Leeds Organization

What is LEED?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED is a third-party certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. It provides building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:

  • sustainable site development
  • water efficiency
  • energy efficiency
  • materials selection
  • indoor environmental quality

Credits and Prerequisites are organized into these five categories. An additional category, Innovation & Design Process, addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under these five environmental categories.

Certain rating systems include additional relevant categories. LEED Canada for Homes, for instance, includes a Location and Linkages category and an Awareness and Education category. Certification is based on the total point score achieved, following an independent review and an audit of selected Credits. With four possible levels of certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum), LEED® is flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of green building strategies that best fit the constraints and goals of particular projects.

The Canadian rating systems are an adaptation of the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Green Building Rating System, tailored specifically for Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations. The rating systems are adapted to the Canadian market through an inclusive process that engages stakeholders and experts representing the various sectors of the Canadian industry.

Erosion and Sediment Control Prerequisite in LEEDS

Intent

Control erosion to reduce negative impacts on water and air quality.

Requirements

Design a sediment and erosion control plan, specific to the site that conforms to United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Document No. EPA 832/R92-005 (September 1992), Storm Water Management for Construction Activities, Chapter 3, OR local erosion and sedimentation control standards and codes, whichever is more stringent. The plan shall meet the following objectives:

  • Prevent loss of soil during construction by stormwater runoff and/or wind erosion, including protecting topsoil by stockpiling for reuse.
  • Prevent sedimentation of storm sewer or receiving streams.
  • Prevent polluting the air with dust and particulate matter.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the civil engineer or responsible party, declaring whether the project follows local erosion and sedimentation control standards or the referenced EPA standard. Provide a brief list of the measures implemented. If local standards and codes are followed, describe how they meet or exceed the referenced EPA standard.

If an audit of this Credit is requested during the certification process:

  • Provide the erosion control plan; or drawings and specifications with the
  • sediment and erosion control measures highlighted; or photographs of
  • typical installed sediment and erosion control measures.

Potential Technologies & Strategies

Adopt an erosion and sediment control plan for the project site during construction. Consider employing strategies such as temporary and permanent seeding, mulching, earth dikes, silt fencing, sediment traps and sediment basins.

Canada Green Building Council