A New LEED Addresses an Evolving Market

As of June 26, 2009, all new construction and major renovation projects registering to use the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System^TM need to use the newest version-LEED 2009. The changes to the rating system are part of an over-arching evolution of the LEED system-LEED Version 3.  In this guest article, AGC Environmental Network Steering Committee Chair Thomas Taylor (Vertegy, an Alberici Enterprise) provides a quick look at some of the changes in the new version. It is fair to say that almost every contractor has felt the effects of the economic slowdown. The slowdown in spending has hit all sectors of our industry. However, one market that seems to be the least effected is "green" construction. Before the slowdown, the green movement had pushed issues and ideas into the mainstream; you could see green topics featured in almost every type of publication and periodical. Some of the concepts were captured by lawmakers who saw sustainability as a non-partisan way to leave their mark and improve the community. The new administration has embraced many of these core concepts and has initiated steps to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create new green jobs. This shift in focus and policy has encouraged those owners willing to finance a project to explore sustainability as a way to increase the value received for the dollars being invested in a capital project. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), developer of the LEED Rating System, has made efforts to keep pace with the changes to the marketplace through the evolution of the LEED system.  LEED Version 3.0 was launched on April 27, 2009 and reflects significant changes to the rating system and certification process. The LEED certification process is now administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). The GBCI is a subsidiary of USGBC and was created to administer and manage the LEED process as well as the professional status of accredited professionals.  GBCI has brought on an entire new list of contractors that will conduct the reviews of project submissions and offer the appropriate level of certification. This process is reported to be more streamlined and objective as these contractors will be using an ISO-based process as the foundation of their reviews.  LEED-Online, the web-based system for LEED project documentation, has also been overhauled to provide improved functionality and greater communication between the project teams and the certification bodies. Anyone who registers a project will be required to accept the terms and conditions of use. These documents outline the minimum program requirements (MPRs) needed by any project to be eligible for possible certification as well as the terms of use regarding the actual certification of a building. LEED credit points and prerequisites have been updated. The newly reorganized LEED 2009 Rating Systems, including LEED-NC, are now based on 100 voluntary credits. The number of prerequisites will vary depending on the rating system and there are also up to 10 additional points for non-core categories (Innovation in Design and Regional Priority). The process for becoming a LEED Accredited Professional has changed.  GBCI has established a multi-tiered accreditation program that requires ongoing education credits and biennial maintenance fees in order to remain in active status.  Professionals who became LEED APs before the switch will have the opportunity to "opt in" to the new program without retesting.  However, you will need to accept the disciplinary policy, pay the maintenance fee and agree to the ongoing credentialing maintenance program (CMP). Finally, the LEED Reference Guides were restructured to reflect the changes to the LEED system.  Under the former version of LEED, each rating system had its own reference guide.  The LEED 2009 Reference Guides follow more of a "bookshelf" format and cover one or more Rating Systems.  LEED for New Construction (NC), LEED for Schools and LEED for Core and Shell (CS) are bundled together in one manual, the LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction (BD&C). LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI) is now covered in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Interior Design and Construction (ID&C).  LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) is included in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations and Maintenance (O&M).  For more information, visit the USGBC web site at http://www.usgbc.org or the GBCI at http://www.gbci.org.