Through my work on building efficiency at Pike Research, I am often asked the question, “Which green building certification program is the most stringent?”

In short: It’s a really hard question to answer, and few academics and building scientists—the main groups that would be in a position to answer the question with authority—have investigated it in depth. Essentially, such a comparison would require a complex analysis of the criteria (particularly for energy efficiency) for different buildings in different climates. And with programs and the legislative landscape changing on a regular basis, the green building industry is a kind of "moving target," so it’s hard to know which is the most “stringent” at any given time.

Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to join a group volunteering their time to LEED certify a building here in Santa Barbara. The structure in question is the Built Green Resource Center, a community education building staffed by members of the Santa Barbara Contractors Association. Originally an artist studio built in the 1920’s, it received top-notch green and sustainable rehabilitation and is now being used to teach residents and professionals about sustainable building practices.

The volunteer group is headed by a local architect, Paul Poirier, and the goal is to attain the highest rating we can under the LEED v2.2 Operations + Maintenance rating system. The project itself was registered before LEED v3 came out, so we are working with a 92 point system instead of 100 and will not work with regional credits. It’s exciting to be involved with such a project because of my interest in the LEED rating system and goal of becoming certified with the Operations + Maintenance specialty. I get the opportunity to work with local architects, engineers, designers, and students who all want to see this project succeed.