LEED and Stone Restoration: What You Need to Know
By Frederick M. Hueston
If you’ve worked in commercial buildings, chances are you’ve heard the term LEED thrown around. Architects, designers, and property managers love to talk about it, and many new projects are built with LEED certification in mind. But what exactly is LEED, and what does it have to do with stone restoration? Let’s break it down.
What is LEED?
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a green building certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Think of it as a scorecard for buildings.
Projects earn points across several categories like:
- Energy efficiency
- Water use
- Materials
- Indoor air quality
- Innovation
The more points a project earns, the higher the certification level: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.
For building owners and managers, LEED certification is more than just bragging rights. It can mean:
- Tax breaks
- Higher property values
- Lower operating costs
- A stronger image as an environmentally responsible business
How Stone Restoration Fits Into LEED
Stone restoration can actually contribute to LEED points. Restoration keeps existing materials in place, which reduces waste and avoids the environmental impact of quarrying, shipping, and installing new stone. That fits perfectly into LEED’s focus on sustainability and resource conservation.
Here are some ways your work ties directly to LEED credits:
- Materials and Resources (MR Category): Restoring existing stone reduces the need for new raw materials. This helps with credits for building reuse and waste reduction.
- Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ Category): Using low-emitting sealers, adhesives, and cleaners can contribute to points for maintaining healthy indoor air.
- Innovation Credits: Creative approaches to restoration can qualify for innovation points, such as a long-term maintenance program that extends stone life by decades.
Why This Matters for Stone Pros
Understanding LEED gives you a leg up when bidding commercial work. Property managers and architects want to hear that you know how restoration fits into their sustainability goals.
Even if a project is not formally pursuing LEED certification, more clients are thinking in terms of sustainability. The ability to market your services as environmentally responsible is powerful.
Talking to Clients About LEED
When you’re in front of a client, don’t go into technical jargon. Instead, frame it like this:
“By restoring your existing stone, we’re keeping tons of waste out of landfills and avoiding the energy cost of producing and transporting new stone. If your building is pursuing LEED certification, this work may help with credits in the Materials and Resources category.”
Moving Forward
LEED is all about sustainability, and stone restoration is a natural fit. By reusing existing stone, choosing low-emitting products, and offering long-term maintenance programs, you can contribute directly to a building’s LEED certification. More importantly, you can market yourself as part of the green building movement, which is exactly what many clients are looking for today
