LEED Certification: Path to Better Buildings or Bigger Bottom Lines?

With supporting evidence from a USA TODAY analysis, Thomas Frank examines the LEED points system and finds that certification, and the tax breaks and other rewards that go with it, can be easily obtained without proven environmental impact.

2 minute read

October 30, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT

By Jessica Hsu


"Across the United States, the Green Building Council has helped thousands of developers win tax breaks and grants, charge higher rents, exceed local building restrictions and get expedited permitting by certifying them as ‘green' under a system that often rewards minor, low-cost steps that live little or no proven environmental benefit," finds Frank based on a USA TODAY analysis of 7,100 LEED-certified commercial buildings.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is based on a points system with a minimum of 40 required out of a possible 100 for certification. The problem, says Frank, is that, "designers emphasize LEED points that can be won through simple purchasing decisions and shun-labor intensive options and cutting-edge technology." According to Bill Walsh, executive director of the Healthy Building Network, which promotes non-toxic building materials, "A lot of the fuel for LEED, to be honest, is marketing advantage. People are interested in how they get the (LEED) credits, not in thinking deeply about it."

Yet LEED has its defenders among environmentalists and experts, who argue that the system has raised awareness of greener construction practices and has had a demonstrable effect on conservation efforts. "'LEED put this on the agenda single-handedly and rallied a mass of people interested in green buildings who didn't have a framework,' said University of California engineer Arpad Horvath, whose 2006 study criticized LEED for not considering the lifetime effect of its various points." Architect Bob Berkebile, who helped create LEED in the 1990s, calls the system "the most transformative force in the design and construction industry in my lifetime by a factor of four. For the first time, (designers) are starting to consider how a building affects the life and well-being of the occupants and the vitality of the system in which it operates."

However, "[e]nergy savings are not closely related to the number of points received," concluded a study by University of Wisconsin researchers, and the Environmental Protection Agency says "it is a common misconception that new buildings, even so-called 'green' buildings are energy-efficient." Even in the face of uncertainty, "[m]ore than 200 states, cities and federal agencies now require LEED certification for new public buildings," reports Frank.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 in USA Today

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight