LEEDing Us Astray?

Green-building certification system confronts growing pains and critics

Posted by Bricolage at 12:31 PM on 26 Oct 2005

Is LEED broken? The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program is rapidly becoming the dominant system for certifying buildings as eco-friendly. But green-building practitioners Auden Schendler and Randy Udall fear the program is seriously flawed. In a provocative essay that's been stirring up debate in the green-building world, they highlight many of the program's shortcomings. Reporter Ted Smalley Bowen checks in with LEED's leaders and other interested folks to find out how they're responding to the hubbub and what's next for the world's fastest-growing green-building scheme.

new in Soapbox: LEED Is Broken, by Auden Schendler and Randy Udall

new in Main Dish: Constructive Criticism, by Ted Smalley Bowen

For story: LEEDing Us Astray?
11 Comments | Post a Comment

This is an important commentary

Glad to see this is getting talked about.

To add another ridiculous instance of point hoarding - I know of a new green building that is attempting LEED certification:

Item: Buy green power for half the building's usage.

Cost: ~ $2,500

LEED Points: 1

Item: Public Transit (it's an urban location)

Cost: $0

LEED Points: 1

Item: 26 kw solar array and solar hot water that will meet most of the building's needs

Cost: ~ $500,000

LEED Points: 0

What's wrong with this picture?

by rh at 5:57 PM on 26 Oct 2005

Too blame expensive

I happen to work in the electrical design field and my employer will not allow me to get LEED certification because it is simply too expensive and the people running the show at LEED are making out like bandits (as stated in the article). One architect I spoke with at work said he agreed that they were making a killing at it but it also points to a problem of how we've been designing buildings all wrong to begin with. Not to mention that a lot of contractors I speak to on jobsites are sometimes amazed at how much waste is generated on a project and wonder what they can do with it. Now the only obstacle I see is actually getting the end user of the building (the owner) to buy into a greener building. That usually is the problem, they don't want to spend the extra cash to do something better (also one of the joys of living in a very "red" state in the south). I think the tides are turning in favor of green buildings not so much due to LEED but to good 'ol common sense. Once the people with the money that want the buildings are educated about the benefits of green buildings the ball will start rolling a lot faster. But how do you educate the typically closed minded and greedy?

by supermule at 6:21 AM on 27 Oct 2005

Name One Thing that is PERFECT from the Start...

Is the LEED Standard perfect? Of course not! Nothing is perfect from the start. LEED has only been in existence for 5 years. It is evolving into an improved standard.

Constructive criticism is vital to improving LEED, but I recommend that we all must also focus on the positives. LEED is the best market transformation tool that I've seen in two decades of green design work. Over 2100 buildings have commited to it. This is significant!

Let's talk specifics - LEED has impact. I am leading the "greening" effort on a 630,000 SF convention center expansion in the southwest. We started our greening effort late in the process - at 60% through Construction Documents Phase. While we are targeting LEED Certified, we may yet earn LEED Silver. The actual environmental impacts are far more important:
(1) Our plumbing fixture selections will save over 2,100 acre-feet (689 MILLION Gallons) of water EACH YEAR compared to the fixtures that were previously specified. This would fill over 27,000 average-sized pools annually.
(2) So far, we have diverted 3,100 tons of construction waste from the landfill - equal in weight to 2,000 Honda Accords.
(3) Our energy-efficient design measures (energy recovery units that weren't previously specified, more efficient chiller, better lighting and controls, daylighting, etc.), coupled with the solar electricity that will be produced on-site and the energy that will not be needed to pump and treat the saved 2100 acre-feet of water result in 2.2 MILLION kWh of electricity that will NOT be generated by the local utility. This is equal to the energy consumed by 211 average U.S. households EVERY YEAR.
(4) The saved energy means that 3.2 MILLION pounds of CO2 WILL NOT be emitted into the atmosphere at fossil fuel power plants EACH YEAR.

LEED served as the blueprint for the Owner and the Design Team to drive these results late in the design for a 2% increase in budget.

Is LEED perfect? No - but it works! Get involved. Use it and improve it, because we ARE making an impact - and that is the most valuable LEED point yet.

by GreenBuilt at 2:01 AM on 31 Oct 2005

Yes it is, and here's an example...

Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA

My college has recently thrown up two new concrete monstrosities, and somehow both are LEED certified. I was extremely perturbed by the school's thoughtlessness and the lack of student input. These are two high-energy, high-water consumption buildings--one a dining hall, the other an 80-person dorm. Neither addressed the fundamental design considerations of a "green building" and instead opted for the credit-mongering approach.
Key items that were given lip-service only

passive heating/cooling design
grey water recycling
solar photovoltaics
construction materials

I pushed hard for grey water systems and PV in both buildings, as these are essential and obvious systems in the always-sunny desert of southern California. Neither was not implemented because they "cost too much", a very short-sighted viewpoint that fails to consider the true costs of current water and energy supplies.

