To encourage collaboration on LEED development, the U.S. Green Building Council has launched a sort of apps app.

In its new App Lab, USGBC offers a catalog of LEED-integrated, commercially available applications that others have published.

"Each app is a fully functional software tool that has been enhanced to provide LEED projects teams and administrators integration with LEED Online and address the LEED certification process," USGBC said in its announcement.

"The potential leverage points are so numerous that we really cannot anticipate the full impact of the App Lab," Scot Horst, LEED senior vice president, said. "All we are sure of is that we have created a place to ignite the flames of true innovation and growth. LEED already embodied innovation."

LEED is the widely used acronym from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.