Dear USGBC Community:
With its introduction in 2000, the LEED Green Building Rating System helped to spark a revolution, articulating a new set of integrated, measurable goals that changed the way we approach the design, construction and operation of our offices, schools, hospitals and homes. Over the past eight years, we've moved it steadily forward, evolving the way we measure and rate building performance and doing so against a backdrop of increasing urgency to find solutions to climate change and energy dependence.
That buildings account for fully 39% of US C02 emissions sent the issue of dramatically improving building performance to the top of USGBC's agenda in 2006. It was clear that incremental change to how LEED functions wasn't enough. Instead, we needed to reframe our focus towards driving significantly greater outcomes in total building performance while, at the same time, incorporating technical advancements such as bioregional credits that would enable LEED to continue to evolve as a better, more refined tool for green building.
The USGBC Board of Directors has voted unanimously to open for public comment LEED 2009, a new version of the rating system that delivers against key environmental and human health impacts, and puts in place a transparent framework for weighting credits accordingly, based on the best available science. It is the product of thousands of hours of volunteer time and deep expertise generously given by representatives from every corner of the building industry.
LEED 2009 resets the bar for green building leadership because the urgency of our mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before. LEED 2009, coupled with an expanded third-party certification program and significant enhancements to LEED Online make up a multi-faceted initiative that we refer to as LEED v3. You will be hearing more specifics about all these changes over the next few months, which will include the fruition of an initiative to integrate LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) into LEED credits.
But the immediate need is your engagement in the public comment process on LEED 2009. All stakeholders in the building community are invited to comment.
We urge you to participate in this important next step in delivering on our mission of green buildings for everyone within a generation.
With deep appreciation for your commitment to the work,
Rick Fedrizzi
President, CEO & Founding Chair
U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL