Boundary element methods represent a valuable approach for designing gradient coils; these methods are based on meshing the current carrying surface into an array of boundary elements. The temporally varying magnetic fields produced by gradient coils induce electric currents in conducting tissues and so the exposure of human subjects to these magnetic fields has become a safety concern, especially with the increase in the strength of the field gradients used in magnetic resonance imaging. Here we present a boundary element method for the design of coils that minimize the electric field induced in prescribed conducting systems. This work also details some numerical examples of the application of this coil design method. The reduction of the electric field induced in a prescribed region inside the coils is also evaluated.