Public comment period for LEED update to open
Posted
02/14/2012
The U.S. Green Building Council announced that the third public
comment period for the proposed 2012 update to its LEED green
building program will open Mar. 1, 2012. The comment period, which
will close on Mar. 20, marks the start of the LEED 2012 program
delivery process.
This third draft of LEED has been refined to address technical
stringency and rigor, measurement and performance tools, and an
enhanced user experience. The technical changes have been informed
by market data, stakeholder-generated ideas, expert engagement and
advances in technology. Additional performance-based management
features will help projects measure and manage energy and water
usage, site and building material selection, and indoor
environmental quality.
LEED 2012 extends itself as a long-term engagement tool for
organizations and projects, enabling a focus on continuous
improvement. Programs aimed at helping organizations use LEED to
benchmark building performance in preparation for certification and
for tracking performance of their buildings post-certification
provide opportunities for ongoing engagement between project teams
and USGBC both before certification and after the plaque is
awarded.
For LEED projects outside of the U.S., LEED 2012 will offer a new
global perspective. Through modified language, new requirements and
options that increase flexibility, LEED 2012 makes it easier for
the international community to engage.
In an effort to redefine and enhance the user experience, LEED
credit requirements have been rewritten to better align with
documentation already required by the architecture and construction
fields. Improvements to submittals, documentation paths and LEED
Online improve LEED usability.