Book Review: LEED Materials

LEED Materials: A Resource Guide to Green Building by Ari Meisel, published by Princeton Architectural Press, 2010. Paperback, 224 pages. (Amazon)



For those not familiar with the workings of LEED -- the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system for measuring sustainability -- the different certifications (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Certified) are determined by a weighted point system in various categories (Sustainable Sites, water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality), which also includes prerequisites that must be met. The system works so that certain points can be ignored, but achieving LEED-Platinum and, more importantly, trying to create the most sustainable building possible means that no criteria are overlooked or not considered. This guide to materials and their application is indispensable for practicing architects looking to maximize points, particularly because many of the materials featured can go towards categories beyond the obvious Materials & Resources.

Published by Princeton Architectural Press, Ari Meisel's book follows the format of the popular Transmaterial series by Blaine Brownell. Materials are arranged by constituency or application and include photos above a description of the material, advice on using it towards credits, and other information like the manufacturer's contact information. The most valuable text, the book's raison d'etre, is the list of LEED credits where each material works. For example, one see that Agriboard prefab panels can fulfill six points in three categories. A LEED credit index is also helpful for architects looking to fulfill one particular credit. Like the Transmaterial books and web page, Meisel's book has the potential to expand into a series, given the plethora of materials out there and the constant innovation, now in the service of LEED and other systems. It's a simple but smart idea to target material use in LEED; the product is a book that fits well alongside other LEED references in any architects' library.

Comments

  1. this book isn't worth the trees they killed to print it on!

    I mean realy a nuclear power supply for your personal residence..................

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eric - One thing I didn't mention in the review is that the pages are FSC paper, meaning they follow the Forest Stewardship Council's standards for paper sources.

    ReplyDelete
  3. (it's no secret that the business of sustainability has a long way to go before even coming close to nature's understanding of sustainability)
    ...but I guess in my opinion it doesn't make LEED a worthless system. Even though it is far from perfect, it is a positive step that has captured the attention of the mainstream.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is a lot of talk about green building and it is also coming to good use by companies big and small.Good update here.

    Manhattan Air Conditioning Service

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated for spam.