USGBC LEED 2009 'resets the bar'

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened the first public comment period on LEED 2009 in May, the next evolution of the USGBC LEED green building certification system. LEED 2009 represents a reorganization of the existing LEED rating systems for commercial buildings, combined with a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes.

“Continuing to seek the right balance between technical advancement and market transformation was a driving force behind the LEED 2009 work,” said Scot Horst, chairman of the volunteer LEED steering committee, which leads the technical development of the LEED rating system. “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.”

“When it was introduced in 2000, the LEED green building rating system helped spark a revolution that is changing the way we build and operate our offices, schools, hospitals, and homes,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “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.”

LEED 2009 is the product of thousands of hours of volunteer time and the expertise of representatives from every corner of the building industry who serve on the USGBC member committees and oversee the development of LEED, said USGBC officials.

LEED 2009, coupled with an expanded third-party certification program and significant enhancements to LEED Online, make up a multi-faceted initiative referred to as LEED Version 3.0.

The public comment period, which is scheduled to close June 22, is a critical part of the consensus process to develop LEED. During public comment, all stakeholders are invited to review all proposed improvements and offer technical or market-oriented perspectives through USGBC's Web site on the slate of changes represented by LEED 2009.

All public comments are reviewed by the USGBC volunteer committees that oversee the LEED rating system. USGBC will respond to all comments and post the comments and responses at www.usgbc.org.