In an effort to reduce the environmental effects of building and industry, consumer demands are necessitating compliance from the building industry to provide "greener" buildings and methods of construction.

LEED was created to:

• define "green building" by establishing a common standard of measurement
  
• promote integrated, whole-building design practices
  
• recognize environmental leadership in the building industry
  
• stimulate green competition
  
• raise consumer awareness of green building benefits
  
• transform the building market

LEED provides a comprehensive approach to the analysis of a building's environmental impact. This analysis is based upon a systematic rating scale composed of the following: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design Process.

Here at Gage Brothers Concrete Products we understand the need to keep our environment safe. Below we have listed the various ways in which precast concrete helps buildings meet the LEED criteria and help save our environment.

Sustainable Sites

• Credit 5.1 Reduced Site Disturbance: Protect and Restore Open Space
  Conserve existing natural areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity. Accomplished through off-site manufacturing
• Credit 6.1 Stormwater Management: Rate and Quantity
  Limit disruption and pollution of natural water flows by managing stormwater runoff. Accomplished through the absorption of rain into the subsurface of the concrete.
• Credit 7.1 Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof and Parking Lot
  Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped areas) to minimize impact on microclimate and human and wildlife habitat. Accomplished through lower indexed albedo (an index of solar reflectance) for a building's panals and through utilization of parking ramps (which decreases parking lot sun exposure).

Energy & Atmosphere

• Prerequisite 2 Minimum Energy Performance
  Establish the minimum level of energy efficiency for the base building and systems.
  
• Credit 1 Optimize Energy Perfomance
  Achieve increasing levels of energy performance above the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental impacts associated with excessive energy use. Accomplished through concretes efficiency at retaining and evenly dispersing stored heat. Points granted in this area are based on the percentage of energy conservation.

Materials & Resources

• Credit 1 Building Reuse: Maintain 75-100% of Existing Walls, Floors and Roof.
  Extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.
  
• Credit 2 Construction Waste Management: Divert 50-75% from Landfill.
  Divert construction, demolition and land clearing debris from landfill disposal. Redirect recyclable reusable materials to appropriate sites.
  
• Credit 5 Regional Materials: 20-50% Extracted Regionally
  Increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby supporting the regional economy and reducing the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.
  
• Credit 7 Certified Wood: Encourage environmentally responsible forest management.
  (decreases use of wood)

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Credit 3.1 Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan
  During Construction Prevent indoor air quality problems resulting from the construction/renovation process in order to help sustain the comfort and well-being of construction.
  
• Credit 4.1 Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants
  Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.
  
• Credit 4.2 Low-Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings
  Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.
  
• Credit 7.1 Thermal Comfort: Compliance with ASHRAE 55-1992
  Provide a thermally comfortable environment that supports the productivity and well-being of building occupants. Accomplished through thermal normalcy attributed to the properties of concrete products.
  
• Credit 7.2 Thermal Comfort: Permanent Monitoring System
  Provide a thermally comfortable environment that supports the productivity and well-being of building occupants.

Innovation & Design Process

• Credit 1 Innovation in Design
  To provide design teams and projects the opportunity to be awarded points for exceptional performance above the requirements set by the LEED Green Building Rating System and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories not specifically addressed by the LEED Green Building Rating System.