The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has opened the first public comment period for its draft Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design version 5 (LEED v5), the latest iteration of the globally recognized green building certification.

Although the update initially focused on operations and maintenance of existing buildings, it has since been expanded to include design and construction for new buildings and interiors. LEED v5 centers on three impact areas: decarbonization, quality of life, and/or ecological conservation and restoration.

“Buildings offer immediate opportunities for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, equity, health, and so much more when they are designed, built, and operated with intent,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of the USGBC. “This is the architecture behind LEED v5, which targets areas where accelerated progress is most needed while creating pathways that are accessible and applicable.”

LEED v5 for Building Design and Construction (BD+C); Interior Design and Construction (ID+C); and Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating systems are all open for public comment from April 3-May 20. The USGBC notes public comment is a critically important step in the LEED development process, and feedback from all stakeholder groups is invited and encouraged. Final versions of LEED v5 are scheduled to be released in early 2025. The current drafts and comment forms are available here.

To learn what LEED v5 means for facilities managers, watch this exclusive January interview with Kat Wagenschutz, the USGBC’s director of existing buildings:

In the FMA Insights video, Wagenschutz answers the following questions:

1. What is LEED, in general, and why is it so important? (1:00)
2. Why update LEED now? What are some new core components of the draft LEED v5? (2:50)
3. What are some key steps facilities managers can take to help their organization meet these higher standards? (5:25)
4. Is there a business case facilities managers can make to help encourage their organization to invest in green buildings and obtain this new LEED certification? (10:40)
5. What if a facility already has a LEED certification under a previous version? Should the facilities manager start preparing for recertification under this new standard? (13:30)
6. What’s next in the process? When does the USGBC expect to finalize this version 5? (14:45)

The post U.S. Green Building Council Seeks Public Input on New LEED Certification appeared first on Facilities Management Advisor.