Green Buildings

It takes a lot of effort for a building to become a LEED certified Green Building.  Although there are no credits given for indoor plants as such at this time, there are other ways that we can help a building become LEED certified.

One way is to help our clients achieve Innovation in Design credits. It’s possible to earn up to 4 ID credits, which can mean the difference between a building becoming LEED certified or not, and between the different levels of certification (certified, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.) There are specific guidelines for acquiring these credits, including:

1. Having a LEED AP on the Project Team. The LEED AP can be the architect, interior designer, engineer or vendor, including the interior plantscape company. This can be a full-time staff person, a sub-contractor, consultant, etc. The LEED AP will usually help with the process of submitting the project for certification as well as other duties, depending on their field of specialization. Only one credit is possible for having a LEED AP on board the project, even if more than one LEED AP is involved.
2. The project would need to be something that is either (a) not covered by other credits in the program, or (b) is incrementally beyond the criteria for other credits. This is usually referred to as an Exemplary Performance credit.

For other ID credits, the following criteria would also need to be documented:

1. The project would need to be something that can be duplicated and used in other green building projects and possibly become its own credit in the future.
2. The credit cannot be centered around an innovative product. For example, the building would not qualify for an ID credit just because it was using the latest and greatest subirrigation system.
3. The project needs to show a certain amount of extraordinary effort. Just having plants is not enough!

An example of an interiorscape project that could possibly be eligible for a LEED ID credit might be:

A duplication of the ecosystem found in a subtropical rainforest. The project could include plant species typically found in the rainforest and use natural soil media and mulch. The project could include a completely natural pest and disease control program using beneficial insects. The project could also include educational signage or a video display explaining the rainforest ecosystem and the plants included. A program for guided tours and community outreach could also be included, involving tours for schools, etc. This could also include involvement with the local zoo, which would bring in rainforest insects and animals to display during tours at specific times throughout the year. All of this would need to be documented for submittal.

Copyright Kathy Fediw, 2009.  If you’d like to use this article in your newsletter, please contact Kathy Fediw at kathy@jfaconsultingbiz.com for written permission first; or you may use a link to this page.