Why LEED-EB Certify?
LEED-EB, Green, Certification June 4, 2010
Today's tip is about making the justification argument for going through the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance process.
Many skeptics wonder why facility managers would pay extra money to get a certification plaque on the wall. But many facility managers who have gone through the LEED-EBOM process say there are several reasons certification is worthwhile
First, FMs should understand that the certification process itself is a little simpler than it was a few years ago. The calculations and submission documents can now be submitted online and USGBC has streamlined some of the calculations to make them easier. In 2009, more than 275 projects completed LEED-EBOM certification. Compare that to only 17 in 2006.
The biggest reason for certification, say experts, is simply to verify your environmental strategies. Whether to the C-suite or potential tenants, having proof that you're doing what you're saying you're doing can go a long way to raising the credibility of the facility management department.
Another reason is simply to codify facility management procedures. One LEED-EBOM expert notes that you're doing everything in LEED-EBOM anyway - the only question is whether you're doing it to LEED standards. So by using LEED as a guide and going through the certification process, you can standardize your FM operation. This is especially useful in large FM organizations, where everyone may not have been doing things the same way.
Finally, certification is a great framework for setting goals for continuous improvement. That’s because a LEED-EBOM certification requires a recertification a minimum of every five years, so FMs can now force themselves to set long-term goals and improve on where they stand at the time of certification.
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