On June 23, 2004, City Council adopted the Green Building Resolution, which set a target of Silver level LEEDT certification for new construction, replacement facilities and major renovations of city of Houston-owned buildings and facilities with more than 10,000 square feet of occupied space. The General Services Department is implementing this policy in its management of projects in the City's Capital Improvement Plan.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating SystemT is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council, representing all segments of the building industry, developed LEEDT and continue to contribute to its evolution.

LEEDT provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEEDT emphasizes state of the art strategies for:

• sustainable site development,
• water savings,
• energy efficiency,
• materials selection, and
• indoor environmental quality.

LEEDT recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.