Green Building Standards Checklist

Request whole-building electric, gas, water, and steam data from the utility (or use auto-upload where the utility supports it — ConEd, PG&E, ComEd all do). Confirm the property's gross floor area, occupancy, and use-type fields are accurate. Many local benchmarking ordinances (NYC LL84, Boston BERDO, Seattle, Chicago) require Portfolio Manager submission annually.

Hire a licensed energy auditor to perform an ASHRAE Level II walk-through with savings analysis. Level I is too shallow for capex justification; Level III is overkill outside of deep retrofits. The audit report should identify ECMs (energy conservation measures) with payback under 7 years.

The path drives the rest of the workflow: LEED O+M is best for existing buildings with operational data; ENERGY STAR certification requires a Portfolio Manager score of 75+; local programs (NYC LL97, CA Title 24) impose mandatory thresholds rather than voluntary certification. Pick one primary target before committing capex.

Translate the audit's ECMs into a line-item capex schedule with payback periods. Cross-check available utility rebates (most utilities have a commercial efficiency program) and federal incentives (179D deduction, IRA §48 credits for solar/storage). Owner approval lives or dies on the rebate-adjusted payback.

Specify DLC-listed or ENERGY STAR fixtures to qualify for utility rebates. Hallways and parking garages should pair LED with occupancy sensors — this is typically the fastest-payback ECM (under 3 years) and a baseline LEED O+M prerequisite.

Target SEER2 15+ for split systems and AFUE 95+ for gas furnaces. Where local mandates ban new fossil equipment (NYC LL154, Berkeley, parts of CA), specify heat pumps or VRF. Pair with programmable or smart thermostats — manual thermostats in common areas leak energy on weekends and overnight.

Air-seal at penetrations, weatherstrip exterior doors, and add attic insulation where R-values fall below current code. Blower-door testing post-work documents the improvement for LEED credit submission.

Tenant submetering is required for LEED O+M Energy Performance credit and shifts behavior — tenants who pay their own electric reduce consumption ~15%. Coordinate with the utility on master-meter recovery rules; some jurisdictions restrict resale of utility service.

WaterSense-labeled toilets (1.28 gpf), faucets (1.5 gpm), and showerheads (2.0 gpm) are baseline for LEED and required by some local codes (CA CALGreen, NYC). Document fixture model numbers and install counts — the certification submission requires this.

Replace spray heads with drip emitters in planted beds, install a WaterSense-labeled weather-based controller, and replace turf with native or drought-tolerant species where feasible. In water-stressed jurisdictions (CA, AZ, NV, CO Front Range), turf rebates often cover most of the cost.

Compare metered water against fixture-count baseline; gaps over 10% usually indicate underground or in-wall leaks. Common offenders: continuously running flapper valves, irrigation cracks, cooling-tower bleed-off miscalibration.

The policy specifies preferred attributes — recycled content, FSC-certified wood, GreenGuard or Cradle-to-Cradle certified furniture, locally sourced within 500 miles. Required for LEED O+M Purchasing credits; the policy must be in writing and applied to ongoing purchases, not just one-time procurement.

Provide collection for paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, metal, and organics. Several jurisdictions (NYC LL77, CA SB 1383, MA, VT, WA) now mandate organics diversion for residential and commercial properties above a size threshold. Contract a hauler that provides weight tickets — LEED requires diversion-rate documentation.

Require GCs to submit waste manifests showing diversion to recycling vs. landfill. Target 75% diversion by weight for LEED credit. Concrete, metal, and clean drywall are the easy wins; mixed C&D requires a sorting facility.

Reference SCAQMD Rule 1113 limits or Green Seal GS-11 for paints; CARB Phase 2 for composite wood. Make-ready specs for paint should call out the product line by name (e.g., Sherwin-Williams Harmony, Benjamin Moore Natura) — leaving it to the vendor lets cheaper high-VOC product back in.

Have the mechanical contractor balance OA dampers and document CFM per occupant against ASHRAE 62.1-2019. Buildings retrofitted for energy savings often dropped OA below code — a frequent finding in post-COVID IAQ audits.

Sample CO2, PM2.5, formaldehyde, and TVOCs in occupied common areas. CO2 above 1,000 ppm signals undersized ventilation; PM2.5 above 12 µg/m³ usually points to filter or filtration-stage issues. Log readings for the LEED IEQ submission.

Confirm the AHU can handle the pressure drop before specifying MERV-13 — older units may need fan adjustment or staging through MERV-11 first. Set a quarterly filter-change schedule in the CMMS.

Cool roofs (SRI 78+ for low slope) are cheaper than vegetated roofs and qualify in most jurisdictions. NYC, Toronto, and parts of CA require cool or green roofs on new construction and major reroofs. Confirm structural capacity before specifying a vegetated assembly — most existing buildings need engineering review.

EV-ready stalls (panel capacity + conduit) are cheaper than full Level 2 install and satisfy CALGreen and many local codes. Provide secured bike storage at 5% of occupants for LEED Alternative Transportation credit. Coordinate utility load-management for EV stations to avoid demand-charge spikes.

Address watering, liability, and plot-assignment rules in writing before opening to residents. A signed garden agreement avoids the recurring complaints around abandoned plots and pesticide use that kill these programs by year two.

Cover recycling sort rules, thermostat setpoints, leak reporting, and the EV/bike program. A 30-minute session at lease signing plus an annual refresher is sufficient — the LEED education credit requires documented attendance.

Compile the credit-by-credit documentation in LEED Online (or the Portfolio Manager profile for ENERGY STAR) and submit. Build in 30-60 days for review and any clarification requests from GBCI before the target award date.

Reviewers typically return one round of questions on documentation completeness or calculation methodology. Respond within the GBCI window (currently 25 business days) or the application closes and the fee is forfeited.

Local benchmarking laws have hard annual deadlines (NYC LL84: May 1; Boston BERDO: May 15; Seattle: April 1). Late or missed filings trigger per-day penalties. Submit through Portfolio Manager's reporting template for the jurisdiction.