LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Standards) provides a set of rigorous guidelines for the construction of environmentally sustainable buildings. In order to be LEED certified, new buildings must comply with a number of green building standards. The LEED program, which is completely voluntary, follows the entire building process, from the basic concept to the actual construction.

LEED buildings are awarded certification based on the following six categories:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Effciency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation and Design Process

LEED certified buildings are awarded with certification in one of four categories, based on the number of sustainable “points” that the building has accumulated: certified (26 – 32 points), Silver (33 – 38 points), Gold (39 – 51 points), and Platinum (52 – 69 points).

Based on the sustainable initiatives taken during design and construction, RIT’s new CAST building will most likely receive a Silver LEED certification.