Strategies for LEED certified projects: the building layer versus the service layer

The study aims to evaluate the correlation between building layer (BL) and service layer (SL) (i.e., shearing layer concept) in the (i) design of new buildings under the LEED-NCv3 rating scheme and (ii) renewal of existing buildings under the LEED-EBv3 rating scheme. To decrease the influence that green policy, which can change over several years, has on the Energy and Atmosphere category of LEED, LEED-certified projects were selected exclusively from the US over the course of a year. The total number of LEED certified projects analyzed was 594. These projects were nested into 32 groups (eight US states x two types of buildings x two LEED certification levels). In 19 of 32 groups, reciprocal negative correlations between BL and SL were observed. The following three design strategies, BL-emphasized, SL-emphasized, and random, were identified. It was concluded that LEED rating schemes should be enhanced by emphasizing long time expectancy BL design strategies.