The U.S. Green Building Council, an authority on green building and developer of the LEED green building program, announced the opening of the first public comment period for its draft rating system, LEED v5. This step marks a milestone for LEED and the building industry at large, providing a comprehensive framework for creating sustainable, efficient and resilient built environments that promote environmental responsibility, economic viability and social equity.
About LEED v5
Centered around three impact areas, all credits and prerequisites in LEED v5 drive improvement towards decarbonization, quality of life, and/or ecological conservation and restoration. LEED v5 also emphasizes impact, alignment and interconnectedness to support initial and ongoing sustainability efforts throughout a building’s lifecycle.
LEED v5 for Building Design and Construction (BD+C), Interior Design and Construction (ID+C), and Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating systems are all open for public comment from April 3-May 20, 2024. The current drafts and comment forms are available on the USGBC website. Final versions of LEED v5 incorporating feedback received during the public comment period are scheduled to be released in early 2025.
USGBC's response
"Buildings offer immediate opportunities for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, equity, health and so much more when they are designed, built and operated with intent," says Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. "This is the architecture behind LEED v5, which targets areas where accelerated progress is most needed while creating pathways that are accessible and applicable."
