LEED BD+C

Optimization in areas such as energy, water and materials, including daylight simulations, LCA analyses and rainwater calculations.

Light pollution prevention, waste management plans, indoor air protection and extended commissioning.

Support for LEED BD+C (Building Design and Construction), LEED O+M (Operation and Maintenance), LEED ID+C (Interior Design and Construction) and LEED ND (Neighborhood Development).

Thanks to our membership in the USGBC, we offer discounts on fees and training for your team on long-term sustainability.

LEED reduces operating costs, increases energy efficiency, improves indoor environmental quality and promotes environmental responsibility. In addition, LEED certificates are well known and preferred by large investment funds, especially in the USA.

The LEED process begins with an analysis of the achievability of certification levels, cost quantification, setting of target levels and strategies, project registration, simulations, expert studies and assessments, assigning tasks to architects, designers and other parties, and checking the incorporation of requirements into the documentation. Subsequently, a pre-certificate application is submitted, communication with the certification authority takes place, the pre-certificate is handed over to the client, sustainability plans and manuals are processed during construction, compliance with requirements is monitored, and documentation, including translations, is collected. Finally, an application for a final certificate is sent, communication with the authority takes place, and the final certificate is handed over to the client, with coordination by a consultant such as SALVIS.

Both systems have their advantages, are mature, well-established and recognised. If the client has no preference and asks us to guide them, we steer them towards LEED in the case of office buildings that are not designed for a specific client. For residential and industrial buildings, as well as buildings that the investor is constructing for a known user, we tend to recommend BREEAM. For more information, visit our website Differences between BREEAM and LEED.

The certification process depends on the degree of project readiness and the stage at which certification begins. LEED pre-certification can be obtained in the early stages of project documentation, which greatly supports project financing and communication. The entire process can take from a few months to more, depending on the scope of the project.

The cost of LEED certification depends on several factors, such as the level of certification, the time involved in the project, the experience of the consultant and team, and the availability of “no-cost” points from the building’s location. For Gold level or lower, it represents a 0-1% increase in total construction costs, while for Platinum it can be 0-7%, with early involvement of an experienced consultant minimising costs to 0-2%, but late involvement can increase costs to 0-10% or lead to a lower level of certification. The total costs cannot be generalised, as they depend on the baseline standard of each building, and the more committed the team, the lower the expenses.

The process is handled by a team of SALVIS experts with LEED AP BD+C and LEED Green Associate experience and accreditations. We coordinate, process all necessary studies and communicate with certification bodies.

LEED certificates are available in four basic levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each level reflects the degree to which sustainability criteria are met.

Yes, through LEED O+M (Operation & Maintenance) for operation and maintenance.