Using LEED green rating systems to promote population health

Design and development practitioners have an impact on population health through their ability to modify the built environment, an important factor influencing health behaviors and outcomes. Green certification offers a template for making health promotion a standard consideration and priority within the real estate industry. This study aims to identify existing opportunities for population health promotion within the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Design) framework, a widely used green building rating system. This exploratory analysis classifies three types of health promotion opportunities within LEED v4 distinguished by the level of capacity needed to identify and act upon these opportunities. The analysis identifies a variety of opportunities to promote health and well-being at specific population scales including a project's site user, surrounding community, supply chain and waste stream communities as well as the global population. The majority of LEED v4 strategies have potential impact on human health and well-being at a population scale. LEED practitioners are able to prioritize health and well-being without sacrificing environmental considerations. However, a large number of these health promotion opportunities require additional decision-making. Green building practitioners must be intentional in their selection and application of LEED strategies in order to benefit from their full potential health value. A systematic health promotion process could help LEED practitioners identify, prioritize and implement the most relevant LEED strategies. Additional health-focused guidance and incentive structures could further increase the utility of LEED as a health promotion tool.