LEED HC v3 versus LEED HC v4

Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

October 21, 2013

I'm wondering with all the discussions on LEED v4 materials credits if it wouldn't be better to use v4 and not v3 for Healthcare for projects on the boards. Here's the dilemma, we're going through and screening products for v3 which few vendors are familiar with and then the standards are essentially changing in a few months. The screens are different between the standards and we think most vendors will pay attention to v4 than to HC v3 standards. Why screen for one and then turn around and redevelop our process when we can switch now? What do you all think?

Post a reply

Catherine Blakemore

Architect, LEED AP BC+D

HOLT Architects

LEEDuser Basic Member

24 thumbs up

Fri, 11/08/2013 - 15:23

I'm too far along with my projects to switch now, but if you are not, why learn a rating system that will be obsolete in a year 1 1/2. Not sure if that helps, but that's my 2 cent! 8-)

Mara Baum

Partner, Architecture & Sustainability

DIALOG

LEEDuser Premium Member

449 thumbs up

Fri, 11/08/2013 - 18:04

2009 isn't going away any time soon - with over a year and a half left for registration plus the long term duration of healthcare projects, we'll be using this version for a long time. There are way bigger implications to the switch than the low emitting materials credit. That said, v4 also references CDPH -- it should help to popularize that method which will benefit HC 2009 even if the credit requirement is not identical.

Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 21:54

I agree, we'll all be using HCv3 for a long time given the glacial progress of healthcare projects! I'm really looking for some thoughts and what teams are doing with screening now that v4 standards have been released. Personally, I'm with Catherine and I'd rather learn one system than two systems. We are screening products very actively now and we're getting a lot of information on the v4 standards and the simple head dog tilt when asking about HCv3 standards.