LEED-certified architecture was conceived by a nonprofit to save energy on heating and cooling, but it also makes for big business. According to the watchdogs at Mother Jones, an office building certified for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design costs $171 more to build per square foot than a typical structure—and the standards may be better at generating publicity than at encouraging truly cost-effective, environmentally friendly energy. At least that’s the contention of energy consultant Henry Gifford, who has filed a series of lawsuits against the U.S. Green Building Council, which developed the internationally recognized rating system.
