Looking ahead to LEED 2012
Posted : September 12, 2011 by John G, Category: LEED
Is LEED outdated? Maybe outdated is the wrong word. But what does it mean to be LEED certified these days? For over a decade, building owners have strived to obtain LEED certification. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
But recently, there has been chatter that LEED ratings aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Last month, the U.S. District Court in NYC dismissed the $100 million lawsuit brought against the USGBC regarding the rating system. The claim from the plaintiffs was that the USGBC falsely advertises LEED by guaranteeing energy savings and a reduction in carbon emission, among other things, in LEED-certified buildings. The case was dismissed, but the awareness and buzz certainly didn’t seem to fall on deaf ears at the USGBC.
To respond, they are introducing new rules so buildings must continually recertify and measure their energy use against their neighbors.
According to a recent article in Fast Company, “The latest version of the building-rating system, called LEED 2012 – which will launch in November and the go to USGBC members for a vote next summer –takes advantage of new technology and building practices that make real-time energy and water management commercially viable.”
I found it interesting that on the day I was reading about the new direction of LEED, I read about the 10,000 certified building! In just a few short years, I think this is quite a feat! Regardless, the fact that LEED has encouraged us to reevaluate the way we build buildings is something that can never be taken away, and it’s a positive for the building industry.
Green building expert Rob Watson weighed in with some comments as well, and I agree.
“Milestones like this — 10,000 buildings or the soon-to-be 2 billion square feet of certified floor area or the imminent cumulative 10 billion square feet of projects registered and certified — show the incredible impact that LEED has had on the building market,” Watson said.
What do you think?
PS – The USGBC is hosting a seven-part webinar series on “The Evolution of LEED: Insights into Rating System Updates” and there are still a few sessions left. If nothing else, I think it’s an interesting conversation.
Comments
No Comments
Leave a reply