If you're planning to begin searching for office space in the near future, LEED-certified buildings should definitely be on your list of prospects. Many businesses shy away from these green buildings as their rental rates are often higher; however, the benefits that they provide can more than offset the increased costs. Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider going LEED-certified:

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED buildings feature the latest green technologies and carry the distinction of being certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. While rental rates in LEED buildings are often steeper than in conventional properties, there are a number of benefits to choosing one for your business. These include:

Selecting the ideal commercial space requires extensive forethought and planning before a corporate tenant signs a lease. One of the most important aspects of consideration is whether the building in question is LEED certified. The certification is primarily used to determine whether the building is “green”.

More and more LEED-certified buildings are being constructed in cities throughout the United States, giving prospective commercial tenants like you more green choices to consider when you're looking for new office space. Rents in LEED-certified buildings are often higher than in competitor buildings, leading some companies to wonder whether it's worth the added cost. The truth is that there are numerous reasons to go green that allow commercial tenants to maximize their return on investment in office space.  Some of the benefits of leasing a green building include:

The US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- LEED -- certification is America's leading certification for green buildings. As it grows in popularity, it is also becoming a global standard. Green buildings, in general, offer significant benefits over traditional properties, but LEED certified buildings offer additional advantages.

For more and more tenants, a LEED certified building is no longer an option. It's a necessity. Given all that a green building can do for your business, it makes sense to spend extra time considering LEED options, even to the exclusion of other sites.

Green building, as typified by LEED certified projects, has reached a point of ubiquity where it is almost the same thing regular building. According to the US Green Building Council, who is in charge of the LEED standard, 2015 will see LEED projects make up as much as 48 percent of all of the nonresidential construction in America. LEED certified retrofits, which turn existing buildings into green ones, are likely to make up up to 33 percent of the retrofit activity in 2015. Here are some of the markets where new and retrofitted LEED buildings are likely to pop up in 2015.