Book Review: LEED Materials - A Resource Guide to Green Building

LEED Materials: A Resource Guide to Green Building, by Ari Meisel, is a comprehensive guide to innovative new materials aimed to reduce the environmental impact of building construction. Divided into nine categories reflecting the various stages of the construction cycle, each material is described in detail, highlighting the sustainable features and where or how it can be used. The descriptions also mention how the material can help a project earn LEED credits and ultimately lead to a higher LEED rating. Furthermore, and probably most useful, the guide offers contact information for manufacturers of each product in order find out more information, get Specification details and research the cost.

In general, I would recommend this book as a useful reference to have in the Library of a firm, especially one just starting out and looking for material suppliers. It would also be useful in university settings as students start exploring materiality and tectonics of architecture. It offers a straight forward, albeit simple, analysis of each material. This works as a way to get a brief understanding of the benefits and some drawbacks, while requiring a more in depth study to fully understand the material and its costs.


- LEED Materials: A Resource Guide to Green Building by Ari Meisel
Published by the Princeton Architectural Press
ISBN 978-56898-885-6