LEED requires performance data

The U.S. Green Building Council ( USGBC ) announced that buildings seeking LEED certification must begin submitting operational performance data on a recurring basis. Buildings can fulfill this requirement three ways: by recertifying every two years, providing energy and water usage data every year, or allowing the USGBC to access the data directly from the utility provider.

"Today there is all too often a disconnect, or performance gap, between the energy modeling done during the design phase and what actually happens during daily operation after the building is constructed," said Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED. "We’re convinced that ongoing monitoring and reporting of data is the single best way to drive higher building performance."

Periodic data reports also will help improve future versions of LEED, according to USGBC. The data will show what requirements make an actual impact on performance and what the building owners and users can do to make a difference.

USGBC wants to assure that periodic metering will not become too unrealistic or expensive for certain building types. In the case of a central plant, military base, or a university campus, where it would be "cost prohibitive" to install meters on every single building, the requirement would be waived.

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