USA TODAY has reviewed 7,100 LEED-certified commercial buildings to see how they achieved green points. It found that the U.S. Green Building Council "has helped thousands of developers win tax breaks and grants, charge higher rents, exceed local building restrictions and get expedited permitting by certifying them as 'green' under a system that often rewards minor, low-cost steps that have little or no proven environmental benefit." The article also contends that the green benefits aren’t always in the public interest.