In 2000, LEED was first released as a pilot program. LEED set out to transform the building market via a checklist rating system focused on sustainable building methods. Several facilities successfully participated in and completed the pilot program (LEED v1.0), and the lessons that were learned were applied to LEED NC v2.0. In the three years since its release, over 300 buildings have since been certified under LEED NC v2.0 or LEED NC v2.1, with another staggering 3,000+ in the process of certification.

One of the strengths of the LEED rating system is that it measures not only the sustainable design intent of the facility, but also the sustainable construction methods utilized during the construction of the facility. Consider the timeframe required to bring a new facility on-line. Starting with the inception of an idea, this process is continued into the design process as the idea is grown and nurtured. This process is then continued as that idea is constructed and occupied. With this process averaging between three and seven years, it is no coincidence that this exponential growth is also being reflected in the number of LEED projects being certified.

It’s a good bet that if you are reading this article, you are involved with a LEED project or know someone who is. One of the most asked questions I receive from teams going through the process is which credits are most attained. With over 300 projects certified, we can start analyzing the most attained LEED credits. While these statistics can be informative, it is very important to stay away from the mindset of attaining LEED certification credit by credit. Instead, focus on the synergies between the credits, and which credits work in harmony, which is one of the basic tenants of sustainable design and construction.

It is small wonder that the most attained credit within the LEED system is the credit for having a LEED AP as part of the design and construction process, with the Innovative Points close behind. Next on the list is EQc4.3, which deals with the emitting qualities (or off-gassing) of carpet. The important thing to note however is that when looking at the top third of the certified projects, projects that attained EQcr4.3 also attained EQprepreq1, EQcr3.1, EQcr4.1, EQcr4.2, MRcr4.1, MRcr4.2, MRcr5.1, and MRcr5.2. You’ll notice that this list correlates with the credit synergies listed in the LEED reference guides, and follows common sense as these credits all focus heavily on the make-up of the construction materials that can affect the indoor air quality of a facility.

The next group focuses on WEcr1, the efficient use of irrigation on a project. The top third of the projects that attained this credit also attained SSprereq1, SScr1, SScr5.2, SScr7, WEcr1.2, WEcr3.1, and WEcr3.2. These credits correlate to the design approach of minimizing the disturbance of the site’s micro climate, including placement, site disturbance, and the efficient use of water.

This trend also holds true for the Alternative Transportation credits. These credits seek to reduce the amount of parking required on a site by minimizing parking capacity and encouraging alternative methods of transportation. The top third of the projects that attained SScr4.4 also attained SScr1, SScr4.1, SScr4.2, and SScr7.1. These projects also correlate to the design approach of minimizing the disturbance of the site’s microclimate.

Another useful method of attaining LEED certification is by breaking the credits into two categories – both design credits and construction credits. While each credit has requirements for each category, most credits will lean heavily towards one side or the other. The following breakdown can be particularly helpful in two ways. First, this method allows the design team to complete and document the design credits prior to construction. Second, the design team can focus the drawings and specifications on only what is required during construction, and not the entire credit set. This focus can eliminate the ‘scare’ factor that many contractors and sub-contractors face who are unfamiliar with the LEED process.

To sum up, I can not stress enough the importance of making the credits work together when designing a LEED facility. There are credit synergy tables for each credit in the LEED reference guides – don’t let this information go unused. It is also important that you have a clear definition of which party is responsible for each credit, and to correlate this with the construction documents. Teams that do this are joining the growing list of successfully certified LEED projects.