Developers are exceeding LEED standards for marketing purposes

Using LEED certification as a marketing tool is perceived by developers to be a successful tool, and this has pushed them to go above the minimum requirements at each level of certification, according to a study in the Environmental Science & Technology journal.

The study looked at thousands of LEED buildings, and found that the LEED points they were awarded clustered above the threshold for either Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum levels.

(http://earthtechling.com/2014/01/leeds-lure-builders-reach-higher-for-marketing-benefits/)