The LEED green building certification program is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for buildings designed, constructed and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the- art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality. The U.S. Green Building Council is the developer of the LEED program. For more information go to new.usgbc.org/leed.

The U.S. Green Building Council® is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 140,000 LEED® ProfessionalsTM, USGBC® is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. USGBC is the developer of the LEED green building certification program and the convenor of the Greenbuild® International Conference & Expo.

EXAMPLE OF LEED Gold Certification  - Target Field Baseball Park - Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Target Field was awarded the LEED Silver Certification in 2010, receiving 36 points, making it the nation’s greenest stadium. High-efficiency field and interior lighting, heating/cooling and ventilation equipment. Water-saving urinals and toilets, recycling stations and reused of water runoff for irrigations. Use of recycled building materials which resulted in 30% of all installed materials. Use of local materials and construction waste recycling.

In April of 2017, Target field announced that it is the first sports facility to achieve LEED Gold certification and the only sports venue in the world to earn three different levels of LEED certification.