LEEDing power back to communities through green building codes: advice for policymakers considering LEED certification

Abstract

Payne Institute Student Researcher Nathan Li compares goals of original, local green building codes and their potential for projects to use LEED certification as a path of compliance. By using his professional experience in LEED certification to analyze these codes' language and priorities, he provides guidance on the applicability of LEED to achieve energy efficiency and renewable energy goals set by jurisdictions. Nathan then makes suggestions to policymakers not to rely on the widespread acceptance of LEED to communicate a sustainability commitment, but instead use locally specific codes that require needed changes in their communities.