Here's an excerpt from the college's website boasting of the LEED certification items:

More than 75 percent of the construction waste was diverted away from landfills.
More than 50 percent of the building materials were manufactured less then 500 miles from campus.
More than 10 percent of the building materials is from recycled content.
Most of the site's storm water is infiltrated into the landscape and not sent into city storm drains.
Water-efficient drip irrigation systems reduce landscape water use by more than 50 percent compared to standard practice.
Energy-efficient systems reduce the building's energy use by more than 18 percent compared to standard practice.
The wood ceiling in the lounge comes from a certified sustainably managed forest.
A white "cool roof" helps to minimize the urban heat island effect.

[ read at http://www.hmc.edu/headline/leed.html ]

A short rebuttal (as I have spent time in this new building):

Considering that both buildings are 90% (by mass) cinderblock and steel girders, the 10% recycled construction material is pathetic.
The "energy-efficient systems" ignored the whole-systems design approach in favor of the "light-bulb here, light-bulb-there" approach.
The building uses a lot more wood (including bed frames, desks, and chairs) than contained "in the ceiling of the lounge".

by crazypat at 6:27 PM on 21 Nov 2005

Green Building

As chairman of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association Green Building Committee, I am very active in bringing about a shift in awareness here in New Mexico regarding green building, energy efficiency and expanding consciousness in how we relate to the planet. We are working hand in hand with our legislature for tax incentives that will make green building more affordable. The Build Green New Mexico program, which we are attempting to make available statewide, will be rewarded, in terms of tax incentives, the same as the more expensive and cumbersome Leeds-H program. Comments and support welcome......

I am thoroughly dedicated to the transformation of the deep rooted thoughtforms of conformity and limitation, starting with self.

by Sundancer at 10:15 PM on 21 Feb 2007

LEEDS Awareness

I came to this site by seaching for more info on LEEDS. Thank you for opening my eyes to the pitfalls of the certification process.
I agree the focus should be on the end product being more efficient and sustainable, but the LEEDS certification is a powerful marketing tool and some businesses will always corrupt this for their own gain.
It seems the key is getting the information I've read here out to the media. Make people aware of the skewed point system. I wasn't aware of the lame process of awarding the same amount of points for vastly different components of a project. I trust consumers will want to know more. Since LEEDS is the only certification available, either they simply need to change the awarding of points to a more balanced system, based on environment value, or someone else should start a certification process. Obviously the first option would be desirable. USGBC has done so much in so little time, it would be a huge setback to start over.
I say, "tweak it".

Reshape the world.

by shriek at 7:12 PM on 02 Apr 2007

LEEDS

Finally a LEEDS article that express truths I'm a general contractor in AR, this last year 2006-07 I was involved in two Leeds project. It was my first two and extremely amazing. My first project I was only a subcontractor I did the concrete work for an addition to a county building, i.e. drilled piers, spread footings, stem walls etc. what a dose of reality. When the LEEDS consultant gave the speech to the subs of how good and how much energy the building would save every sub was amazed at the stupidity of his assertions he might have been able to fool the county that was paying this enormous fee for compiling a rain forest worth of paper work, but he sure didn't fool any of the construction worker, I watched the other trades there supervision, his LEEDS inspection. Being a general contractor I new more then most and understood more then most. I seen the duct work set on the ground exposed to the dust, but when it was up the consultant takes pictures of the duct work with covering over the end showing proving that the job was protecting the duct work from contaminates, when in reality it was holding the contaminated duct in. all through out the building has duct work were I wrote in the dust "Commission this" it always got a laugh from the construction workers, when I told the architect about this he said that's why they have the two week blow out period. I confronted him and said you don't clean much house do you? The explained how the dust will be there forever the galvanized duct has a greasy residue and these sarcastic "commission this" written in the dust will be there forever. How about water proofing a concrete with no seems and crakes just to get a point, I asked the construction manager why are you water proofing I installed water stop at the bottom? First he said he thought it needed it, I explained concrete is water proof or septic tank people would be out of business I built a good wall no cracks no seems it would not have leaked. I finally got him to admit they were after that point! And the stupidity goes own and own and that's just the first job. Did not mention the consultant's comments when he was praising Leeds he said studies show xx % savings. I said STUDYS how did the studies? He said they were independent studies and right, I snapped back INDEPENDANT no body paid them? Turns out he was reading of the LEEDS web sight. Then I go be a general on a new building oh how stupid, the list could go on for days, two outside lights switched by electric eye and an astronomical time clock was added because they were worried about there point, so for 1500 dollars they have a switched light, or how about a day light sensor that's supposed to cut of the hall lights when the sun gets bright but it never gets bright enough because of the translucent panels installed instead of glass, they got a point for that. I asked the architect about the land scrapping and said what about the a sprinkler system he proudly said we got a point for picking plants that don't need water, I said WHAT are you from New York City? All plants need water. Would be so bad but 25' away in an existing building they have a pee trough that drips water 24/7 water the plants would toughly love. Chain of custody wood? How ridicules it comes from Prescott AR is shipped to Texas to be treated and I have to by it from a Leeds acceptable person from Chicago, cost 25% more then what I could have got from 1 mile away and seen before I bought this was bought and paid for before I could get. To top it off when cut its treated about a 1/4 inch deep the inside never got a drop. That vendor just had full intentions of screwing anyone that called cause he new the paper work was needed. Oh and the list could go on there's a story behind every point they attempted. I never was a single person worried about the planet they were only worried about their points! The first architect had done several Leeds job they made a killing both Leeds consultants did less work then the architect and the contractor and made buckets of money. It was the first LEEDS for the second architect he was excited at first and convinced LEEDS was the wave of the future he has since changed his mind. One day we were talking I told him this is BS I only put 2000.00 in here for this Leeds paper work and I'm going to over spend that then he said "you put money in for it? I wished I would have" to sum it up there ripping off the taxpayer. The professionals are not going to say anything because they are making good money for little work they don't care if its stupid work, they don't care what it cost, they don't care if its going to save the earth. OH and another thing blow out period were the VOCs are gone before they move in? That's BS are they saying that an office workers life is more important then a construction workers we breath the VOC, oh yes I no some one will say your supposed to have a mask? Would be more cost effective to have the office workers were a mask for two weeks then have the ac run wide open at 66 degrees for two weeks both ideals are a joke.
As a professional, well-respected contractor LEEDS is a government sanctioned lie with facts being manipulated to benefit the certain few
It is broken, as long as they're trying to get points instead of trying to do the right thing it will stay broken. How can it be so stupid is there no leadership, maybe an old FEMA person is running it. What happen to just doing the right thing. Oh yea the beginning of the article it said something about the only person that use to be green were some bead wearing hippies. I didn't have beads but I was worried about the earth long before LEEDS was ever dreamed of.

