The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is a widely recognized and respected standard for green building design, construction, and operation. Adopting LEED Silver as a building code for a municipality in Alberta can bring numerous benefits to both the environment and the community. In this blog post, we’ll explore the reasons why adopting LEED Silver as a building code can be a wise decision for any municipality.
- Environmental Benefits
LEED Silver certified buildings are designed to be energy-efficient, water-efficient, and promote sustainable practices. This can significantly reduce a buildings’ carbon footprint, creating a more sustainable environment. By adopting LEED Silver, our community can work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserve natural resources.
- Economic Benefits
LEED Silver certified buildings are designed to be more energy-efficient, which can result in lower energy bills. The energy-efficient features also help to reduce maintenance and replacement costs, which can lead to significant cost savings over the life of the building. Adopting LEED Silver can also increase property values, as green buildings are becoming more popular with home buyers and tenants.
- Health Benefits
LEED Silver certified buildings are designed to provide a healthier indoor environment for building occupants. This can be achieved through features such as improved ventilation, natural lighting, and the use of non-toxic materials.
- Community Benefits
Adopting LEED Silver as a building code can help to promote a sustainable and environmentally responsible community. This can increase community pride and attract new businesses and residents who are interested in living in a green and sustainable environment. LEED Silver buildings can also serve as a model for other municipalities to follow, leading to a widespread adoption of sustainable building practices.
- Government Incentives
Adopting LEED Silver as a building code for a municipality in Alberta can bring numerous benefits to the environment, the economy, and the community. This can be accomplished by having local our Council create a resolution to build all buildings to LEED Silver. The environmental benefits include reduced carbon emissions and conservation of natural resources, while the economic benefits include lower energy bills and increased property values. The healthier indoor environment provided by LEED Silver buildings can also lead to improved productivity and overall well-being. The community benefits of adopting LEED Silver include increased community pride and the attraction of new businesses and residents. Finally, the government incentives available for LEED-certified buildings can lead to increased adoption and further economic benefits.
In conclusion
This can also be accomplished by having local our Council create a resolution to build all buildings to LEED Silver. The Alberta Government created the “Red Book; Technical Design Requirements for Alberta Infrastructure Facilities” in 2009, asking municipalities to build to LEED Silver on a volunteer basis; perhaps it’s time to pursue this further.
References for “Reasons to Adopt LEED Silver as a Building Code for a Municipality in Alberta”:
1.Green Building Council of Canada. (2021). Benefits of green buildings. Retrieved from https://www.cagbc.org/why-greU.S. Green Building Council. (2021). LEED rating system. Retrieved from https://www.usgbc.org/leed.en-building/green-building-benefits/
3. US. Green Building Council. (2021). LEED rating system. Retrieved from https://www.usgbc.org/leed.
4. UCalgary has demonstrated best practices in green building construction in 14 major projects — one of the largest concentrations of green buildings on any post-secondary campus in Canada at 1.9 million square feet. https://www.ucalgary.ca/sustainability/our-sustainable-campus/buildings/ ucalgary-leed-buildings