Impact of Project Size on LEED-EB V4 Credit Achievement in the United States

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of project size on the achievement of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings version 4 (LEED-EB V4) categories and credits in platinum, gold, silver, and certified projects in the United States. Cliff's δ or log odds ratio effect sizes and exact Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney or Fisher's exact 2 × 2 tests were used to estimate the difference between medium (2,323–13,935 m2) and large (>13,935 m2) LEED-EB V4 project sizes. The results showed that medium projects performed best in the sustainable structures and energy and atmosphere categories, whereas large projects performed best in the location and transportation and water efficiency categories. Medium-to-large projects achieved similar results in the materials and resources and indoor environment quality categories. The identified relationship between project size and category performance can help building practitioners guide the selection of LEED strategies for similar project sizes.