New LEED Standards to Launch in November

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is refining the process of LEED certification standards for buildings in 2012. 

Critics have noted that toting up points doesn't necessarily result in the most sustainable/energy-conserving structure possible, and that there's no follow-up process to assure that the building is functioning as planned.

Like so many things in the construction industry, LEED certification in some cases, has become a case of "gaming" the system — racking up points in easy areas like bike racks instead of focusing on outdated HVAC, for example. There are also plenty of stories about energy-saving systems that were difficult to use or never explained properly to the building's occupants, so they weren't used or weren't maintained properly. 

LEED standards have continued to evolve over the years as owners, designers, and builders became attuned to the value of sustainability and energy saving.

The LEED point system was originally designed to educate architects, owners, and builders to the process of defining a LEED building.

The USGBC says its LEED 2012 rating system, set to launch in November, will contain new features. To make sure buildings function as intended and improve over time:

• Owners will be required to report data on the building's energy and water use, using real-time reporting technology.
• Owners of LEED-certified buildings will have to apply for re-certification every five years.

"Our goal is to show that real leaders share data," says Scot Horst, USGBC Senior Vice President of LEED.

Another criticism is that data on how buildings perform isn't available. To improve the transparency of its data, USGBC is inviting software developers to design applications to make comparison of energy saving technologies easier for building owners. The Green Building Information Gateway allows owners to compare their buildings' data with those of similar buildings.

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