B_0616_News_park

USGBC Increases LEED Energy Performance Requirements

May 10, 2016

More points needed to achieve certification under 2009 system.

New projects registering for LEED 2009 must now meet a higher threshold for minimum energy performance.

Projects must now earn at least 4 of a possible 19 points in Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1, Optimize Energy Performance. An energy savings of at least 18% is required for a new building, while 14% is the minimum savings for a major renovation over the baseline rating according to ASHRAE 90.1-2007. The previous requirement was 10% for new buildings or 5% for a major renovation compared to the ASHRAE baseline.

This requirement applies to seven LEED categories: New Construction, New Construction Retail, Schools, Healthcare, Multifamily Midrise, Commercial Interiors and Commercial Interiors Retail. Additionally, newly registered Core & Shell projects will now have to demonstrate a 14% improvement for new buildings or 10% for major renovations.

Options 2 and 3, the prescriptive compliance paths previously noted in the LEED criteria that offered alternative paths to energy modeling, cannot yield enough points to meet the four-point mandatory minimum, so they can no longer be used to comply with EA Credit 1.

This change applies to all LEED 2009 projects registered until Oct. 31, the last day a project can be registered under LEED 2009.

USGBC also introduced a new pilot credit, Integrative Analysis of Building Materials, which rewards projects for sourcing products from manufacturers that share lifecycle health, safety, and environmental information.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Buildings, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Building Better Schools

Download this digital resource to better understand the challenges and opportunities in designing and operating educational facilities for safety, sustainability, and performance...

Tips to Keep Facility Management on Track

How do you plan to fill the knowledge gap as seasoned facility managers retire or leave for new opportunities? Learn about the latest strategies including FM tech innovations ...

The Beauty & Benefits of Biophilic Design in the Built Environment

Biophilic design is a hot trend in design, but what is it and how can building professionals incorporate these strategies for the benefits of occupants? This eHandbook offers ...

The Benefits of Migrating from Analog to DMR Two-Way Radios

Are you still using analog two-way radios? Download this white paper and discover the simple and cost-effective migration path to digital DMR radios that deliver improved audio...