As populations grow and natural resources are depleted ever more rapidly, consumers have become increasingly aware of the need to conserve energy, manage the use of raw materials, reduce waste and safeguard against pollutants. In response, many developers and owners now demand buildings with materials and technologies that will help save energy, preserve the integrity of the surrounding land, and assure a clean, healthy indoor environment.
The most widely accepted national guidelines for environmentally conscious building is the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM developed by the United States Green Building Council. As a founding member of the USGBC, USG is committed to helping architects and builders create structures that efficiently meet the needs of occupants while also protecting the surrounding environment.
LEED provides a third-party certification tool for verifying that a project has met the technical requirements of sustainable building through various aspects of its design and construction. A project may be awarded one of four levels of certification by earning up to 69 points in six categories.
The following are credits for which USG ceilings may help a project qualify.
| LEED Category | Available Credits | Products/Programs that May Assist in Qualifying or Credit |
| Energy and Atmosphere | EA 1: Optimize Energy Performance | Ceiling panels with high light reflectance (LR) can reduce the number of light fixtures needed, curbing energy consumption. |
| Materials and Resources | MR 1.3: Building Reuse - Maintain Interior | Cast-mineral-fiber panels are baked solid in molds for abuse resistance and through-color to resist abrasion and mask scrapes. |
| MR 2.1 and 2.2: Construction Waste Management - Divert from Disposal | USG offers a nationwide recycling program that can take back approved mineral-fiber panels, reducing impact on landfills. | |
| MR 3.1 and 3.2: Resource Reuse | Panels may contain synthetic mineral fiber converted from slag, a byproduct of steel making. Metal ceilings and components may include recycled aluminum. | |
| MR 4.1 and 4.2: Recycled Content | Panels may contain paper recovered from both pre-consumer and post-consumer use. | |
| MR 5.1 and 5.2: Regional Materials - Extracted, Processed and Manufactured Regionally | See the Sustainability section of USGs Ceiling Systems 2007/2008 (SC2000). | |
| MR 6: Renewable Materials | Panels may contain corn and wheat starch binders, renewable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based binders. | |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | EQ 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4: Low-Emitting Materials | All USG products are low-VOC emitters, and many panels emit no formaldehyde or only a very low amount. |
| EQ 8.1 and 8.2: Daylight and Views | Ceiling panels with high light reflectance (LR) can improve the quality and quantity of natural light by enhancing indirect lighting. |
LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) and USG 
LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) and USG
LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation (LEED-NC) and USG
