The practice of green building has increased in popularity in the last several years in the US, primarily as a result of its many benefits. The US Green Building Council, or USGBC, is an organization that has grown tremendously over the last few decades and has led several industries towards the development of standards for green building practices.As a result of increased demand for green buildings due to the cost savings gained through increased energy efficiency, the USGBC developed the LEED rating system, which stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. The non-profit organization continues to grow and increase its LEED rating system to include all types of buildings and developments. There are LEED rating systems for new construction, existing buildings, homes, schools, healthcare buildings, retail, core & shell, commercial interiors, and neighborhoods, with more and more rating systems coming online every year. The LEED rating system is considered the standard for sustainable building guidelines and has therefore become a marketing strategy for businesses as well as a positive contribution to their bottom line.
The goal of sustainable or green buildings is to carefully consider all of the impacts and implications inherent in a building or development project, both now and in the foreseeable future. These considerations are not limited to environmental impacts only, but extend to include the social and economic impacts. Examples of social impacts include the jobs created during the project and as a result of the project and the impacts upon the community demographics and socioeconomic conditions. Examples of economic impacts include the bottom line of the company, the tax revenue impacts to local government, and the required capital for ongoing maintenance and operation.
The City of Indianapolis is committed to increasing the number of green buildings in both the public and private sector. Led by the Office of Sustainability, the City is developing policies, programs, and initiatives to promote green building practices, remove barriers, and engage its citizens in improving their built environment.
Below is a list of LEED-certified buildings in Indianapolis, according to the USGBC web site:
- Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc. Headquarters: LEED-NC 2.2 Gold
- ISP / ISDH Toxicology Laboratory: LEED-NC 2.1 Certified
- Community Hospital South Emergency: LEED-NC 2.2 Gold
- IDO Incorporated: LEED-CI 2.0 Silver
- Shiel Sexton Executive/Marketing Offices: LEED-CI 2.0 Gold
- August Mack - Indianapolis Office: LEED-CI 2.0 Gold
- Franklin Street Properties - 3815 & 3925 River Crossing Parkway: LEED EB-O&M Silver
- Bowen Engineering Offices - LEED-CI 2.0 Gold
- Children's Bureau Family Support Center - LEED-NC 2.2 Gold
- Heapy Engineering - LEED-CI 2.0 Gold
- Woolpert Engineering TI - LEED-CI 2.0 Silver•
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Butler University - LEED-NC 2.2 Gold