New Levels of LEED
A new top-level LEED classification called Unobtanium is being proposed to replace the currently proposed Protactinium level, leading to a possible schism in the growing green building rating system. Whether Protactinium or Unobtanium becomes the new top-level of the LEED rating system…?
Earlier this year, officials proposed a new level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) that is higher than the current top-end Platinum rating. The new Protactinium level introduces more stringent requirements to ensure the purity of the design team and to verify their worthiness to obtain such a noble rating for their building.
In order to qualify for the standard, building designers must commit to a lifetime of celibacy and staff the building exclusively with doe-eyed orphans from third world countries. The building must be a net CO2 sink, producing more oxygen than it consumes. Any bamboo used in construction must be certified panda-free. In the event that straw bale construction is used, the straw must be free-range, sustainably harvested straw.
The building must also levitate above the ground to preserve the site for future use. Only free-range, sustainably harvested electromagnets may be used to levitate the building. The electromagnets should also give back 10% of their energy to levitate doe-eyed orphans in third world countries.
The modular “block” kitten insulation system (pictured above) will be used in standard 6-inch wall construction, and should be up to 50% cuter than other insulation systems presently on the market.
Further discussion about the merits of Protatinium level LEED, including the initial proposal and commentary from a range of professionals, can be found on the architectural discussion site Archinect.
Earlier coverage from Treehugger.
(Kudos to moose drool [whose handle happens to rhyme with April Fools, too!] for the initial protactinium outline.)
love the cats
Where does one find certified panda free bamboo?
I’m just howling at this, Philip… nicely done!
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unobtainium… thats the said same mineral we used to reach the core when it stopped spinning and almost destroyed the earth in 2003. fun times…
I really can’t take credit for this. The original poster from Archinect (and the follow-up discussion) was what made this.
@ Joel: I think almost all bamboo from Canada is certified panda-free.
Very funny post…. hm… a house of kittens… excellent.
The requirement for panda-free bamboo is a serious impediment to the business of building a LEED-Unobtanium rated building and lacks flexibility. I suggest offsetting any bamboo use with panda-credits that could be traded on the international market.
Benjamin
Thank goodness someone came up with a use for those darn cats! Where do I apply to have my cats converted? Do I get a tax credit?
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LOL! I just became a LEED AP (thanks to Clean Edison!!) and I have to say you had me fooled! This is hilarious, I was about to throw a tantrum thinking I had to retake another test because of the “new” ratings till I kept reading..thanks for my laugh of the day