A Few of the Workplace Benefits of LEED Certification

If you’re not already aware of it, LEED certification is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.  Its use spans 160 countries and territories and more than 15 billion square feet. For more on what LEED Certification is and how the rating system works, please check out our recent post What Exactly Is LEED Certification? To find out how it can help Hawaii residents, read on!

Taken from the US. Green Building Council’s website, here are some of the many benefits of LEED certification, both to the homeowner and the community at large:

Health Optimization

By regulating air quality standards and access to natural light, while keeping out harmful fumes from chemicals, paints, and finishings, LEED rating systems help to optimize the health and well-being of residents in LEED certified homes, but also employees who work in LEED-certified buildings

Increased Happiness

Yes, you guessed it. Both occupants and the 2.5 million employees currently working in LEED-certified buildings around the world are staying in their jobs longer. It must be the improved work environment and indoor air quality, plus all that natural light from skylights. Improved recruitment and retention rates and increased productivity are just a few of the benefits of making a LEED-certified building your company’s home.

Energy Savings

Between 2015 and 2018, LEED-certified buildings generated almost $150 million in water savings, $715 million in maintenance savings, and a whopping $1.2 billion in energy savings. If you want long-term savings and you’re interested in living a more sustainable Hawai‘i life, it makes sense to search for a home in a development with LEED certification. In Honolulu, Ward Village is the country’s largest Platinum LEED Certified neighborhood development – a master-planned community that offers tons of benefits.

Improved Rental Rates

Here’s an important one for Hawai‘i, since we have such a large visitor population and rental market. In San Diego, a recent study showed that LEED-certified buildings commanded the highest rents and showed an overall vacancy rate for green buildings that was 4% lower than for non-green buildings. (15.7% versus 11.7% vacancy). While the study doesn’t indicate if these were commercial or residential properties, with so much many competing properties on the rental market, having a green home to rent could well be the differentiating factor that appeals to West Coast visitors coming to Hawai‘i for their vacation.