The most significant and exciting development in the construction industry over the past decade is green, sustainable building. In 1998, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)—the nation’s leading coalition on sustainable building—established the LEED® Green Building Rating System™. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) is the most widely used rating system for green building. This system defines standards for environmentally responsible, healthier, and more profitable structures, and awards points to new construction and major renovation projects in five categories:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Materials & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality

Right now, new commercial building construction that uses Genuine Stone regional to a project or uses salvaged or reclaimed stone are the most common ways stone contributes to LEED points under the Materials & Resources section.