Revise credit intent to read as "To encourage projects to achieve exceptional or innovative performance to benefit human and environmental health and equity. To foster LEED expertise throughout building design, construction, and operation and collaboration toward project priorities."
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View the LEED v4 version of this credit »
View the LEED v4 version of this credit »
SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser expert
Eric Corey Freed
RA, LEED Fellow, Living Future Accredited, EcoDistricts AP, ActiveScore AP
CannonDesign
Principal, Director of Sustainability
SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
To achieve all five innovation points, a project team must achieve at least one pilot credit, at least one innovation credit and no more than two exemplary performance credits.
Option 1. Innovation (1 point)
Achieve significant, measurable environmental performance using a strategy not addressed in the LEED green building rating system. Identify the following:- the intent of the proposed innovation credit;
- proposed requirements for compliance;
- proposed submittals to demonstrate compliance; and
- the design approach or strategies used to meet the requirements.
Option 2. Pilot (1 point)
Achieve one pilot credit from USGBC’s LEED Pilot Credit Library. AND/OROption 3. Additional Strategies
What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
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Is there a list of Innovation strategies available to v4.1 projects? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
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My LEED credential is about to expire. What should I do? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
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I’m a LEED AP with specialty and I’m also a WELL AP. Does this affect how I report my continuing education hours? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
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I missed my credential maintenance reporting deadline. Do I have to take the LEED AP exam again? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Addenda
4/9/2021 – Updated: 4/20/2021
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/5/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
If a project pursues a pilot alternative compliance path (ACP), can it be exempted from the following pilot credit requirement for the Innovation credit?
“To achieve all five innovation points, a project team must achieve at least one pilot credit, at least one innovation credit and no more than two exemplary performance credits.”
Ruling:
If projects achieve a pilot ACP, they are exempted from the requirement to achieve at least one pilot credit. To achieve all five points in the Innovation credit under this approach, projects may select one of the following point combinations:
• 4 innovation and 1 exemplary performance
• 3 innovation and 2 exemplary performance
***Updated 7.10.2020 to clarify that projects must achieve a pilot ACP to be exempted***
*** Updated 3.29.2023 to include applicability for v4.1 projects***
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
To achieve all five innovation points, a project team must achieve at least one pilot credit, at least one innovation credit and no more than two exemplary performance credits.
Option 1. Innovation (1 point)
Achieve significant, measurable environmental performance using a strategy not addressed in the LEED green building rating system. Identify the following:- the intent of the proposed innovation credit;
- proposed requirements for compliance;
- proposed submittals to demonstrate compliance; and
- the design approach or strategies used to meet the requirements.
Option 2. Pilot (1 point)
Achieve one pilot credit from USGBC’s LEED Pilot Credit Library. AND/OROption 3. Additional Strategies
In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
- Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
- Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
- Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
- Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.
|
Is there a list of Innovation strategies available to v4.1 projects? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
|
My LEED credential is about to expire. What should I do? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
|
I’m a LEED AP with specialty and I’m also a WELL AP. Does this affect how I report my continuing education hours? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
|
I missed my credential maintenance reporting deadline. Do I have to take the LEED AP exam again? The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
4/9/2021 – Updated: 4/20/2021
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Revise credit intent to read as "To encourage projects to achieve exceptional or innovative performance to benefit human and environmental health and equity. To foster LEED expertise throughout building design, construction, and operation and collaboration toward project priorities."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/5/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
If a project pursues a pilot alternative compliance path (ACP), can it be exempted from the following pilot credit requirement for the Innovation credit?
“To achieve all five innovation points, a project team must achieve at least one pilot credit, at least one innovation credit and no more than two exemplary performance credits.”
Ruling:
If projects achieve a pilot ACP, they are exempted from the requirement to achieve at least one pilot credit. To achieve all five points in the Innovation credit under this approach, projects may select one of the following point combinations:
• 4 innovation and 1 exemplary performance
• 3 innovation and 2 exemplary performance
***Updated 7.10.2020 to clarify that projects must achieve a pilot ACP to be exempted***
*** Updated 3.29.2023 to include applicability for v4.1 projects***
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
LEEDuser expert
Eric Corey Freed
RA, LEED Fellow, Living Future Accredited, EcoDistricts AP, ActiveScore AP
CannonDesign
Principal, Director of Sustainability
