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Texas LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is an innovative way for construction companies to voluntarily devote energy and practices geared toward the manufacturing of green buildings. This system is founded upon a level which is the highest quality in regards to the training and implementation of practices learned when returning to the field. Students are taught specific "tools" to use in the field in an effort to achieve an environmentally friendly structure. This begins with the engineers who design the building and ends with the inspector. Green materials are used as much as possible in the construction of the structure to ensure that it will meet the standards set forth by the Green Building Rating System. There are three varieties of LEED certification. There is no need to be certified in all three. One accredited certification will suffice. NC Certification is for New Construction and is intended for certification to construct new buildings. EB Certification is the certification to work on Existing Buildings. CI refers to Commercial Interiors. Successful training in any of these tracks will grant you certification as a Texas LEED Accredited Professional. Once certification has been obtained and the construction completed, the building must pass the appropriate test. Points are earned for each successfully implemented item (there are six). These items are water efficiency, sustainable site, atmosphere & energy, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, design, and innovations which the structure may possess. Being certified will provide a third party evaluation and confirmation of the structure's performance as it relates to being green. By successfully passing the green test, the building will also show the positive opinion and endorsement of the inspector. This added vote of confidence will speak volumes to the home/business owner. It will give them the knowledge that this unit is structurally sound and is as green as it can be.
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