The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the opening of the public comment period for its LEED for Retail rating system, both for New Construction and Commercial Interiors projects.  LEED for Retail recognizes the unique nature of the retail environment and offers a certification system that addresses the various types of retail spaces available, from grocery stores to big box retailers, to restaurants and banks. Since the pilot’s launch in April 2007, USGBC has collaborated with over 80 retail pilot project teams to develop and refine the innovative program. Once balloted, LEED for Retail will become a part of LEED 2009, the next evolution of the LEED green building certification system.  
 
“Retailers have become strong adopters of LEED, recognizing the need to green their space in order to convey their corporate values to their customer,” said Doug Gatlin, Vice President, Market Development, U.S. Green Building Council.  “The LEED for Retail rating system is designed specifically for retailers’ unique needs and features technologies and strategies they can use to create spaces that are healthier and safer for customers and employees.”
 
The LEED green building rating system, developed by USGBC, was originally created as a way to define green building for new commercial construction and has since expanded to include ratings for existing building operations and maintenance, commercial interiors, core & shell developments and also schools and single family homes. As the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.
 
This is the third public comment for LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovation and the second for LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors.  Public comment for LEED for Retail opened on November 12 and will conclude November 27. To view the LEED for Retail draft and submit comments online, click here.