Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is all the rage for retailers these days. Companies such as Starbucks and Office Depot are pursuing certification at pilot sites that will set the stage for a new era of sustainable stores. The U.S. Green Building Council is currently working with more than 300 retail companies, each pursuing certification on at least one location. Because these companies have to incorporate this LEED methodology into thier processes and new store construction, most are starting with a lighter shade of green. How to you make a building green you might as (patiently sitting, waiting for you to ask :o) Prototype stores include such things as natural lighting, integrated photovoltaics, solar hot-water systems, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, renewable resource building materials, and recycling of construction waste. 
Interestingly, currently 20 percent of all LEED certifications by square foot occur outside the United States (excluding Canada and India, which have their own Green Building Council operations).
