Feature image: The LEED Gold NRDC offices in San Francisco. Image credit: Jasper Sanidad Photography.

At USGBC, we always say that every story about a LEED-certified green building is a story about people. When USGBC set out to create LEED, we wanted to build something that helped people and improved their lives. After all, we spend 90% of our time indoors, at work, school or home. Knowing this, who wouldn’t want those indoor spaces to be the healthiest and most comfortable places possible?

April is Earth Month, and to celebrate, USGBC has published a guide for tenants of LEED-certified spaces. Whether you live in a LEED-certified space or work in one, this guide will help you get the most out of it.

Building owners and employers that earn LEED certification send a strong message that they care about the health and well-being of their building’s occupants and the environment, as well as their impact on the community. LEED-certified buildings are better buildings.

The relationship between the indoor environment and the health and comfort of occupants is complex. Local customs and expectations, occupant activities, and the building’s site, design, and construction are just a few variables that make it harder to measure. However, there are many ways to quantify the direct effect of a building on its occupants.

LEED balances the need for prescriptive measures with more performance-oriented requirements, combining traditional approaches with emerging design strategies. Traditional approaches include ventilation and thermal control, while the emerging design techniques involve advanced lighting metrics, acoustics and a holistic emissions-based approach. LEED has several strategies that specifically address health, well-being and productivity.

By incorporating these LEED strategies into the design and operation of a building, building owners and occupants can create a healthier and more productive environment that benefits both people and the planet. Download the new guide to learn more.

Download the tenant guide

Tenants: Learn how to get the most out of your LEED-certified space