USGBC Opens First LEED Public Comment Period

Changes in LEED 2009 include allowing the highest-priority credits achieve the most points.

Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 6/2/2008

The U.S. Green Building Council has long championed its LEED building certification process. Now, everyone can rate the rating system through a first-ever online public comment period on LEED 2009, a reorganization of its existing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating systems for commercial buildings.

Through June 22, the USGBC volunteer committees that oversee the LEED rating system will review and respond to anonymous comments posted on the USGBC Web site. If changes to the LEED system are made as a result of the comments, a 15-day second public comment period will follow and a draft of the revisions sent to all USGBC member organizations for voting prior to implementation.

LEED 2009 includes a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes. It will be coupled with an expanded third-party certification program and advancements to LEED Online to create LEED Version 3.0.

"Continuing to seek the right balance between technical advancement and market transformation was a driving force behind the LEED 2009 work" says Scot Horst, chairman of the LEED Steering Committee. "The 'big ideas' we've proposed include transparent weightings of LEED credits so the highest-priority credits achieve the most points, a new mechanism for incorporating bioregional credits, and a more nimble framework that supports rapid response to emerging environmental and human health issues."

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of USGBC, adds, "LEED 2009 resets the bar for green building leadership because the urgency of our mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further.”