Positioning of LEED¨ in the Market
Buildings vary widely in the extent to which they exhibit Green Building Characteristics.  The diagram shows how we envisages LEED to be positioned to promote market transformation.
The graph represents a histogram of Green Building standards with low environmental performance shown to the left of the X-axis and high environmental performance to the right end of the axis.  The graph indicates that the majority of the market adopts a Green standard a little better than code and regulation.  Some donŐt even meet code and regulatory standards and break the law.  At the other extreme, there are the deep Green innovators who are inventing the new practice for the future, but doing so at significant technical or financial risk.

LEED is targeted at the early adopters of Green building practice.
The third party assessed and certified performance represented by a LEED Certification signals the improved environmental credentials of these Green buildings to the market, allowing them to achieve premium value within their local markets.
Although LEED is not targeted at the deeply green building, innovation credits do provide a mechanism for rewarding innovative green practice.  Such innovations also provide ideas for future LEED credits.
Equally, as LEED promotes Green building practice into the mainstream, so this practice will become mandated into code and can be withdrawn from LEED.
By this means, LEED contributes to the raising of standards by all, but through focus on the early adopters.