PORTLAND, Ore. An eco-friendly building rating system that has powered a green arms race across the nation now faces a challenge from policymakers and an upstart rival. <\/p>\n
LEED, the longstanding king of green construction and renovation projects, has become a de facto brand in cities such as Portland, Ore., where sustainable growth has been the rage for years. <\/p>\n
But that could change as legislation and executive orders in several states have all but banned Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design from public contracts, and a new system known as Green Globes has emerged and marketed itself as a simpler, less expensive alternative. <\/p>\n
LEED is a good process, said Byron Courts, director of engineering services for Portlands Melvin Mark Companies. But it represents a huge bureaucracy thats extremely complex and costs quite a bit. <\/p>\n
Courts has used both LEED and Green Globes, which has issued about 850 building certifications in the past few years and has recently picked up support from the federal government. <\/p>\n
LEED supporters say the emerging opposition comes from lobbyists seeking to damage the industry leader and increase the prominence of Portland-based Green Globes. <\/p>\n
The timber, plastics and chemical industries support Green Globes because it does not represent a threat to them, its their way of having a green building without having to change their practices, said Scot Horst, a Green Building Council senior vice president who oversees LEED. <\/p>\n
From Seattle to Chicago, LEED has certified thousands of buildings and provided a marketing tool, tax breaks and other incentives to contractors eager to cash in on the sustainability craze. <\/p>\n
In Portland, LEED adorns buildings as varied as the arena where the NBAs Trail Blazers play and condos in a trendy warehouse district. <\/p>\n
Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., LEED aims to reduce the use of energy, water and greenhouse gas emissions in new construction and renovation projects. <\/p>\n
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