The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently updated the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), the world’s premier benchmark for high-performance green buildings to an updated version, v4. The new version is “bolder, more specialized and designed for an improved user experience,” states the USGBC.
Data centers are unique in their design and energy requirements, so as the USGBC worked with industry leaders to develop a data center-specific standard, they found it necessary to increase the rating scale from 100 to 110 possible credits with the following LEED certification levels:
- Certified: 40-49 points earned
- Silver: 50-59 points earned
- Gold: 60-79 points earned
- Platinum: 80+ points earned
Chatsworth Products’ (CPI) technologies can contribute towards achieving 12-20 credits in the areas of advanced energy metering, low-emitting materials, interior lighting and optimized energy performance towards these certification levels.
Here are some updates of LEED v4:
- Includes a focus on materials that goes beyond how much is used to get a better understanding of what's in the materials we spec for our buildings and the effect those components have on human health and the environment
- Takes a more performance-based approach to indoor environmental quality to ensure improved occupant comfort
- Brings the benefits of smart grid thinking to the forefront with a credit that rewards projects for participating in demand response programs
- Provides a clearer picture of water efficiency by evaluating total building water use
Contact one of CPI experts to find out how CPI products and solutions can contribute to LEED certification. For more information on LEED v4, go here.
Raissa Carey, eContent Specialist