LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. After my visit to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, which is an environmentally sustainable building, I had a keen desire to become a LEED AP (Accredited Professional). Designing a "Green" building is no longer a choice; it has become an essential practice for a building design professional. On my recent visit to the Asian Art Museum (built in 2003), I was surprised to find that when I stood in the bathroom, the design already looked old because it showed no concern for saving natural resources. For example, the designer did not install water and energy saving devices, such as hand dryers or motion sensor faucets; instead, I found paper towel dispensers and high goose neck shaped faucets that let water splash all over the sink, on to the counter, and even on to my clothes. There is abundant natural light coming into a long narrow pathway, but natural light does not come in to the restaurant of the Asian Art Museum. These examples show how important it is to design a building by looking to the future. The California Academy of Sciences, built only 5 years later, will probably look new and innovative a quarter century from today. <Read more>

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, created by the U.S. Green Building Council. The rating system checks five different keys: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. It provides detailed building design strategies to save water, keep the air clean and help the buildings to fit in with the environment. It is about preserving our natural resources for future generations. This concept may be new to some people, but the idea of conserving is nothing new in my life. Yet, it is new to me that I can say this aloud without embarrassment. I have always felt that if I said this, people might think I was cheap. Now, as a LEED AP (Accredited Professional), I can officially teach you how to conserve so that the earth will be more sustainable for the next generation. Being Green has been discussed in many ways in recent years. It can be described simply as buying things that you plan to keep for long time, and buying things that do not use much of our limited natural resources.

As a LEED AP I can assist you in implementing the LEED guidelines, streamlining the certification process, and achieving the goal of a LEED certification for your building. I can provide the following services by using the USGBC online system for implementing the LEED certification process:

-Review building designs
-Advise you in selecting the options which help you to achieve higher LEED rating
-Manage and submit all LEED documentation to USGBC online.

The California Academy of Sciences, designed by Renzo Piano, was awarded a Platinum-level certification, which is the highest award. The Academy is now the largest public building with a LEED Platinum certification and is the world´s greenest museum. I am proud that we have the best of all Green buildings right here in San Francisco; and your building, with my assistance, can be a part of this important transition in building design.

For more details, click here to go to the USGBC website.