Over the past few years, the "green" phenomenon has really takenoff, resonating throughout society. That's a good thing. A way oflife that all generations can experiment with, the green mentalityhas rooted itself in all facets of life, ranging from moreenergy-efficient light bulbs to hybrid automobiles. The movement isshowing itself in the construction industry, and the U.S. GreenBuilding Council is leading the way in promoting environmentallyresponsible construction sites with its Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design Building Rating System.

LEED is the benchmark for design, construction and operation ofhigh-performance green buildings. It gives building owners andoperators the tools to have an immediate and measurable impact ontheir buildings' performance, promoting a whole-building approachto sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas ofhuman and environmental health: Sustainable site development, watersavings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoorenvironmental quality.

As a member of the USGBC, our firm is dedicated to reducing theenvironmental impact of new construction through the LEED program.We are currently working with a number of clients in thepharmaceutical, healthcare, educational and commercial industries,who are seeking LEED certification for their projects. LEEDcertification, which first starts with registration of the project,evaluates each project based upon several principles: