Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

LEED: the rating system in the United States and the path toward definition of Italian parameters

The goal of LEED standards is promoting awareness of environmentally sustainable construction among builders and architects with a flexible but well-articulated point system for building certification. Points are assigned on the basis of calculation of credits assigned for each of the requirements determining the building's sustainability. The total number of credits determines the certification level.

-> Download Iris Ceramica's certificate of conformity

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in key areas:

Sustainable sites [1 prerequisite - 14 points]: LEED certified buildings must be built with a disposal plan for reducing waste production and using recycled or locally produced materials.

Efficient water management [5 points]: rainwater collection systems or taps with flow control to ensure the utmost efficiency in water consumption.

Energy and atmosphere [3 prerequisites - 17 points]: optimal use of energy from renewable and local sources can significantly cut energy bills.

Materials and resources [1 prerequisite - 13 points]: the LEED assessment system assigns a higher score to buildings built out of natural, renewable and local materials such as wood.

Quality of internal environments [2 prerequisites - 15 points]: the building's internal spaces must be designed to permit a substantially even energy balance and guarantee maximum comfort for end users.

Design and innovation [5 points]: use of building technologies that improve on best practices is of added value for LEED certification

Certification levels

The credits earned in the six categories are added together to determine the level of certification:

Certified, 26-32 points

Silver, 33-38 points

Gold, 39-51 points

Platinum, 52-69 points

Iris is a regular member of Green Building Council Italia

Iris Ceramica products comply with the LEED assessment system in the Building Materials category, as they are made using 40% recycled material by weight. Use of Iris Ceramica products in construction permits a higher percentage in the building's overall assessment by the Green Building Council.