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LEED and Other Certifications

There are a variety of organizations that offer certification to facilities and individuals pertaining to sustainable practices in the design, construction and operation of commercial buildings. These organizations offer designations, recognition and education about sustainable practices.

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

In the United States, LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is the most widely recognized of the international green building certification systems that pertain to the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.  LEED was developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

In addition to the designations that get awarded to buildings and facilities, LEED also has a professional credential that signifies an individual’s leadership in the green building movement. The real estate management profession is increasingly specifying the need for expertise in LEED which is making the LEED Professional Credential a popular program for building professionals.

Learn more about the USGBC LEED.

BOMA 360 Performance Program

The BOMA 360 Performance Program sets the standard worldwide for operational best practices in the commercial real estate industry. The BOMA 360 label demonstrates that a building is outperforming the competition across all areas of operations and management. Designees report the program helped them achieve operational efficiencies as well as higher levels of tenant satisfaction.

Learn more about the BOMA 360 Performance Program.

Green Globes

Green Globes is a worldwide building certification label for sustainable management and operations. The Green Globes system is used in Canada and the United States.  It was developed by the Green Buildings Initiative (GBI) which operates the program in the United States. In Canada, the version for existing buildings is operated by BOMA Canada under the brand name 'BOMA BESt'.

Learn more about Green Globes.

Society of Environmentally Responsible Facilities (SERF)

The Society of Environmentally Responsible Facilities (SERF) was founded in 2010 by real estate industry professionals committed to practical environmental stewardship. SERF formulates and collects best practices for green building design, construction, and operation.

Learn more about SERF.

ENERGY STAR

To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a building must earn a 75 or higher on EPA's 1-100 energy performance scale, indicating that the facility performs better than at least 75% of similar buildings nationwide. The ENERGY STAR energy performance scale accounts for differences in operating conditions, regional weather data, and other important considerations.

Learn more about US EPA Energy Star.