The Edge - Volume One

Market transformation The LEED Standard, which got its start in the early 2000s, is credited with being the first internationally recognized third party certification system. Before LEED buildings, the industry standard was merely code compliance. As a testament to the widespread influence of these frameworks, some jurisdictions and even countries have adopted green building standards such as LEED to serve as their de facto building code. Irrespective of whether these projects submit for formal certification, building certifications provide a uniform set of design and construction standards which did not previously exist. The emergence of the WELL Building Standard has been credited with launching what has been called ‘the Second Wave of sustainability,’ which identifies buildings as key influencers on human health. WELL has also engaged key stakeholders who have traditionally been left out of the design and construction process, bringing together the CRE community with human resource professionals to align objectives. LEED and WELL provided new guiding frameworks, as well as the necessary incentive, to go beyond conventional industry practices, thus setting a standard for higher performance in buildings. Additionally, these building standards provide valuable recognition and differentiation – distinguishing truly green buildings from the rest of the building stock. Regardless of whether projects choose to formally certify, these rating systems have forever altered the nature of the conversation when it comes to best practices in design, construction and operations.

9