USGBC leading the building industry into sustainability.

People spend 90% of their time indoors, so it shouldn't be a surprise that our homes, schools, hospitals, and offices have a dramatic impact on our health, safety, and well-being.

Too often, people think only of fabric samples and paints chips when they think about interior design; but the truth is that interior design affects every aspect of the spaces where we spend so much of our lives.

In recent years, the building industry has become more aware of the importance of interior design, both for the health of a building's occupants and for the health of the environment. The result has been a dramatic increase in the number of spaces that are designed with health, comfort, and environmental protection as primary goals. The LEED[R] Green Building Rating System[TM], developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides the building industry with the tools to achieve them.

Poor ventilation and chemical-emitting furnishings can present major health hazards: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that indoor levels of pollutants may run two to five times--and occasionally more than 100 times--higher than outdoor levels. The World Health Organization's 1999 Air Quality Guidelines reported that most of an individual's exposure to air pollutants comes through breathing indoor air, and a major 2000 study found that indoor environments have a significant impact on rates of communicable respiratory illness, allergy and asthma symptoms, and sick building symptoms.

Founded in 1993, USGBC is the nation's leading non-profit organization promoting buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. With more than 9,000 member organizations, USGBC is transforming the building industry to sustainable practices. The voluntary LEED system, developed in 2000, is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design and construction of high performance green buildings, and is currently in use by more than 7,000 building projects encompassing over one billion square feet of buildings. Various LEED initiatives are found in 55 cities, 22 states, 33 schools, and 11 federal agencies across the United States and Canada.

LEED provides owners, builders, and designers with a powerful tool for creating healthy environments. It also provides (we can't use the word "standard" anymore when talking about LEED because standard implies least common denominator/building code) verifiable benchmarks and facilitates the integrated design process, bringing together the entire project team from the outset of the design process. And LEED buildings aren't just health spaces for the people who occupy them; they are also energy efficient, use less water, and are integrated into the fabric of their communities.

The LEED Rating System awards building projects points for achievements in six different categories, including site selection, water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), materials and resources, and innovation. Decisions made in the IEQ category most directly affect the quality of the indoor environment and the health and com, fort of the occupants. Within this category, projects can earn points for improving ventilation, including filtered outdoor air; selecting paints, sealants, flooring, furniture and other furnishings that do not emit harmful chemicals; providing thermal and lighting controls to improve both occupant comfort and energy efficiency; and providing access to daylight and outdoor views.

LEED was first launched to address the needs of new commercial construction projects. As awareness about the benefits of green building has grown, however, so too has the demand for green building tools for every building type and phase of a building lifecycle phase. USGBC now offers rating systems for existing building renovations, commercial interiors, residential homes, schools, and neighborhood development.

People who live, work, and go to school in green buildings show dramatic increases in health, happiness, and productivity. The LEED for Commercial Interiors Rating System is a tool to build high-performance, healthy, and environmentally sound interiors--interiors that not only are saving money but also protecting our environment for the future. Would you like to learn more? Visit www.usgbc.org for more information about LEED and green building. USGBC also offers hundreds of workshops in locations across the country to help people learn about the LEED Rating System and the integrated design process. USGBC also has a program for professional accreditation, which is expanding to include accreditation specifically for interiors professionals. Be sure to visit www.green buildexpo.org to learn more about the 2007 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo that will be held in Chicago. Greenbuild is the building industry's premiere conference.

Ashley Katz is the communications coordinator for the U.S. Green Building Council.