Greetings!

My name is Jen, and I'm your Connect Product Manager. Today (June 13th) Reed Construction Data launched a very exciting new feature in Connect - a LEED Certification search feature. "Green Construction" and "LEED certified" are big buzzwords in the industry right now, and I thought I'd swing in to help our customers understand why they're not only important, but also very interesting.

LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. In other words, it's an environmentally responsible approach to designing, spec-ing, building, and managing developments. All players in the construction indsutry are affected by LEED Certification including architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders, and business product manufacturerers.

Some notable LEED certified projects currently in the news include:

• Brad Pitt is partnering with GRAFT (architecture firm out of LA) to build the first LEED Gold Certified Hotel in Dubai
• Las Vegas plans to build the world's largest LEED Certified Project with the Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
• Governments across the country are encouraging LEED certified schools and government buildings
• Habitat for Humanity's latest initiative is to build LEED Certified homes

Obviously, the Green Construction Movement reaches far beyond the individual consumer purchasing energy efficient appliances. Major retailers, manufacturing plants, governments, and land developers across the country are hopping on the green construction bandwagon - and there's no sign of that slowing in the near future.

Is your company currently invovled in any LEED certified projects? Do you manufacture "green" products. We'd love to hear from you!