PROFESSIONAL GREEN CERTIFICATIONS

Veterans Energy Solutions, LLC (VES) is a State of Florida Certified Green Rater firm. We are certified and accredited by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
The LEED Rating System consists of:

• LEED for Homes promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. The LEED for Homes Rating System assigns points for green features such as energy efficiency, enhanced indoor air quality, water efficiency, and sustainable use of materials and land. Based on the number of green measures installed in a home, there are four different levels of LEED for Homes certification: certified, silver, gold, and platinum. The LEED for Homes program will ensure third-party verification services, including both on-site inspections and performance testing. VES offers this service in conjunction with Energy Star Certifications.
• LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations is designed to guide and distinguish high-performance commercial and institutional projects.
• LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance provides a benchmark for building owners and operators to measure operations, improvements and maintenance.
• LEED for Commercial Interiors is a benchmark for the tenant improvement market that gives the power to make sustainable choices to tenants and designers.
• LEED for Core & Shell aids designers, builders, developers and new building owners in implementing sustainable design for new core and shell construction.
• LEED for Schools recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools and addresses the specific needs of school spaces.
• LEED for Retail recognizes the unique nature of retail design and construction projects and addresses the specific needs of retail spaces.
• LEED for Healthcare promotes sustainable planning, design and construction for high-performance healthcare facilities.
• LEED for Neighborhood Development integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national standard for neighborhood design.

Who Uses LEED?

Architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders and government officials all use LEED to help transform the built environment to sustainability. State and local governments across the country are adopting LEED for public-owned and public-funded buildings; there are LEED initiatives in federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, and State; and LEED projects are in progress in 41 different countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India.

The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) is a nonprofit Florida corporation dedicated to improving the built environment. Our mission is "to provide a statewide green building program with environmental and economic benefits."

FGBC Certification Programs

• Green Home Standard
• Green Development Standard
• Green High Rise Standard
• Green Local Government Standard for Green Cities & Counties
• Green Commercial Buildings Standard

Home Standards

The FGBC Green Home Standards indicate the criteria by which a Florida home, new or existing, can be designated green. Certifying agents can guide designers, builders or homebuyers through the process of qualifying and documenting green homes.
Green Development Standard
You have chosen to reduce the burden on the environment and add value to your development project through a voluntary Florida green designation as administered by the Florida Green Building Coalition, Inc. FGBC’s purpose is to provide you with the tools and guidance necessary to help you please your customers, as well as reward and promote your efforts as a Florida friendly developer.

High Rise Standard

The intent of the FGBC Green Hi-Rise Residential Standard is to encourage owners of high-rise residential projects to adopt green and sustainable strategies during the design and construction of their projects and to receive recognition for their efforts. The FGBC Green High Rise Residential Designation Standard covers all residential occupancies above two stories as defined by the Florida Building Code.

Green Local Government Standard

The FGBC Green Local Government Standard designates Green Cities and Green Counties for outstanding environmental stewardship. It is expected that certified green city and county governments will not only gain recognition and publicity, but also function in a more efficient manner through better internal communication, cost reductions, and effective risk and asset management. FGBC is actively working towards the availability of incentives that are based on compliance with this standard.

This standard presents a comprehensive list of criteria, organized in terms of local government department functions. It focuses on improving environmental performance through a number of mediums (energy, water, air, land, waste), and evaluates:

• Environmental practices done "in-house."
• Incentives and ordinances to foster green practices.
• Educational activities to improve the environment.
  
  

Commercial Building Standard

The intent of the FGBC Green Commercial Building Standard is to encourage owners of smaller-sized commercial projects (less than 30,000 sf) to adopt green and sustainable strategies during the design and construction of their project and to receive recognition for their efforts. The Green Commercial Building Designation Standard covers all commercial occupancies listed in the Florida Building Code.

To use this Standard, the project design team reviews the Checklist (Schedule A) along with the Reference Guide. The team determines which Credit Points will be pursued (or targeted). The owner authorizes one of the design team members to be the Designated Professional. The Designated Professional compiles the appropriate documentation for each achieved credit point as the design process evolves.
Find out more at www.usgbc.org and www.floridagreenbuilding.org.


Help us accomplish the mission and Achieve Energy Independence. Contact us for a customized quote for your Professional Green Certification today.