LEED standards, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, have become the flagship for green building design and construction. Any architect or designer wishing to gain recognition in sustainable building must factor in LEED recommendations.

A huge part of sustainable building is sustainable energy. In other words, a LEED-certified structure will almost definitely have some renewable energy elements (i.e., geothermal heat pumps, solar thermal, or electric systems). So when it comes to solar systems in green building, does the USGBC have LEED standards specifically for solar?

The answer for now seems to be No. Yet while there are no specific LEED standards guiding a solar installation, solar power does play a big role in meeting LEED-certification. That is, nearly every commercial building that meets LEED's energy efficiency demands has some type of solar energy system to offset its carbon footprint. They sort of go hand in hand.

The USGBC does require that every building seeking LEED certification be investigated for compliance by an independent organization. That investigation would no doubt ensure that all was in working order regarding solar power. The best bet for any aspiring LEED building with solar incorporated into the design is to make sure that the system meets all requirements handed down by the state regarding registered installers and equipment requirements -- an easily motivated act considering lucrative tax credits and other incentives.

In some respects, LEED standards regarding building in general may be changing soon as the USGBC gets set to release its first ever neighborhood guidelines for certification. Until now LEED standards dealt only with buildings. That process is currently in its public comment phase but it appears that solar power is receiving a rather low score.