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​​LEED at the NIH​

​NIH facilities equipped with cutting-edge equipment and building systems are essential to improve the health of the nation and the world. However, if not approached carefully, these advancements could have drawbacks in consuming unnecessary amounts of energy, water and other resources. In order to conserve resources and reduce the impact on the environment, the NIH ensures new buildings and renovations are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified.

LEED is a globally recognized standard for building efficiency and environmental stewardship. Achieving LEED certification signifies a commitment to this standard. You may have already heard of LEED and understand what it represents, but what does it take to achieve a LEED status?

To start out, let's look at the Building 110 Net-Zero Energy Warehouse at the Research Triangle Park campus, which achieved the highest-certification level; LEED Platinum. The Warehouse is constructed with very intentional design, where everything, even down to how it is operated, was specifically tailored to improve energy and resource efficiency.

This video provides details on the features of the Net-Zero Warehouse, including solar lighting, photovoltaic arrays and south-facing windows.

A more recent NIH-entry, landing into the LEED Certified ranking category, is the NIH Building 10 E-Wing Renovation. This renovation, certified on February 25, 2025, earned many of its points from indoor environmental quality and location-transportation features. The renovation leverages quality transit, interior lighting and enhanced indoor air quality strategies to improve overall efficiency.

A full breakdown of the earned LEED credits are available here for the Building 110 Net-Zero Energy Warehouse and the NIH Building 10 E-Wing Renovation.

Moving forward, programs like LEED will play a critical role in ensuring the NIH conserves resources and reduces utility costs while also reducing the impact to the environment. Through intentional design and operation, buildings on our campuses can be both cutting edge and environmentally friendly.

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Hannah Tulip and LEED at the NIH​​ ​ Hannah Tulip is a General Engineer in the Division of Environmental Protection (DEP). From managing building energy portfolios to metering electric vehicle charging stations, she’s well-versed in using her technical knowledge to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of the NIH.​​​​​​​​​ LEARN MORE

​​Take Action                                                                                                                                                                              ​                                                                                                

​	Operating Efficiently​​​ ​ Operating buildings, workspaces and equipment efficiently is essential to reducing energy consumption. Even the NIH LEED Platinum Net-Zero Energy Warehouse relies on its occupants to use the building responsibly to meet its energy targets. LEARN MORE​

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Did you know? ​​​​​​There are over 100,000 LEED-certified projects across a total of more than 140 countries worldwide. ​Several iconic feats of engineering also have LEED-certifications, including the Empire State Building in New York City, which currently sits at LEED Gold status.

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