LEED standards
LEED is a certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and maintenance of high performance green buildings.
LEED standards are developed and administered by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).
The energy and environmental performance of buildings is assessed based on five criteria:
- sustainable site development
- water efficiency
- energy efficiency
- materials selection
- indoor environmental quality
An additional category, focused on innovation, covers sustainable building expertise, exemplary performance, and design (or operational) measures not covered under these five environmental categories.
The CaGBC certifies projects based on the total point score achieved, following an independent review of the documentation submitted by design and construction teams. With four possible levels of certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum), LEED is flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of green building strategies that best adapt to the constraints and goals of particular projects.
The Canadian rating systems are an adaptation of the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Green Building Rating System, tailored specifically for Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations. .
For further information, click here.
AXIM projects developed using LEED standards:
Photo: Les architectes Proulx et Savard, Cardin Ramirez Julien
Association de la construction du Québec
The new ACQ head office, a three-storey, 4,835 m2 building, is LEED certified. It will be located at 9200 Métropolitain Blvd. East in Anjou. Delivery is planned for the spring of 2011.