LEED Volume Certification: What Is It and Do You Need It?

Sustainable Stores Challenge (and Opportunity)

One area where retailers see a big opportunity for sustainability is through bricks and mortar locations. Because retail locations – whether consumer goods, food or services – touch the customer directly, green store design and operations practices can provide a logical launching pad for the creation of a sustainable value proposition aligned with evolving customer values while reducing operational spends across a large portfolio. 

Prior to the development of the LEED Volume Program, any retailer wanting to certify multiple locations based on a prototype design was required to submit an independent application for each location constructed.

In order to understand the value and significance of the volume certification process, the diagram on the following page (Figures 1&2) contrasts the single building certification approach with the volume certification process.

Inefficiency of the location-based submittal structure was the major driver for the development of PNC’s Green Branch® Bank Branch program, an effort spearheaded by Paladino and Company on behalf of its client, PNC Financial Services, with the support of the USGBC. Since launching the program, PNC has certified nearly 100 buildings.

USGBC and Paladino then collaborated to develop the Volume Program based on PNC’s success, using lessons learned from the Green Branch program to expand it for use by all retailers. (For a case study of PNC’s Green Branch program, please visit the USGBC's website.

The LEED Volume Program allows retailers and other volume builders to streamline the certification process by submitting a prototype design for precertification once, and then constructing several locations under that prototype using a simplified construction application structure.

Using this method, the certification process becomes embedded into an organization’s existing store delivery process, making certification flexible, predictable and cost effective.

Single Location Approach

The certification of a single building follows a long-standing process that ..... 

To recieve a full copy of the white paper and learn more about your complimentary feasiblity assessment, please email Cathy Edens, Vice President of Client Services, at cathye@paladinoandco.com.