Addressing today’s energy and environmental concerns isequally the responsibility of building owners, designers, andcontractors. It is through this team effort and a common vision forconscious and effi cient living that sustainable building practicescan be successful.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has developed a concisesystem in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)that allows the industry to be guided in the best practices in sustainabledesign and operation. Relying heavily on industry standards, suchas those developed by ASHRAE and other professional organizations,designers and owners can be guided in best building practices.