Any building can be a “green building”, whether it’s a home, office, school, hospital, community home or any other type of structure, provided it fulfils clearly defined standards and rules

The LEED certificate is the same for building as a declaration is on food packaging – information testifying to the composition and quality of the product. This certificate introduces order to construction and directs builders towards proper design, care for the environment and energy savings.

Since construction of the first communities and the first residential settlements, man has endeavoured to provide himself and his family with the best living conditions – protection against the weather and wild animals. In the modern world, where urban populations aren’t threatened by heavy snows, rhinos and lions, some different rules and housing standards apply. Valued today are structures that preserve natural resources and improve the quality of our lives; buildings that reduce or eliminate negative impacts through their design, construction or functioning, and which create positive impacts on our climate and natural environment. Valued today are “green buildings”.

Any building can be a “green building”, provided it meets the highest standards of sustainable construction from the aspect of energy consumption and natural resources, and these standards relate to the consumption of water and energy, air pollution, the raw materials used to construct the building, the quality of interiors, location and connectivity, social responsibility and profit.

LEED standard certification has been awarded by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council since 1994

And confirming whether these standards have been met is the LEED standard certification, which has been awarded by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council since 1994.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) represents a certification programme for buildings, houses and communities that can be sought for both structures that have already been built and those that are still under construction. Four levels of certification exist, and the number of points determines the level of certification to which a facility belongs, while there are five categories for which the LEED certificate is awarded:

Building Design and Construction (BD+C) – for exterior design and construction (newly built structures or buildings undergoing major renovations)

Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) – for interior design and construction (the interiors of commercial buildings, retail outlets, hotels, motels, restaurants etc.)

Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) – applicable to improvements in the functioning or construction of existing buildings (educational and retail facilities, warehouses, hotels, motels etc.)

Neighborhood Development – applicable to new development projects (renovation of housing projects, such as sustainable settlements)

Homes – applicable to family houses (the design and construction of family houses). Within the scope of each of these categories, it is necessary to meet certain prerequisites in order for the facility to become a holder of LEED certification, with a certain number of points awarded for each category.