Jim Schwartzkopf of North Branch Construction, Inc. has achieved the certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Development (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP) by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED AP distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the integrated design and LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals demonstrate a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and familiarity with LEED requirements, resources and processes. Schwartzkopf is a vice president for North Branch.
LEED is a self-assessing system designed for rating new and existing commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings. It evaluates environmental performance from a "whole building" perspective over a building's life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a "green building".
North Branch Construction is an active member of the USGBC and has been providing sustainable construction practices for its clients for throughout its 50 year history. Recent LEED projects include North Branch's own new corporate headquarters in Concord, the $7.8 million Silver Level LEED Certified Portsmouth Public Library in Portsmouth and the $18.9 Gold Level LEED Certified Tuck Mall Residence Hall at Dartmouth College in Hanover.