U.S. Green Building Council to Modify LEED Standards

The U.S. Green Building Council is changing its certification process for green buildings through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

A 30-day online public comment period ended June 22, and the new version, dubbed LEED 2009, is slated to debut in January.

"The USGBC's mission is to transform the marketplace, and we've seen a tremendous amount of success in a short time," says Anne Jackson, an associate at architecture firm Perkins+Will.

LEED certifications are available in eight categories: new construction, existing buildings, commercial interiors, core and shell, retail, schools, health care and homes.

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Points are awarded for specific practices in each area and are verified by an independent third party. Depending on the number of points earned, a building is awarded a certified, silver, gold or platinum ranking.

Points will be allocated differently and reweighed in 2009, and the entire process will be flexible to adapt to changing technology, account for regional differences and encourage innovation.

"These changes-giving LEED an umbrella rating system-will streamline the process and make it less confusing, especially for non-practitioners," Jackson says.

The certification process has been criticized for being too rigid, cumbersome and demanding, for being too costly, and for awarding points illogically, according to USGBC. A common example is that installing a bike rack gets one point, as does installing a costly HVAC system.

Fees are based on the size of the project and are assessed for registration, design review and construction review. Jackson said the fees are not significant and dismisses the other complaints.

"There are a number of ways you can achieve certification, and it's only hard to achieve if your mindset is traditional construction," she said. "One of its strengths is its flexibility."

Need more info and analysis about the issues?
CLICK HERE to subscribe to DWM magazine.