Happy New Year! I trust you all had a safe and very happy holiday, with just enough shoveling to work off the extra pounds garnered from indulging in sweets and spirits.

My first blog post of 2009 is part 2 of a 3-part series on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Standards). In part 1 I explained that LEED is a building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and awards points in categories like sustainability of the site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The system rates buildings on a scale that ranges from certified, to silver and gold. The ultimate intention of the LEED rating system is to develop buildings that use less energy, water and materials, minimize waste and emissions and use of toxic materials. So basically, a green building is designed, constructed and operated to reduce its overall environmental impact and increase occupant well being.

I mentioned in Part 1 that British Columbia was the first Canadian province to adopt the LEED standards and Vancouver now requires that all civic buildings bigger than 500 square metres be designed to earn a LEED-BC gold rating - the highest energy efficiency rating available. As of June 2008, the city council approved the adoption of the highest green standards for private sector development in North America. This means that all new re-zonings for development in Vancouver must achieve or exceed the level of LEED silver, and after January 1, 2010, they must achieve LEED gold.

If you think that all of this seems relatively detached from the subjective details of your daily life, you might be surprised to learn of just a few of the buildings that have already reached LEED standards in Vancouver. In 2004 The National Works Yard (just north of the Via Rail Station at Main and Terminal) became Vancouver’s first LEED-rated facility. The buildings on the site feature a ground-source heat pump and a radiant panel system that heats and cools 2 of the buildings. There are other features that will help reduce energy use by up to 55 per cent over traditional buildings. In 2006 The Vancouver Port Authority won LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) Gold certification for its offices at Canada Place, one of the first pilot projects in the world for the new certification. In spring 2007, the VANOC  (Vancouver Olympic Committee) Campus 2010 high-rise building received LEED Gold certification. The B.C. Cancer Research Centre is also a LEED Gold building, and The Cultch (the Vancouver East Cultural Centre), which is currently being renovated, will be one of the first LEED-certified arts centres in Canada.

In the private sector, a West Vancouver Real Estate company is now offering LEED-certified luxury homes that offer energy efficiencies, use non-toxic building materials, are water smart and respect the environment in which they are constructed.

As I mentioned in Part 1 of my blog LEED series, I am doing my best to adhere to the LEED standards at Renaissance Painting and Decorating. I want to ensure my work is as green as possible by achieving a high recycling rate and understanding materials that are renewable, contain recycled content and emit low VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

The only drawback: even with a LEED certified home or building, you still have to shovel snow.