LEED certification in hotels
What is LEED? LEED is a world-recognized green building rating system, which has been around since 1994. It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It was founded with the support of the US Green Building Council. It’s a bit like BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), which has been around since 1990, but we will cover that another time.
What does LEED do? It aims to evaluate buildings in the context of their environment, providing a framework for buildings to produce lower carbon emissions, be more environmentally friendly and be “healthier” for people who use them. It also looks at the positive impact on those within the community around those buildings.
Who issues the LEED Certification? The Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI). It is the only body within the sustainability sector to exclusively give out LEED certifications (it also covers other certifications like EDGE, Sustainability Excellence and more).
How does a hotel building become LEED Certified? Hotels pay to register and then they have to provide data on seven aspects of the building, which have to be checked and certified by GBCI. The seven areas are: Sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality. For each area the hotel is ranked with points and the highest number of points a hotel can achieve is 110, but getting 80 points or more means you are at the Platinum level (the highest LEED Certification you can achieve). Hotels can get points for being close to public transport or near green spaces – it’s not all about the energy consumption, it’s a whole way of living.
How many levels are there? There are four levels:
- 40-49 points LEED Certified.
- 50-59 points Silver Certification
- 60-70 points Gold Certification
- 80+ points Platinum Certification
What’s the benefit of a hotel becoming LEED Certified? Buildings with LEED Certification will save money because of improved energy efficiency, they will have lower carbon emissions, which will meet ESG goals and contribute to meeting the UN’s 17 SDGS. They will also be more attractive to conscious consumers and businesses looking to fulfil ESG goals, as well as open doors for tax credits and green funding.
Anything else? In February the top ten countries to use LEED was reported here. Top five were China, India, Canada, Brazil and Sweden. LEED is not as popular as BREEAM in the UK (BREEAM was developed in the UK for UK systems). Both are world recognized systems for built and new build projects. LEED certifications are reviewed every three to five years.
HOTELS WITH LEED CERTIFICATION
Bengaluru, India
LEED Platinum
ITC Windsor, spanning over 298,000 square feet, is the first hotel in South India to earn LEED Platinum under the LEED for Existing Buildings program. Smart planning and innovative technology, combined with an emphasis on responsible luxury, led to important new benchmarks in energy and water efficiency, solid waste recycling and carbon reduction. Today, ITC Windsor treats and recycles enough water to irrigate 65,000 trees annually. Its electrical energy demand is entirely met through renewable sources. Cooling demand is greatly reduced by having more than 60 percent of its roof area covered with highly reflective materials. Also noteworthy is that annual CO2 emissions have been cut by nearly 13,000 tons.
Tambo Del Inka Hotel, A Luxury Collection Resort and Spa
Urubamba, Peru
LEED Certified
Tambo del Inka was the first LEED-certified hotel in Peru. Developed by Libertador Hotels, Resorts and Spas, this Luxury Collection hotel is located near Machu Picchu in an area known as the Sacred Valley. The project embraces comfort, culture and sustainability. Highlights include 100 percent onsite wastewater treatment, 100 percent nonpotable irrigation and low-flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water, as well as lighting and thermal comfort controls for occupant well-being. Over 1 million square feet of vegetation was restored along the Urubamba River, and regional lumber was used in both the structure and interior finishes.
Hotels Complex (Hyatt Place, Fairfield Inn and Suites and Aloft Hotel)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
LEED Silver
The HOK design team’s primary goal was creating a sustainable five-star guest experience for this three-brand hotel complex. It was addressed with LED lighting, low-VOC finishes and furnishings, low-flow fixtures and plumbing and a comprehensive recycling program. Extensive energy savings were realized through the insulating properties of a 16,000-square-foot green roof. The roof’s mix of native and adaptive species eliminated the need for irrigation, while also helping to mitigate the urban heat island effect, stormwater runoff and greenhouse gas emissions. The project also benefited from Chicago’s LEED-related incentives.