Consulting Through a Changing LEED Rating System
Becky Johnson Sept 18, 2019
As a sustainability consultant who has worked on many LEED projects, I’ve witnessed how a new rating system or system overhaul can make us feel extremely uncomfortable. The days of memorizing rules, interpretations, and nuances that meant the difference between pursuing a credit and an awarded credit are gone. Confidence in the process and our knowledge of it allowed us to pursue an exact number of points without carrying a heavy set of “maybe” credits that needed to be fleshed out. The disruption of that process gave way to terms like “likely maybe,” “unlikely maybe,” “easy maybe,” “difficult maybe,” “costly maybe,” and other variations we had hoped to simplify to “maybe.” There is a perceived expectation that consultants should have all the answers, that those answers should roll off the tongue, and we shouldn’t need to use a reference guide. LEED v4 proved that we had become too comfortable with the process.
LEED v4 sets out to make sure that LEED Certification stays relevant. The idea behind it is that sustainability credits should become more outcome oriented. Many building owners and occupants expect that LEED Certification means more than a plaque. They want to see benefits from credits, such as reduced utility costs, and increased occupant satisfaction and health. While intending to strengthen the connection between LEED Certification and building performance, many project teams were met with increased pended credits and clarification requests. Certification results for LEED v4 projects startled project teams and unsettled USGBC. The shakeup led to the LEED v4.1 Beta Guide. Rules were modified, and in some cases, made easier by reducing compliance thresholds, or adding a tiered point structure. The rules changes aren’t finished. We’ve been told that the Beta Guide may update quarterly. Increasing LEED achievability and expanding the market will be difficult while simultaneously ensuring improving building performance.
LEED v4 and v4.1 are reminders not to get stuck in a single rating system or set of requirements. LEED v4.1 is working to strike a balance between market fluctuations and the urgency of climate change. In finding that balance, we are asked to actively adapt to changing requirements and understand the changing circumstances. We have an opportunity to help define what constitutes sustainable buildings, but we won’t be able accomplish this if we are memorizing old terms, rules, and loopholes. If we are to create top-performing, sustainable buildings, we will need to get out of our comfort zones.