What is LEED Certification?
All HCDC projects strive for LEED Platinum
Sustainable development can be a vague term, and mean different things to different developers. LEED Certification offers stringent certification, to ensure that commercial buildings meet efficiency and quality standards. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. All HCDC projects strive for LEED Platinum, which is the highest possible certification standard.
Certification standards focus on the building materials themselves, and on the quality of the workspaces. LEED Certified projects ensure healthier workspaces, which makes them more attractive to investors, tenants, and customers. Certification standards focus on the building materials themselves, and on the quality of the workspaces.
For example, optimization of natural lighting and a focus on air quality means that spaces are more healthful. Because of this focus on better workspaces and the indoor experience, LEED-certified buildings are demonstrating increased recruitment and retention rates and increased productivity benefits for employers. Sustainable materials ensure that the project has a smaller carbon footprint (ie: less impact) than similar non-certified buildings.
What is LEED Certification?
LEED is a global movement, and builders from around the world rely on these standards for smarter building and development. LEED certification is available for new buildings and existing structures.
LEED certification is based on a point system that measures the building on the following criteria:
Integrative process
Location and transportation
Sustainable sites
Water efficiency
Energy and atmosphere
Materials and resources
Indoor environmental quality
Innovation
Regional priority
Buildings owners or developers can apply for certification to measure each project by the above criteria. While the LEED certification standards are set forth by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the certification approval is vetted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), a third-party certification organization.
Increasingly, owners and renters see the value of these types of buildings. Not only does LEED Certification ensure that the building or home offers better workspaces, these standards provide competitive differentiation in the market, and certified buildings can help with saving money on both energy, water, and waste costs over the short- and long-term.
What does it mean to be LEED Platinum?
At HCDC, all projects currently underway will strive for LEED Platinum certification, ensuring the best quality and lowest environmental impact.
In Hawaii’s competitive commercial real estate landscape, we believe LEED to be an important differentiator. In 2019, Hawaii was #5 on the list of Top 10 States for LEED buildings, yet it’s still only a small percentage of overall local development.
As a future-focused consultancy, we are working to build better buildings for a more sustainable future, and we think that LEED is one of the best ways to achieve a more sustainable future. Learn more about our ongoing local projects and the sustainability features we are implementing at the various project sites.
