Solar is a growing component of green building

Solar panels for photovoltaic energy and solar water heating have been steadfast components of green building design and construction.  That doesn't change in the 2009 update of the USGBC's green building LEED program. 

The U.S. Green Building Council is rolling out its new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines, updated for 2009 and newly approved by the USGBC membership.

Described as some of the most significant changes to the LEED system, LEED 2009 has re-weighted certain actions, based on scientific research, in favor of increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in new and existing buildings. It also entails a new set of regional credits, which are points tailored to match environmental priorities in certain geographic areas.

The USGBC will also introduce new processes for amending its LEED standards, including a pilot period for individual credits that can be tested and incorporated on their own.

The nonprofit USGBC organization received more than 7,000 comments on how to update its 8-year-old, much-used green building rating system before LEED 2009 passed through its 18,000-member voting ballot.

Get LEED information at USGBC.
U.S. Green Building Council