Commercial construction in Houston that prioritizes sustainability means better LEED ratings for your new building.
Understanding LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings is crucial if you want to prioritize sustainability in your new commercial building construction project. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED ratings provide a framework for creating healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings.
This rating system measures a building’s performance across key areas of human and environmental health, including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Certification includes four levels:
- Certified: 40–49 points
- Silver: 50–59 points
- Gold: 60–79 points
- Platinum: 80 points and above
Achieving a higher LEED certification level, like Gold or Platinum, shows that you’ve incorporated more sustainable design strategies and practices in your project, highlighting your commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. It can also qualify your business for local, state, or federal tax incentives.
Partner with an experienced commercial construction contractor in Houston to help you navigate the intricate process of designing and constructing a green building. Contact our team at GRA Construction today to discuss your upcoming project.
Categories of Sustainability in Building Design
Designing sustainable and energy-efficient buildings has become an essential aspect of modern commercial construction, especially for businesses that want to reduce their carbon footprint. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has been developed to certify buildings that meet high standards of environmental performance.
The program gives points in several different categories, including:
- Sustainable Sites: This category focuses on minimizing the impact on ecosystems and water bodies. It includes site selection, development density, green spaces, transportation access, and light pollution reduction.
- Water Efficiency: This category emphasizes on reducing water use in buildings and thus preserving natural water resources. It includes water-efficient landscaping, innovative wastewater technologies, and water use reduction.
- Energy and Atmosphere: It addresses energy efficiency, green power, and other atmospheric effects. Key points include energy performance optimization, renewable energy usage, ozone layer protection, and measurement and verification of energy consumption.
- Materials and Resources: This category encourages the use of sustainable construction materials and waste management. It includes storage and collection of recyclables, construction waste management, use of regional materials, and rapidly renewable materials.
- Indoor Environmental Quality: This section focuses on creating a comfortable indoor environment that enhances occupants’ well-being. It includes ventilation effectiveness, use of low-emitting materials, controllability of systems, and access to daylight and views.
- Innovation: This category rewards innovative practices, design approaches, and technologies that exceed the requirements of LEED and/or introduce new sustainability measures.
- Regional Priority: This considers geographical-specific environmental priorities. LEED provides bonus points for addressing these unique challenges and priorities defined by the local environment.
Experienced Commercial Construction for Sustainable Buildings
When selecting a construction team for your next project, choose GRA Construction for quality, safety, and experience. We are here to help ensure that your results exceed expectations while meeting every required deadline. Contact us today to get started.
