With its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) brought sustainable building out of the realm of hippydom and into the terrain of architects and designers hoping to make environmentally sound commercial construction the norm, not the exception.

Now, the USGBC is trying to expand its reach to neighborhoods. Along with the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council, the USGBC aims to fill the current certification void with standards aligned with 'smart growth, urbanism, and green building,' according to the groups' recently released draft rating system.

As early as 2007, it could be possible to certify entire neighborhoods under LEED for Neighborhood Developments (LEED-ND) standards. The USGBC will launch a pilot rating system in 2006. Assuming the LEED-ND standards pass the requisite vote in 2007, US residents will have the possibility to certify neighborhoods that address environmental concerns such as energy efficiency, wetland preservation, and heat island reduction, Jamais Cascio writes in Worldchanging.

Go there >>LEED for Neighborhood Developments

Go there too >>Sustainable Neighborhood Design

Related Links:

• LEEDing Us Astray?
• zedstandards
• Environmental Protection Agency's Green Buildings Website
• Beddington Zero Energy Development
• Eastern Village Cohousing Condominium

Related Links from the Utne Archive:

• The Urban Green Revolution($$)
• Islands of Green($$)
• The Green City

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