New and Improved LEED Rating System Underway

Regionally-based credits will be added and credits revamped to consider specific environmental impacts.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 7/3/2007

With a progressive look at the future, the U.S. Green Building Council has launched a campaign to adjust its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The campaign will focus on aligning and harmonizing LEED credits throughout the rating system and offering greater adaptability overall. The changes will still follow the system's "technical rigor and consensus-based integrity," says the USGBC.

Since hitting the scene in 2000, LEED has become the nationally accepted system for green building design and construction. The adjustments fall into four key initiatives.

First is the harmonization and alignment of LEED credits across the rating systems. This initiative will address issues which arose as the system evolved, such as duplication and contradictory credits. The second initiative tackles technical development work, such as Life Cycle Assessment. Here, regionally-based credits have been added and credits revamped to consider specific environmental impacts. The third initiative consists of the establishment of a regular development schedule that allows for community participation.

Finally, the LEED committee structure will be structured around three core areas: Technical Development, Market Segment Focus and Certification Process.

"LEED catalyzed the green building movement--it gave the market a common language for defining green and a roadmap on how to get there," says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair, USGBC. "Taking LEED to the next level involves the investment of time, expertise and dedication from USGBC’s richly diverse membership."