US Green Building Council launches new LEED rating system
The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched LEED v5, the latest version of its flagship LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building programme.
LEED v5 builds on the 25-year legacy and global impact of LEED, updating and strengthening the most widely recognised, influential sustainability standard for the building industry while providing user-friendly tools for building owners and teams to pursue certification through enhanced technology updates, a statement said.
"Since its public launch 25 years ago, LEED has profoundly impacted millions of people in cities and communities around the world,' said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of USGBC. 'LEED v5 raises the bar, further defining and evolving best practices and giving stakeholders across the building industry clear pathways to address today's challenges to our health, climate, and communities.'
Meeting today's challenges
The newest version of the LEED standard was developed with input from thousands of green building professionals to respond to today's most pressing challenges and the significant opportunities at the intersection of sustainability and buildings. LEED v5 focuses on impact areas that touch decarbonization, human and ecological health and resilience. The new version further defines what it means to be a high-performance building today, creating even greater investment potential.
Decarbonisation accounts for half of all points for LEED v5 certification to confront current climate needs. The new rating system provides clear, actionable steps to deliver ultra-low-carbon buildings by targeting emissions reductions across all aspects of the building lifecycle, including operations, embodied carbon, refrigerants, and transportation. All LEED v5 projects will complete an operational carbon projection and will be given tools to craft a comprehensive, long-term decarbonisation strategy, creating pathways for sustainable transformation.
Quality of life credits focus on human-centric strategies that address the health and well-being of occupants and the communities in which buildings are located. Global demand for healthier and greener spaces has grown in recent years, with occupants increasingly demanding more transparency and accountability around sustainability and health in the built environment.
Resilience is another major theme across the rating system, addressing both human and natural systems to strengthen communities. All LEED v5 projects will complete climate resilience assessments to enhance awareness of hazards, increase transparency of risks, reduce vulnerabilities and ensure long-term safety and sustainability. These assessments equip projects to conserve and restore ecosystems, mitigate risks, and minimize business disruptions while protecting asset value—contributing to economic prosperity and safety across communities. Once projects conduct their assessments, LEED v5 offers a variety of strategies that can be incorporated at every stage of the building lifecycle to reduce risk and enhance resilience.
'Investors, owners, occupants, and policymakers are asking for high-performing buildings that reduce emissions, mitigate climate risk, provide healthy, productive spaces, positively impact communities, and protect natural systems,' said Sarah Zaleski, chief products officer of USGBC. 'LEED v5 provides the best practices and accountability to drive performance across all these dimensions, delivering tangible benefits to building owners and their stakeholders.'
A sound investment
LEED-certified assets are proven to drive return on investment and greater future earning potential. Notably, LEED buildings achieve a 21.4% higher average market sales price per square foot over non-LEED buildings; average 11% higher rent rates; attract more favorable and stable financing options; and reduce water, energy and waste by more than 20%. These environments also result in healthier and more productive employees and occupants.
"For more than two decades, LEED has played a critical role in transforming the real estate sector at a global scale by bridging the gap between sustainability and commercial value,' Anica Landreneau, senior principal and director of sustainability, HOK. 'It has empowered organizations to develop high-performance buildings that significantly reduce environmental impacts and provide healthier, more resilient spaces for occupants, while also supporting the achievement of business goals."
A sustainability story for every project
LEED is the most widely used and globally recognised leadership certification that helps building owners clearly articulate their sustainability commitment and achievement, which is verified through rigorous third-party certification. All projects certified under LEED v5 will receive impact reports to communicate their strategies and performance to internal and external stakeholders. In addition, the new project priorities category allows customization of LEED to meet the unique opportunities across all global regions and market sectors.
LEED provides the necessary transparency and integrity for a project's certification, ensuring project teams deliver on design plans and goals. The standard drives additional accountability tied to project-specific goals and gives building owners the proof points to successfully meet goals and proudly articulate those outcomes.
'LEED v5 represents a bold step forward in transforming the built environment,' said Grace Kwok, chief sustainability strategist, AEC Capital Limited. 'It emphasises climate resilience, recognizing the need to adapt our built environment to a changing climate. We have the privilege to complete the first LEED v5 project in Asia, with ICC (International Commerce Centre) setting a new benchmark and leading the charge for innovation and excellence in green buildings.'
LEED v5 was developed with the help and support of USGBC's vast global ecosystem of knowledgeable members and volunteers. In 2024, USGBC held two public comment periods, receiving more than 7,000 comments from LEED users worldwide that informed the final version of the rating system. USGBC members ratified the new version earlier this year, providing a final endorsement of the new rating system.
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