LEED Certification Program

Interworld Companies is currently developing pilot programs for facilities interested in obtaining LEED Certification for their existing buildings. By bringing together key stakeholders in the community, Interworld will provide LEED advisements to promote a program to reduce energy, costs, and improve the quality of life for occupants in your facility.

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To apply please email to:
info@interworldcompanies.com
In 2000, USGBC established the LEED rating system as a way to define and measure “green buildings.” In school terms, LEED is like a report card for buildings, demonstrating to the community that a facility is built and/or operated in a way that supports the health and wellbeing of occupants and saves energy, resources, and money. LEED certification is available for both new and existing schools.
The LEED rating system is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs according to several metrics:
  • energy savings
  • water efficiency
  • CO2 emissions reduction
  • improved indoor environmental quality
  • stewardship of resources

Types of Credit Requirements

There are three types of improvements addressed through the LEED for Existing Buildings:
O&M rating system:

High-Performance Building Systems: Implement building improvements and technologies in order to use less energy, less water, and fewer natural resources. System upgrades and retrofits also improve indoor air quality and address operational inefficiencies. Examples: Efficient lighting systems and indoor plumbing fixtures. These improvements relate directly to the school facility being certified.
O&M Best Practices:

Adopt operations and maintenance best practices to ensure project measures are effectively implemented and maintained.
Examples: Systems monitoring, green cleaning, and preventative maintenance procedures. Schools or school districts can treat the project pursuing certification as a pilot for the adoption of new best practices to be implemented campus- or district-wide.
Sustainable Policies:

Establish green policies to demonstrate an organization-wide commitment to sustainability.
Examples: Policies to guide recycling programs and the use of eco-friendly products.
These types of requirements lend themselves to campus - or district - wide adoption and implementation.

LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M Rating System Credit Categories

Sustainable Sites (SS) credits promote responsible, innovative, and practical site maintenance strategies that are sensitive to plants, wildlife, and water and air quality. These credits also mitigate some of the negative effects buildings have on the local and regional environment. Environmentally sensitive site maintenance practices reduce site operations and maintenance costs while creating and maintaining outdoor spaces that are attractive and healthy for both building occupants and local flora and fauna.

Water Efficiency (WE) prerequisites and credits encourage the use of strategies and technologies that reduce the amount of potable water consumed in facilities. Many water conservation strategies are no-cost; others provide rapid payback. Some, such as biological wastewater treatment systems and graywater plumbing systems, require more substantial investments and are cost-effective only under certain building and site conditions.

Energy and Atmosphere (EA) prerequisites and credits address the reduction of energy consumption through a performance-based approach that allows owners and managers to tailor energy reduction measures to their buildings. Improving the energy performance of facilities lowers operating costs, reduces pollution, and enhances occupant comfort. Many energy efficiency measures have a rapid payback because of the rising cost of energy.

Materials and Resources (MR) prerequisites and credits set the foundation for developing, implementing, and documenting policies and practices that support effective waste management and responsible procurement. The MR credit category focuses on two main issues: the environmental impact of material brought into the facility and the minimization of landfill and incinerator disposal for materials taken out of the facility.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) prerequisites and credits address concerns relating to indoor air quality; occupant's health, safety, and comfort; air change effectiveness; and air contaminant management. The IEQ credit category encourages improvements to ventilation, indoor CO2 levels, daylighting and lighting quality, and thermal comfort - all of which have the potential to impact occupant health and performance.

Innovation in Operations (IO) credits recognize projects for innovative and exemplary technologies, methods, project planning, and project execution.

Regional Priority (RP) credits address environmental concerns that are local priorities for each region of the country, as identified by USGBC's regional councils, chapters, and affiliates. A project that earns a regional priority credit will earn one bonus point in addition to any points already awarded for that credit. Up to four extra points can be earned in this way.