The Boise WaterShed was designed and constructed using green building practices and serves as a teaching tool about sustainability. The U.S. Green Building Council established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program as a nationally accepted rating system for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. The Boise WaterShed has met performance benchmarks in energy efficiency, water savings, site development, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Key features in achieving Gold-level LEED Certification include using natural light, reusing building materials, and using low volatile organic compound (VOC) carpets and paints.