The decision was a matter of math and increasingly arduous criteria promulgated by LEED, says Brian Kugler, UNC's senior project manager with facilities management. In comparison to Belk, Miltimore Hall, a housing facility UNC constructed in accordance with LEED, cost $57,000 more to achieve certification, primarily due higher design fees, Kugler explains. "We had to convert all typical design documentation to a LEED-specified format," he says.

Globes, by comparison, allows users to submit in formats they desire. Also at issue were appeals to LEED decisions, each of which required a $500 fee and a waiting period of weeks. "With Green Globes, we simply contact and discuss appeals with an assigned assessor, at no cost," says Kugler.

Globe proponents concur that ready access to assessors cuts through red tape while self-scoring lets users evaluate their efforts during any phase of a project. With LEED, UNC could only chart its progress generally and would over-design in expectation of losing points.

Some losses may be due to failure to meet criteria that don't apply to a project, says Yudelson. "If a criterion doesn't apply, we toss it," he says. "Rather than a baseline of 1,000 points, we may begin with a baseline of 987."

Yudelson believes a larger problem with LEED is its growing number of rating programs, making it difficult for industry members to remain abreast of them all. As a result, some firms seek out consultants, a potentially pricey proposition. "I received $70,000 from my final LEED consultancy, " says Yudelson.

Lehman believes cost disparities between the two programs depend on the experience and skill sets of a project's designer and builder. "Having managed 75 LEED-certified projects, I'm not going to experience difficulty getting up to speed," she says.

For now, Drexel University remains sold on Globes. "It's the Avis of sustainability programs," says Beard. "It's not Hertz, but it's the No. 2. program out there."