Third Party Green Building Certifications
There are multiple third-party green building certifications available, each with distinct focuses. Programs like LEED, WELL, Fitwel, and Living Building Challenge emphasize different sustainability and health aspects. Selecting the right certification depends on your goals, priorities, and stakeholder expectations. Our team can help navigate these options and identify the optimal path for your project.
Building sustainably doesn’t require third-party certification; many projects successfully incorporate green strategies without pursuing formal recognition. However, certifications like LEED, WELL, and others offer well-structured frameworks that help guide teams toward more efficient, resilient, and healthy building design. These programs consolidate best practices and emerging standards into clear, actionable goals. Third-party verification adds credibility and transparency, ensuring that sustainability claims are backed by measurable performance. Ultimately, certification can strengthen stakeholder trust and demonstrate a clear commitment to environmental and occupant well-being.
The Sage Green team has over 30 years combined experience navigating third-party green building certifications. We are passionate about sustainability and improving building performance to reduce impact. We are committed to helping clients implement these certifications in meaningful ways to build for a better future.
US Green Building Council (USGBC) & Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting sustainability in building design, construction, and operations. It is best known for developing the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, one of the most widely used green building rating systems in the world. LEED provides a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings across various project types, including new construction, existing buildings, interiors, homes, and neighborhoods. In addition to LEED, USGBC supports education, research, and advocacy to advance sustainable building practices. Their mission is to transform the built environment to benefit both people and the planet.
Sage Green has a vast portfolio of successful LEED-certified projects across multiple building types and sectors. We are eager to partner on pilot projects and explore new iterations of all USGBC certifications to stay at the forefront of sustainable design.
Build it Green’s Green Point Rated
GreenPoint Rated is a third-party certification developed by Build It Green to assess the environmental performance of homes in California. It focuses on five categories: energy efficiency, resource conservation, water conservation, indoor air quality, and community impact. The system is points-based, allowing flexibility for builders and homeowners to meet sustainability goals in various ways. GreenPoint Rated is widely used for both single-family and multifamily homes, including new construction and renovations. It provides a trusted benchmark for green building, helping improve home performance and market value.
Sage Green is an official GreenPoint Rater with extensive experience guiding residential projects through the certification process. We are committed to adapting to any future iterations of the GreenPoint Rated system to continue delivering high-performance, sustainable homes.
Fitwel – Center for Active Design
Fitwel is a leading building certification system focused on promoting occupant health and well-being through evidence-based design and operational strategies. Developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the General Services Administration (GSA), Fitwel provides a practical, data-driven framework for enhancing building performance in areas such as air quality, access to healthy food, physical activity, and mental health. It is designed to be flexible, cost-effective, and applicable to a wide range of building types, making it an accessible tool for organizations looking to prioritize wellness in the built environment.
Our team has direct experience with Fitwel certification and would be thrilled to support our partners in creating healthier, high-performing spaces that meet Fitwel standards.
International WELL Building Institute – WELL
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of buildings, organizations, and communities. The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system focused on enhancing human health through the built environment. WELL certification evaluates factors like air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, and mental well-being. The standard is grounded in scientific research and designed to complement other sustainability frameworks. IWBI also supports education, advocacy, and research to promote healthier places for people to live, work, and thrive.
Sage Green is passionate about the mission behind WELL and the profound impact the built environment can have on human health and well-being. We are eager to help create more WELL-certified spaces that prioritize occupant wellness and set a new standard for healthy design.
Living Future – Living Building Challenge
The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) offers several forward-thinking certifications that promote deep sustainability and regenerative design. The Living Building Challenge is ILFI’s flagship program, recognized as the most rigorous green building standard in the world. ILFI also offers the Living Community Challenge, which applies similar principles to neighborhood and district-scale developments. The Zero Energy and Zero Carbon certifications focus on verifying buildings that achieve net-zero energy use or carbon emissions through high efficiency and renewable energy. Additionally, the Declare and Just labels provide transparency for building materials and organizational practices, helping drive accountability and responsible decision-making in the industry.
The Sage Green team has experience implementing the LBC at scale. We know what it takes to build a Living Building and we encourage more owners and designers to take on the challenge. Attaining LBC certification is a one of a kind, rewarding, and impactful achievement!
Let’s build something lasting — for your project and the planet.
We are eager to partner with your team to embed sustainability into your projects. Whether you are seeking guidance on Green Building Certifications, decarbonization planning, or even looking for assistance navigating building code updates, we would love to connect. Sage Green brings clarity, strategy, and hands-on guidance to every phase of the project. Let's chat about your goals and discuss how we can support your team!