Released in June 2006 by the Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation (OEMC), this guide aims to help building owners and design teams build better, more energy-efficient buildings in Colorado. The guide offers recent examples of green buildings in Colorado, showing how building managers and designers can use the LEED rating system to consider practical, cost-effective features for new construction and that incorporating smart design doesn't have to cost more than conventional buildings. The case studies demonstrate that LEED buildings can save money for decades to come through lower energy and water bills and are better places to work with benefits such as improved air quality, temperature control, and daylighting.

Among the guide's more than 100 pages of information and links, find:

• An introduction to the USGBC and the LEED-NC version 2.1 rating system
  
  
• A list and photos of all LEED-certified projects in Colorado
  
  
• Credit-by-credit guidance for LEED-NC version 2.1

OEMC also provides support to help Colorado's state and local governments initiate this process to build better buildings through its Rebuild Colorado program.