Survey: LEED Certification Falling Behind

Buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification have better energy performance than 89 percent of buildings in the U.S. However, a recent study shows that LEED is falling out of fashion with many architecture and construction companies. This year’s Green Market Barometer Survey shows that only 48 percent of respondents were “likely or very likely” to seek LEED certification, down from 53 percent in 2010 and 61 percent in 2008. Turner Construction Company, who administers the survey, believes the fading interest in the program shows that developers have a better understanding of how to design green buildings themselves, and therefore are less dependent on LEED guidelines.

Of the executives who said their company was “not likely” to seek LEED certification, 52 percent said they would prefer to use their own green building standards. This development could be interpreted as a good sign. LEED standards are standardized, highly regarded, transparent and give building owners reassurance, but the fact that some companies may implement their own framework could be an indication that green building methods are, to some extent, becoming a mainstream requirement of customers.

Most of the 718 executives who responded to the survey were involved in architecture (49 percent), construction (19 percent), and real estate consulting (11 percent). 90 percent of respondents said their companies were at least somewhat committed to environmentally-friendly practices, which is consistent with previous years. Interestingly, only 37 percent of executives said it was “very or extremely” important to reduce the carbon footprint of their buildings.

When evaluating the importance of specific green features, executives primarily considered efficiency and operating costs (84 percent), but also factored building value, occupancy rates, total 10-year costs, air quality, and occupants’ well-being (between 74-75 percent). On a more general level, the top reason for going green was the belief that it is “the right thing to do” (68 percent). The ethical consideration was followed by more concrete motivations, including the positive impact on brand (67 percent), cost savings (66 percent), and customer requirements (61 percent).

In contrast to the predicted trend in the overall market, the number federal buildings with LEED certification climbed by over 50 percent compared to 2011. By August of this year, 821 LEED-certified buildings had been completed, compared to a total of 544 in 2011.

Image by Juggernautco
Body Image by Savannah District USACE