LEED v4 Passes

by Mark J. Stempler

The newest version of the popular LEED Green Rating System is affirmed.  The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announcced that its membership voted to adopt LEED v4 by an overwhelming 86%.  This version of LEED has been in the works for a few years.  Ultimatly, it withstood controversy and was refined through several public comment periods.

Changes in LEED v4 from the current version (adopted in 2009) include:
*  A new credit category – Location and Transportation;
*  A new credit in the Sustainable Sites category – Rainwater Management; and
*  New prerequisites in the Water Efficiency category; and
*  New requirements for the use of LEED AP’s for specific credits.

There are several other additions and changes in LEED v4 which will affect numerous types of buildings. For the complete list, check out http://new.usgbc.org/v4.

The full LEED v4 program, along with reference guides, will be unveiled at this year’s Greenbuild conference in Philadelphia in November.  Currently, there are more than 100 projects pursuing certification through the LEED v4 beta program.