What is sustainability?
Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report:
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
- the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
- the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”
 1. World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987 p. 43.
How does UNCG define sustainability?
“Academics, operations, and outreach… conducted with careful attention to the enduring interconnectedness of social equality, the environment, the economy, and aesthetics.”
– UNCG Tomorrow
What is LEED?
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is redefining the way we think about the places where we live, work and learn. Comprehensive and flexible, LEED is a green building tool that addresses the entire building lifecycle recognizing best-in-class building strategies.
As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
At its core, LEED is a program that provides third-party verification of green buildings. Building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for the project.
Click here to learn more about LEED and the U.S. Green Building Council.