Leed categories

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, which is managed by the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC). USGBC is transforming the way we design, build, maintain, and operate our buildings, homes, and communities.

LEED is a private membership-based nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability in building designs, construction, and operation.

LEED is an important part of how we work at QM Drain with our shower drains and who we are. Sustainability is one of our corporate mission statements and integrates what we do. All of our solid products are manufactured with low carbon emissions and tested in stainless steel laboratories.

Water efficiency is the practical and intelligent way to reduce water consumption and waste through the application of technology. These technologies reduce the amount of water needed to keep a building or facility at peak performance, being one of the most important LEED categories.

These technologies are:

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures.
• Greywater system
• Rainwater System.
• Leak detection systems.

Water efficiency is important to implement as water is not infinite and is becoming increasingly scarce due to climate change and it is important to reduce our water footprint and contribute to sustainability by implementing water efficiency in buildings, which are mainly those that consume the most water.

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is the sustainable conditions inside the building. Factors to be taken into account are air quality, access to natural light and views, pleasant indoor acoustic conditions, and occupant control over lighting and thermal comfort. 

Indoor environmental quality ensures human health within the company and improves the quality of life by reducing stress and mental problems.

What we will achieve with IEQ is that, thanks to having a positive environment and our workers being healthy, we will increase the productivity and efficiency of the company. All of the above-mentioned factors, such as energy, water, and building materials, contribute to improving the indoor environmental quality.

The production of any physical thing, from electrodomestics, buildings, houses, vehicles, and other everyday products, all depend on material resources. Material resources are the combination of natural or manufactured materials.  As we know, most manufactured products come from natural materials, and that is why LEED takes into account how these material resources are sourced. 

Of all the LEED categories, this one takes into account the entire life cycle of the building, from extraction, production, transportation, to maintenance and end of life of the product. It also takes into account the transparency of manufacturing and construction, and the use of material resources.

Energy and Atmosphere category consists in designing a building that consumes as minimal energy as possible through conservation, efficiency and the use of alternative renewable energy sources is the goal of the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category.

Given that buildings pollute approximately 40% of US electrical energy. That's why green gases are a big part of pollution and climate change.

To reduce these green gasses and avoid increasing pollution, plug loads, energy use of water systems, lighting, whole building systems, etc. could be used.

• The goal of this category is that you need to locate your building or house where it makes sense. For example, near your working or playing area, not in a non-suitable place for construction development. 
• Basically, this category is focused on encouraging the development of projects in places where there are already existing areas and public transport.

• Of the LEED categories, innovation is the one that is most intended to encourage projects to achieve exceptional and innovative performance. One of the characteristics is to implement and support advanced human health wellness.

• The Regional Priority category always takes into account regionally specific environmental priorities and encourages projects to address location-specific issues.
• Each region may have unique environmental problems or challenges, and the Regional Priority credits are intended to reward and support projects that address these challenges most comprehensively.
• By addressing these priorities/issues, projects earn additional points toward the highly coveted LEED certification.

• For having a greenhouse, LEED acknowledges that for truly bee green, all the habitants that live in the house have to use green features to maximize the effect.
• The awareness and education credits are to encourage home builders and real estate professionals, building managers, and house owners the education and tools to make their homes green and to maximize the use of these features.