LEED 2009, the long-awaited update to the internationally recognized green building certification program, has been approved by member ballot, and will be introduced next year.
The U.S. Green Building Council, the nonprofit organization which created the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system, said the 2009 update will be a "major evolution" for commercial buildings. It includes a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental and human health outcomes.
LEED 2009 will also incorporate regional credits, extra points that have been identified as priorities within a project’s given environmental zone. LEED has also undergone a scientifically grounded re-weighting of credits, changing allocation of points among LEED credits to reflect climate change and energy efficiency as urgent priorities. This will be one of the most significant changes to the rating system, and will increase the importance of green building as a means of contributing immediate and measurable solutions toward energy independence, climate change mitigation, and other global priorities.
LEED 2009 incorporates eight years worth of market and user feedback in the form of precedent-setting Credit Interpretation Rulings, which will ensure clarity for project teams.
Process innovation in how new technical advancements are incorporated into LEED will also be introduced alongside LEED 2009, including a "pilot process" for individual credits that will allow major new technical developments to be flexibly trialed, evaluated, and incorporated into LEED.
"The conclusion of the balloting process marks the culmination of tireless work done by representatives from all corners of the building industry," said Brendan Owens, Vice President, LEED Technical Development, U.S. Green Building Council’s. "We have the deepest gratitude for our volunteer leaders, and for their bold steps towards resetting the bar for green building leadership and challenges the industry to move faster and reach further."
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