LEEDing the way for New York broadband

New York City has created a Wired Certification system called WiredNYC that “utilizes a standard scoring system that presents simple, clear information to help tenants easily research and compare buildings.” In announcing the program, the city referred to it as a kind of “LEED for Broadband” certification.

As you might know Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is an environmental architectural rating program. According to the LEED council, “At its core, LEED is a program that provides third-party verification of green buildings... Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for the project.”

According to New York City:

“The program is designed to encourage and accelerate deployment of broadband technologies and create transparency about broadband infrastructure in the commercial real estate market by creating a ‘LEED for broadband’ certification, giving businesses information about a building’s connectivity, and allowing landlords to better market a building’s assets.”

The city assures us that WiredNYC will “ensure the city continues to grow as a global hub of technology and innovation in the 21st Century.” Maybe. But it’s a cool idea that might improve broadband standards in the nation’s largest city.

WiredNYC (website)

LEED (website)

Mayor Bloomberg Announces New Initiatives to Expand Wireless and Broadband Connectivity (NYC website, Sep. 30, 2013)