LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and certified by GBCI.
Projects earn points for sustainable strategies across categories such as location and transportation, site, water, energy, materials and indoor environment. The point total sets the certification level: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Separate rating systems cover new construction, interiors, existing buildings, homes and neighborhoods.
How parking shows up in LEED
- Location and transportation credits reward access to transit and reduced parking, rather than more of it. See parking minimums.
- Credits for EV charging and preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles and carpools.
- Heat island credits for shaded or high-reflectance paving and roofs. See heat island effect.
- Rainwater management for large paved areas. See stormwater detention.
LEED and Parksmart
- LEED rates buildings; a standalone parking structure fits poorly.
- Parksmart is the companion program built specifically for parking structures, also certified by GBCI.
The Parkonomics view
In LEED, the most sustainable parking space is usually the one a project chose not to build. For a garage itself, Parksmart is the better yardstick.
Related terms: U.S. Green Building Council, Parksmart Certification, GBCI, International Green Construction Code, Sustainability, Heat Island Effect