LEED is a Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Since it was started in 1998 it has grown to oversee over 14,000 projects in the US and 30 other countries. So you see, this is a global movement toward establishing Green Building Standards. The USGBC is made up of over 10,000 membership organizations. The guidelines set up by LEED are pretty strict and if a builder passes the Certification course, he is allowed to use the LEED acronym after his name. This is huge in terms of a company’s future reputation.
Getting back to some of the things that constitute green building would be environmentally friendly insulation like Soy Based Spray Foam or Recycled Denim. Geothermal HVAC using Energy Recovery Ventilation will be another. Of course Solar Power and or Wind Power would be considered. Radiant heat would be one. If you are a builder leaning in this direction I want to say here that you are going down the path of the future. I believe that within the next 10 years every local building inspector will have at least Energy Auditor training. I know of one course that is accepted by the USGBC for training and the credits can be carried over for advanced training. By advanced training I mean becoming a Certified Commercial Energy Auditor. In the grand scheme of things this will be a sought after field. I honestly believe city and state governments will require this type of degree to become an inspector. This is the beginning of a new era in which the environment will have to be taken into account.
LEED certification is the wave of the future and knowing how to do an audit to maximize energy efficiency is part of it. Therefore becoming a Certified Energy Auditor is one step on the ladder to becoming a LEED certified builder. Even if you are not a builder, becoming an Energy Auditor has a promising future.
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