I can't say that I love USGBC's LEED system. But it does such a messy job of tying together so many disparate concerns that, in its entirety, it is a thing of beauty.
Everything from infill housing to second-hand smoke is addressed in the LEED certification process.
As a planner I wish they would give more points for compact development - perhaps this will be addressed once LEED-ND is released and buildings will get a whopping 10 points for being in a LEED-ND neighborhood.
And for all of the malcontents out there who whine about certain LEED points being very expensive to implement and others being cheap miss the holistic nature of the LEED system. LEED is not not just about saving energy; that's what we have Energy Star certification for. LEED is about addressing energy, indoor environmental quality, compact development, access to transit, water quality, and reducing GHG through regional sourcing, amongst others.
LEED is not a panacea but the amount of press coverage LEED buildings receive contributes considerably to public's general knowledge regarding the environmental impact of building and development.
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