USGBC to Vote on New LEED Guidelines
August 22, 2023
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is revising its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System, introducing new prerequisites that will apply to buildings seeking certification and the cleaning contractors that clean these facilities.
According to USGBC board member Steve Ashkin, the prerequisites and requirements being considered include:
- Redirecting LEED’s emphasis from certifying new construction to certifying pre-existing buildings
- Increasing the number of credits (points) that can be earned by facilities using green cleaning methods and products from one to three
- Addressing climate change issues, to help facilities reduce their negative impacts on the environment and become more resilient to the effects of climate change
- Focusing more on social equity issues, such as quality of life issues and improved living standards for cleaning workers.
The board will vote on these new prerequisites and related issues, with their decisions made public, in late September 2023 at the International Greenbuild Conference in Washington, DC.
Hear more from Ashkin and Sarah O’Brien, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s CEO, regarding the importance of sustainability by watching the video below.