What is LEED?
The LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) certification, maintained by the USGBC organization, recognizes excellence in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of buildings and facilities from an environmental point of view.
US Green Building Council ( USGBC ) is the American nonprofit association whose mission is to evolve the way buildings are designed, constructed and operated. The motto they propose is: “Better buildings are our legacy”. The main tool to carry out its mission is the LEED program.
In the case of Hospital In turn, within new construction projects, LEED distinguishes between various types of buildings and facilities. Thus, the BD+C certificate can be applied to different types of projects, for each of which it establishes specificities (schools, shops, hospitals, computer data processing centers, hotels, logistics centers...). Each of these types of buildings requires compliance with different requirements. Thus, the LEED certification for Hospitals includes very demanding aspects in relation to air quality, patient comfort, accessibility for patients and families, etc.
In the world there are (as of January 2018) 59 buildings that have achieved LEED certification for Hospitals, and another 288 that are in the process of achieving it. In Spain the first building that has followed this certification scheme is the Fraternidad-Muprespa Habana Hospital.
Achieving LEED credits
The final evaluation of compliance with the LEED methodology is granted by the USGBC. Obtaining LEED certification recognizes the following aspects:
- Sustainable development of the free spaces on the plot.
- Efficient water consumption.
- Energy efficiency.
- Use of alternative energies.
- Improvement of the quality of the environment within the building.
- Selection of materials and management of waste and waste during construction.
LEED certification is based on obtaining points or credits. In the case of the BD+C system, these credits must be obtained during the design or architecture phase and also during the construction and commissioning of the Hospital. Once completed, the corresponding certificate is granted, which is final as long as the building does not undergo major remodeling.
Out of a maximum of 110 points, achieving a number of them will lead to obtaining the LEED certificate at one of the following levels:
