LEED v5 features new toolsto help the world’s best buildings achieve even greater impact on human health,resilience, and global communities.

The U.S. Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC) has launched LEED v5, the latest version of its flagship LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building program. SaidPeter Templeton, President and CEO of USGBC, “LEED v5 raises the bar, furtherdefining and evolving best practices and giving stakeholders across thebuilding industry clear pathways to address today’s challenges to our health,climate, and communities.”

The newest version of theLEED standard was developed with input from thousands of green buildingprofessionals to respond to today’s most pressing challenges and thesignificant opportunities at the intersection of sustainability and buildings.LEED v5 focuses on impact areas that touch decarbonization, human andecological health, and resilience. The new version further defines what itmeans to be a high-performance building today, creating even greater investmentpotential.

Decarbonization accountsfor half of all points for LEED v5 certification to confront current climateneeds. The new rating system provides clear, actionable steps to deliverultra-low-carbon buildings by targeting emissions reductions across all aspectsof the building lifecycle, including operations, embodied carbon, refrigerants,and transportation. All LEED v5 projects will complete an operationalcarbon projection and will be given tools to craft a comprehensive, long-termdecarbonization strategy, creating pathways for sustainable transformation.

Quality of life creditsfocus on human-centric strategies that address the health and well-being ofoccupants and the communities in which buildings are located.

Resilience is another majortheme across the rating system, addressing both human and natural systems tostrengthen communities. All LEED v5 projects will complete climate resilienceassessments to enhance awareness of hazards, increase transparency of risks,reduce vulnerabilities and ensure long-term safety and sustainability. Theseassessments equip projects to conserve and restore ecosystems, mitigate risks,and minimize business disruptions while protecting asset value.

Once projects conduct theirassessments, LEED v5 offers a variety of strategies that can be incorporated atevery stage of the building lifecycle to reduce risk and enhance resilience.

LEED v5 registration is nowavailable for new construction, interior, and existing commercial buildingprojects through their platform.