USGBC Solicits Comments on LEED for Core and Shell Rating System

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is now soliciting comments on the first draft of the LEED for Core and Shell Rating System (LEED-CS). The first public comment period will be open for 42 days, starting Tuesday, Dec. 6, 200,5 and continuing through Monday, Jan. 16, 200,6 at 5:00 p.m. PST. If you would like to participate in this comment period, go to (https://www.usgbc.org/b2c/b2c/mainFS.jsplog), log in, and then click on "LEED Draft Comments" on the sidebar.

The LEED for Core and Shell Rating System is a market-specific application that recognizes the unique nature of core and shell development. Recognizing that some key building areas, interior space layout, building finishes, lighting, mechanical distribution, plumbing fixtures, etc. are often outside the direct control of the developer, the scope of a LEED-CS project is limited to those aspects of the project over which the developer does have direct control. LEED-CS is designed to complement the LEED for Commercial Interiors Green Building Rating System (LEED-CI). Together, LEED-CI and LEED-CS establish green building criteria for both developer/owners and tenants.

Any member of the public can comment on the LEED-CS draft (after registering a site user profile on the USGBC website). USGBC will respond to all comments and post the comments and responses (without commenters' names or organizations) to the USGBC website. If changes are made to the draft after this first comment period, USGBC will conduct a second public comment period on those changes. The resulting draft will then be sent to the USGBC membership for balloting. The official public release of the rating system is expected by late spring 2006.

This information was provided by the U.S. Green Building Council. To find out more about the organization’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System®, visit (www.usgbc.org).