Conditions for LEED Certification (United States)
- Minimum Requirements
To facilitate data collection for project owners and assessment bodies, ensure a full evaluation of the project’s regional impacts, and limit issues during the review process, project owners must meet the following conditions before registration:
- The project must be in a permanent location on existing land.
- The project must have a clear and reasonable boundary.
- The project must comply with minimum area requirements: 93m² (1,000 ft²) of gross floor area for LEED BD+C and LEED O+M projects; 22m² (250 ft²) of gross floor area for LEED ID+C projects.
Additionally, for assessment purposes, a project submitted for LEED O+M certification must have been in operation for a minimum of 12 continuous months (365 days). This period is used as a baseline to evaluate the building’s operation and maintenance.
- Specific Conditions by Certification Type
To be granted LEED certification, a project must: (i) Satisfy all prerequisites required by each credit category, and (ii) Achieve a minimum score (at the Certified level – 40 points) by fulfilling optional credits outlined in the categories.
EXAMPLE: The credit categories for a LEED BD+C (Building Design and Construction) project include:
No. | Credit Category | Corresponding Points |
1 | Integrative Process | 1 point |
2 | Location and Transportation | 16 points |
3 | Sustainable Sites | 10 points |
4 | Water Efficiency | 11 points |
5 | Energy and Atmosphere | 33 points |
6 | Materials and Resources | 13 points |
7 | Indoor Environmental Quality | 16 points |
8 | Innovation | 6 points |
9 | Regional Priority | 4 points |
Total | 110 points |
Each category above includes prerequisites and optional credits. If a project fails to meet even one prerequisite, it will not be eligible for LEED certification. Fulfilling the optional credits is the basis for calculating the project’s score.
For example, the Sustainable Sites category (worth a total of 10/110 points) includes the following specific conditions:
No. | Condition | Points |
1 | Construction Activity Pollution Prevention | (Prerequisite) |
2 | Site Assessment | 1 point |
3 | Site Development – Protect or Restore Habitat | 2 points |
4 | Open Space | 1 point |
5 | Rainwater Management | 3 points |
6 | Heat Island Reduction | 2 points |
7 | Light Pollution Reduction | 1 point |
Total | 10 points |
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Note: The categories, specific conditions within each category, and the point weightings will differ depending on the specific LEED certification system (BD+C, ID+C, or O+M).
- LEED Certification Levels
Based on the total points achieved, a project can earn one of the following four levels of certification:
- Certified: 40-49 points
- Silver: 50-59 points
- Gold: 60-79 points
- Platinum: 80+ points