Study Attempts to Quantify Impacts of LEED

A study commissioned by the City of Portland, Oregon attempts to quantify the impacts of applying the LEED Rating System to city buildings. Allen Lee and his associates at XENERGY, Inc. examined three relatively new buildings and found that they could have achieved 32 LEED points (the minimum number required in the LEED 2.0 ballot version) with little or no increase in first cost. They found that the LEED measures would have reduced life-cycle costs to the city. Beyond these quantifiable savings, worker productivity and broader societal benefits were also found to be very significant. The full report can be downloaded from www.ci.portland.or.us/energy/reports.htm, or contact Rob Bennett, Portland’s Green Building Initiative manager, at 503/823-7725.