LEED Certification
Once a project has been certified, the LEED certification mark appropriate to the year and level of certification achieved can represent the associated project's achievement.
LEED Certification Marks
Do:
Only use the LEED certification mark appropriate to the level of certification and the year certified. LEED certification marks should be used on marketing materials for a particular LEED-certified project. LEED certification marks without a year are not available for distribution.
Access the LEED Project Promotions toolkit for resources and helpful tips for sharing your green building story.
Follow all guidance detailed in the General Brand Guidelines section of this resource, and contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions.
Don't:
Use the LEED certification marks in connection with LEED-registered or precertified projects.
Use the LEED certification marks on anything other than promoting your LEED-certified project.
Use old logos and certification marks, including colored LEED certification marks. Only use logos sourced through USGBC’s Marketing Department.
LEED Plaques & Signage
Celebrate your achievement when your project achieves certification by displaying signage. Shop LEED plaques and signage from our official vendors. Visit USGBC's project promotion page for information about the signage ordering process. Plaques may only be displayed on or in spaces that are within the certified project boundary. To request an exception, contact USGBC's Marketing Department.
Fabrication Tips
Prior to displaying a physical installation, ensure that your project is public versus private.
Before designing a physical installation using the LEED certification mark, such as a plaque, decal, or banner, contact USGBC's Marketing Department to request a license. At USGBC’s discretion, USGBC may grant you a limited license for a specific, one-time use of the artwork or logo, provided that the design conforms to usage criteria.
The LEED certification mark image must appear tone-on-tone in the natural material color (for example, stone or glass) for all physical installations using the LEED certification mark. Don’t add any additional or contrasting colors.
All plaque designs must be 5" or larger.
Contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions before fabrication.
LEED-Certified Badges
Do:
Use the badge on building signage, social media, collateral, and online and printed marketing materials.
Follow all guidance detailed in the General Brand Guidelines section of this resource, and contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions.
Don't:
Use the LEED-certified badges or USGBC marks if your project is confidential or private. Learn more about how to update your project’s confidentiality status.
Use the badges on anything other than the promotion of your LEED-certified project.
LEED-Certified Projects: In Text
When a project achieves certification, it should be referred to as a LEED-certified project and not, for example, LEED for New Construction certified or LEED for Commercial Interiors v2.0 certified. If appropriate, supporting text may include additional details about the specific rating system under which the project was certified.
LEED certification with lowercase "c" describes the certification process. LEED-certified with a hyphen and lowercase "c" is used to describe a project that has been certified. LEED Certified with a capital "C," and no hyphen is used to describe a project certified to the base level.
Do Say:
Project 'A' is LEED Certified® / LEED Silver® / LEED Gold® / LEED Platinum®.
Don’t Say:
Project 'A' is LEED Certified certified.
LEED Manufacturing Mark
Use the LEED manufacturing mark to promote products manufactured within LEED-certified facilities. Once a project achieves LEED certification, the manufacturing facility may use the mark appropriate to the LEED certification level achieved for the facility.
The mark may be used on websites, product packaging or labels, advertising, and marketing to promote a product manufactured in a LEED-certified facility.
Follow all guidance detailed in the General Brand Guidelines section of this resource, and contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions.
LEED Precertified Wordmark
Do:
Use the LEED precertified wordmark lockup on project materials, marketing collateral, and temporary signage at the building or construction site. LEED precertified projects can no longer use the LEED program logo[4].
Always include descriptive text when designing with the LEED precertified wordmark lockup to promote your precertified project. For example: This project has achieved LEED® precertification (add a level, i.e., Certified / Silver / Gold / Platinum, if applicable).
Follow all guidance detailed in the General Brand Guidelines section of this resource, and contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions.
Confidential LEED Projects
If a project remains confidential or private, it must not be marketed or represented to the general public as LEED-registered or LEED-certified.
Confidential or private projects aren't entitled to use or display USGBC marks, including the LEED certification mark and LEED program logo.
These projects may communicate their LEED-registered or LEED-certified status to government entities to comply with building and tax laws and for administrative proceedings related to land use entitlements.
LEED for Neighborhood Development Projects
Within the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system (v4), teams have two options to choose from based on the project’s stage of completion:
LEED for Neighborhood Development: Plan: Teams pursuing this option can earn certification for their project plans, not the project itself. These projects can cite themselves as having achieved a LEED-certified plan at the (Certified / Silver / Gold / Platinum) level. Once this certification is earned, teams may request LEED certificates to celebrate their achievement. Plaques may be ordered once LEED ND: Built Project certification has been achieved.
LEED for Neighborhood Development: Built Project: Teams pursuing this option can earn certification for the project being developed and follow the logo and text guidelines for LEED-certified and registered projects.
Note: Projects that complete the optional letter of support and prerequisite reviews retain their registered project or plan status. These optional reviews do not replace the plan and built project reviews needed for LEED certification.
LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities Projects
There are two pilot rating systems dedicated to certifying existing cities and communities. Teams can promote their projects as having earned LEED for (Cities/Communities) at the (Certified/Silver/Gold/Platinum) level. They should follow the logo and text guidelines for LEED-certified and registered projects. This certification is valid for one year, and teams must take action to maintain certification to continue to promote their projects as certified.
Once certified, the project may order certificates and a LEED for Cities plaque to celebrate and display their achievement.
LEED for Cities and Communities Badges
Don't:
Use the LEED-certified badges or USGBC marks if your project is confidential or private. Learn more about how to update your project’s confidentiality status.
Use the badges on anything other than the promotion of your LEED-certified project.
Follow all guidance detailed in the General Brand Guidelines section of this resource, and contact USGBC's Marketing Department with any questions.
LEED in Product Literature
Manufacturers can reference LEED in their product literature, provided the language does not state or imply endorsement by USGBC or the LEED green building program. Products that meet the LEED performance criteria can only contribute toward earning points needed for LEED certification; they cannot be said to earn points toward LEED certification on their own.
Do Say:
Product 'A' contributes toward satisfying Credit 'X' under LEED®.
Don’t Say:
Product 'A' is LEED-certified, qualified, compliant, accredited, approved.
Product 'A' is a LEED Product.
Product 'A' meets, satisfies, fulfills, or complies with Credit 'X.’
View LEED-Certified Projects: In Text for more information about referencing LEED in product literature. View the LEED Manufacturing Mark for more details on promoting products manufactured within LEED-certified facilities. Explore LEED categories and credits.
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