LEED® Platinum Certification

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system was developed in 2000 by the U.S. Green Building Council. It allows for independent, third-party certification that a new building implements measurable, positive steps toward protecting and improving human and environmental health.

Why Build a LEED Building?

It really didn’t make sense for us to build an environmental education and outreach center without seizing the opportunity to improve the overall health and environmental footprint of our campus. We expect that the benefits of our LEED-certified building will include lower operating costs, energy and water conservation, a healthier work environment, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The Path to LEED Platinum

Platinum is the highest level of LEED certification, requiring at least 52 of the available 69 LEED points. The Moorhead Environmental Complex achieved LEED Platinum in April 2013.

The following list shows the points awarded to the Moorhead Environmental Complex by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). If you would like to know more about the intent and requirements for the points in each scoring category, please visit USGBC’s website.

LEED Points Awarded to the Moorhead Environmental Complex

Sustainable Sites

This category:

Discourages development on previously undeveloped land.
Seeks to minimize a building’s impact on ecosystems and waterways.
Encourages regionally appropriate landscaping.
Rewards smart transportation choices.
Controls stormwater runoff.
Promotes the reduction of erosion, light pollution, heat island effect, and construction-related pollution.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 10 Points Awarded

Site selection, 1/1
Alternative transportation – bicycle storage and changing rooms, 1/1; low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles, 1/1; parking capacity, 1/1
Site development – protect/restore habitat, 1/1
Stormwater design – quantity control, 1/1; quality control, 1/1
Heat island effect – non-roof, 1/1; roof, 1/1
Light pollution reduction; 1/1

WATER EFFICIENCY

This category encourages smarter use of water through:

More efficient appliances, fixtures, and fittings inside.
Water-conscious landscaping outside.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 5 Points Awarded

Water efficient landscaping – reduced by 50%, 1/1
Water efficient landscaping – no potable water used or no irrigation, 1/1
Innovative wastewater techniques, 1/1
Water use reductions – 20% reduction, 1/1
Water use reductions – 30% reduction, 1/1

ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE

This category encourages a wide variety of energy-wise strategies:

Energy use monitoring.
Efficient design and construction.
Efficient appliances, systems, and lighting.
The use of renewable and clean sources of energy, generated on site or off-site.
Other innovative measures.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 15 Points Awarded

Optimized energy performance, 10/10
On-site renewable energy, 3/3
Enhanced refrigerant management, 1/1
Green power, 1/1

MATERIAL AND RESOURCES

This category:

Encourages the selection of sustainably grown, harvested, produced, and transported products and materials.
Promotes waste reduction as well as reuse and recycling, and it particularly rewards the reduction of waste at a product’s source.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 6 Points Awarded

Construction waste management – divert 50% from disposal, 1/1; divert 75% from disposal, 1/1
Materials reuse – 5%, 1/1
Recycled content – 10% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer), 1/1
Regional materials – 10% extracted, processed and manufactured regionally, 1/1; 20% extracted, processed and manufactured regionally, 1/1

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

This category:

Promotes strategies that improve indoor air.
Promotes strategies that provide access to natural daylight and views.
Promotes strategies that improve acoustics.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 12 Points Awarded

Construction Indoor Air Quality management plan – during construction, 1/1; before occupancy; 1/1
Low-emitting materials – adhesives and sealants, 1/1; paints and coatings, 1/1; carpet systems, 1/1; composite wood and agrifiber products, 1/1
Controllability of systems – lighting, 1/1; thermal comfort, 1/1
Thermal comfort – design, 1/1; verification, 1/1
Daylight and views – daylight 75% of spaces, 1/1; views for 90% of spaces; 1/1

INNOVATION

This category:

Provides bonus points for projects that use innovative technologies and strategies to improve a building’s performance well beyond what is required by other LEED® credits, or to account for green building considerations that are not specifically addressed elsewhere in LEED®.
Rewards projects for including a LEED® Accredited Professional on the team to ensure a holistic, integrated approach to the design and construction process.

Moorhead Environmental Complex Score: 4 Points Awarded

Innovation in design; +3
LEED® Accredited Professional; +1