaks, vapour barriers, and low-E glass in all the windows. In addition to super-insulating the walls, several energy
efficient devices were installed throughout the building, including dimmable compact fluorescent lights, timers for all light fixtures, and occupancy sensors.
was the design of the buildings awnings, positioned at an angle to shade the storefront windows in the summer and to allow maximum sunlight penetration in the winter to optimize passive solar gain. . Using plants that require little water
and maintenance, the green roof helps release moisture, cool the building in the summer, and reduce storm water runoff, in addition to conserving energy and prolonging the life of the roof.