LEED Certification and LED Lights

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Many facilities are working towards becoming LEED-certified to demonstrate their commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability. Receiving a LEED certification shows that a company or business prioritizes energy efficiency and environmental protection. While there are many factors that can play a role in the energy consumption of a building, upgrading to LED lights can be a major step forward. Choosing the right LED lighting helps buildings and facilities to cut their energy usage and move closer to achieving their LEED certification. This post discusses this certification and explores the role of LED lights in achieving this certification.

What is LEED Certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a globally recognized environmental, green building certification system. A LEED-certified building must meet third-party standards across key energy and environmental protection metrics, including energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor air quality, and the wise use of natural resources.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), this ecology-oriented certification provides a specific framework for implementing the best practices and measurable solutions in building design, construction, operations, and maintenance.

Buildings can easily achieve one of the following LEED certification levels. Each credit described below represents a specific environmental achievement, allowing the flexibility based on project goals.

  1. LEED Certified: 40-49 credits
  2. LEED Silver: 50-59 credits
  3. LEED Gold: 60-79 credits
  4. LEED Platinum: 80+ credits

Benefits of LEED Certification

Achieving LEED certification offers several financial, operational, and strategic benefits to business owners, such as:

  1. Tangible Financial Incentives: LEED certified buildings qualify for financial rewards, such as tax rebates, zoning allowances, lower permitting fees, and green financing options. According to the US Green Building Council states, “LEED buildings have faster lease-up rates and may qualify for a host of incentives like tax rebates and zoning allowances. Not to mention they retain higher property values.
  2. Increased Property Value and Marketability: Buildings with LEED certification have higher resale values than ones without this certification. With the increasing focus on sustainability and sustainable ways of living, most tenants, buyers, and investors find LEED certified buildings attractive. This results in stronger long-term asset value, greater return on investment (ROI) and higher occupancy rates.
  3. Low Operational Costs: Many energy-efficient upgrades, including LEED lighting solutions, help reduce the operational costs. Decreased energy consumption helps building owners to reduce their maintenance costs in the long term.
  4. Healthier Indoor Environments: Building owners aiming for this certification are encouraged to use systems and materials that improve indoor environment quality. As a result, the occupants enjoy better air quality, improved natural lighting, reduced exposure to chemicals, and so on.
  5. Future Proofing Against Regulations: As environmental regulations tighten globally, LEED-certified buildings meet these regulatory requirements. This proactive approach minimizes the risk associated with regulatory fines, costly retrofits, and changing energy demands.

Lighting Requirements for LEED Certification

Can switching to LED lights help your facility achieve the LEED-certification? Yes, absolutely. The LEED rating system awards pointers for energy-efficient lighting. Since lighting accounts for a substantial portion of building’s energy consumption, upgrading to high-efficiency LED fixtures is an impactful step, which will help facility owners to earn their certification. Before understanding how LED lights help earn the certification, let’s look at lighting requirements for earning this certification.

  1. Glare Reduction: Using light fixtures with a luminance less than 7000 cd/m2 between 45° and 90° from nadir (excluding wall wash or indirect luminaires) can help minimize glare.
  2. Color Rendering: Using light sources with a gamut index between 97 and 110 or Color Rendering Index (CRI) of at least 80 for 95% of the connected load improves the light’s visual quality.
  3. Lamp Life: Installing lamps with a minimum rated average life of 24,000 hours for at least 60% of the connected load extends the lifespan of lighting fixtures.
  4. Lighting Strategies: Providing indirect or direct/indirect ambient lighting for up to 75% of the connected lighting load can improve energy efficiency.
  5. Surface Reflectances: Meeting minimum average surface reflectance thresholds of 85% for ceilings, 60% for walls, and 30% for floors can improve the overall brightness and light distribution in a space.
  6. Illuminance Ratios: Maintaining a minimum ratio of average wall to work plane illuminance and average ceiling to work plane illuminance can help ensure adequate lighting levels.
  7. Lighting Controls: Providing individual lighting controls for at least 90% of occupant spaces and multizone controls for shared spaces can improve occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

The Role of LED Lights in LEED Certification

The energy-efficient lighting helps earn LEED certification by meeting several sustainability goals.

  1. Energy and Atmosphere (EA) Credits: Using the LED lights can help a facility owner earn 19% credits in the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category under LEED by reducing energy consumption and improving energy performance. LEDs are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent or even fluorescent lights, using up to 75% less electricity.
  2. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Credits: LED lights allow facility owners to earn IEQ credits under the LEED by assuring better illumination levels for different tasks and spaces, adjustable color temperatures that mimic natural daylight, reduced glare and flicker, and safe, non-toxic materials compared to traditional lighting. High indoor quality environments improve occupant safety and wellbeing, health, and their productivity, helping facilities meet IEQ credit requirements.
  3. Sustainable Sites (SS) Credits and Light Pollution Reduction: SS credits in LEED emphasize reducing light pollution minimizing blue light emission, shielding lights to prevent spillover, improving nighttime visibility through glare reduction, reducing development impact from lighting on nocturnal movements and using focused light beams. LED lights have focused light beams that help reduce light pollution compared to older technologies like fluorescent or metal halide lamps. Smart LED systems can adjust intensity and color temperature to meet specific needs, optimizing energy use and minimizing light trespass. Employing LEDs with low correlated color temperature (CCT) and a low S/P ratio help reduce blue light.
  4. Materials and Resources (MR) Credits: In LEED’s Materials and Resources (MR) category, LED lights with their high lifespan or using recyclable components or featuring environmentally preferable materials with low embodied carbon can help facility owners earn credits by promoting sustainable material selection and energy efficiency.

How ThinLight Technologies Supports Your LEED Certification Journey

At ThinLight Technologies, we understand the intricate requirements of LEED certification and are committed to helping your facility succeed. Our cutting-edge LED solutions help lower your energy bills, support your broader environmental and operational goals. Contact us today to discuss your LEED lighting requirements.

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