Too often, programs based on environmental initiatives turn out to be pie in the sky attempts at publicity, terminated as soon as public awareness wanes. Is the LEED initiative a flash in the pan, or will the system continue to have relevance well into the future?
Worldwide we are seeing a bigger effort from many industries to help preserve the environment. Efforts ranging from recycled building materials right down to greener vacuum pump systems. When reading real estate details on many homes and condos in cities like Toronto you will notice that the agents are making reference to all the green features the home or condo has. When searching for your next home in the Toronto loft listing section you will notice that low wattage light bulbs are mentioned along with energy efficient appliances and more.
A quick look at the history of the LEED system will help to answer that question. At this point in its history, LEED is a well established system, as far as environmental design is concerned. The program has been in place for not just one, but now two different global environmental crises. The first was the ozone awareness of the early 1990s, which gave birth to the plan. While public interest eventually waned (when was the last time you heard about the ozone layer in the news?), the program itself remained and in fact grew stronger. Today, the LEED system has an even more pronounced relevance, as once again people become focused on the environment due to the coverage on global warming.
In between the big environmental issues, LEED expanded its system almost everywhere. While it was first started in California, today the LEED system is used in every state, and has equivalents in 30 different countries (including Canada, South Korea, and Great Britain). As far as home builders and developers of Whitby condos and others are using the LEED system. The system is applied not only to large corporate developments (the World Trade Center was one of the first LEED certified buildings in the States) but also to high and low density residential developments. The real estate industry is not the only area you will see a push for the green movement. Industries of every nature are on board especially in the tool industry. You will notice manufacturers of fabricated
strainers are making an effort.
Based on the history of the LEED system, we can infer a couple of things about its impact on a global scale. The first is that the LEED system is recognized as a leader in setting green standards that are universal in nature; the basic principles apply all over the world. The second is that LEED backing has greatly impacted the success of many companies and developers as people tend to support eco-friendly initiatives.
Future impact, of course, is what LEED is really all about. The long term goal of the program is to assist in the reduction of the environmental footprint of humans as a whole, by focusing on our living spaces. When moving to a new area for a job transfer for example, such as Toronto relocation it is likely the potential home buyer will be seeking homes that are eco friendly certified. The growth of LEED demonstrates that it will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of developing for the foreseeable future, perhaps becoming the standard scale by which green developments are judged. And, of course, the commitment of LEED to incorporating innovation and change will mean that the system assists in pioneering efforts of those committed to a greener style of living.
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