by acon at 9:56 AM on 16 Jun 2007

The Poll

I think the poll question "Is LEED broken?" is a biased question.

The question should be "Is LEED sustainable?" That awful agency speak confuses the issue. Most of the article is in the context of that too.

By focusing the entire poll around "will it be fixed" rather than "will it ever promote truly sustainable buildings" you're already encouraged responses regarding whether or not LEED will succeed and have a succesful public image, rather than whether or not it is actually sustainable.

If the organization doesn't certify truly sustainable buildings, then I really think the article title says it well, its "LEEDing us astray".

As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields. -Leo Tolstoy

by iprefertherain at 2:18 PM on 07 Sep 2007

LEED - NOT LEEDS

For someone with casual interest, or who is new to the topic, I can understand this misnomer (though I have no clue where it comes from - the UK city perhaps?). If, however, one wishes to have credibility in this industry it would advisable to call the system by its proper name. I realize this is pure semantics, but to professionals in the green building world it conveys the image that you have no idea what you're talking about - especially if you're a Chairman of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association Green Building Committee.

I apologize for any unnecessary bluntness.

by benchkid at 11:30 AM on 25 Jan 2008

Leed sux

Amen...Somewhere along the line the USGBC realized it could make mounds of cash off of the Green Building Movement by charging outrageous fees for commissioning or even to become LEED certified yourself. The dang test is $400 dollars just to become a LEED AP. If you failed yup...you guessed it shell out another $400 dollars. Its more expensive to take this test than to take the PE to become an engineer. If they really were concerned about making buildings green they would make it affordable. Unfortunately they are laughing all the way to the bank. On top of this they are making it another "elite" profession just like architects have with their own profession. Why is it I can get a 4 year degree in engineering and become a PE and yet to become an architect you have to have a masters degree. The sad thing is that I know more as an engineer about building than any architect with their elitist masters degree. Oh...and I also have more common sense.

by dgambard at 11:50 AM on 08 May 2008

To LEED Sux

Even though dgambard that wrote "LEED Sux" has such an inflated opinion of himself, combined with his apparent anger issues related to having selected the wrong career, I have to agree with him that LEED is less about true sustainability. LEED is just another program designed to benefit one group over another. It's big advantage is the manipulation of the whole kool-aid drinking, far-left, program-loving, spend other people's money, fanatics that have no concern for facts or reality as long as their self-righteous cause is advanced.

As for dgambard, I am an architect. I consider the engineers I work with as my professional partners in the design and construction industry. I don't have a Masters. I opted for the undergraduate plus 1 year program that is still offered in many states. Your unsubstantiated claim that you know so much more is the real "sad thing" here. My expereince has been that the engineers I work with are all extremely good at what they do, but they tend to be myopic. I see where electrical engineers locate light fixtures on top of the hvac grilles, or worse inside of a steel beam. They carefully and competently lay-out their own part of the project, but often fail to coordinate their work with the other designers. I can't count the number of times an engineer has called me with a deisgn question and my response is to direct them to a specific page and detail that we have already provided them that fully answers his or her question. If only some engineers would spend a few minutes and try to understand the big picture it would benefit us all.

by JonahK at 6:15 AM on 09 May 2008

ADVERTISING POLICY

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