Dear LEED Users,
One of the things I’ve discovered since co-founding USGBC 21 years ago is that it would have been a lot easier if we had aimed for either end of Rogers’ bell curve of adoption, instead of trying to occupy the big middle. I’ve been reminded of that yet again as a few of the innovators and early adopters in our movement have voiced disapproval of the extension of the registration deadline for LEED 2009, while others in the community have breathed a sigh of relief that they had a little more time. Let’s be clear: I’m grateful that we have what is by every measure a new version of LEED that resets the bar, and we’ve got 450 projects that have signed on to lead the charge.
Clearly some of our deep green innovators were ready to make “the giant leap for mankind,” and I’m proud of the fact that we got something of substance into the market for them to use so they could model the behavior the rest of the market will eventually embrace. That’s how it works – leaders have to get out there, take some risks, help work out the kinks, and in general pave the way for the biggest slice of the market, that bulge at the top of the bell curve that is usually referred to as the early majority or late majority. And make no mistake, this top slice of the bell curve is where market transformation really happens.
But I absolutely have no regrets that we decided to extend LEED 2009’s availability. Especially in the international market, to pull the plug on this version of the rating system, just as its getting real uptake, would bring to a screeching halt all the market transformation work we’ve done to date. And that’s something the planet can’t afford. But at the same time we didn’t pull LEED v4 from the market for another day. We said, “If you’re ready, GO FOR IT.” And if you want to stick with v2009 but you also want to put your toe in the v4 water, we have a way for you to do that, too.
The LEED Steering Committee has approved a series of v4 credits that you can use on a LEED 2009 project, and they are working on more. It is just one way that we are overlapping the systems to allow for a better transition from one system to the next. Another thing LSC is looking at is re-balloting and updating referenced energy standards in LEED 2009, including ASHRAE 90.1. This allows us to faithfully follow our process, and there is precedent to updating standards such as we did with LEED for Homes. And if you need any help at all in trying out these new credits, we have people-- really smart, really talented people who can serve as your LEED Coach, be your proven providers, provide you with outstanding technical customer service, and even offer you their perspective as a GBCI reviewer. There’s no shortage of folks who can help, and no shortage of resources you can use, from webinars and videos to presentations you can use with your clients.
Another thing we should all be excited about is LEED v4 for Existing Buildings. What a great way to insure your project’s ongoing performance. It’s far better and stronger than v2009, and it’s tied directly into the new LEED Dynamic Plaque, a game-changing tool that complements LEED by measuring a building's ongoing performance in five categories: Energy, Water, Waste, Transportation and Human Experience. While LEED offers green building strategies in the form of credits, the LEED Dynamic Plaque continuously measures the outcomes of those strategies and delivers a comprehensive performance score. This can be used to benchmark buildings against their historical performance or against other green buildings across the world.
Something else of significant note is our new Supply Chain Optimization Working Group. By broadening industry engagement, we have raised the profile of materials in our work. This group will elevate the conversation -- significantly so in the international market -- and provide the appropriate platform to educate people and help them understand the nuances of the optional Materials and Resources credits and their implementation. Our partner industries are excited, and hundreds of EPDs are already being pushed in the marketplace.
And while one thing we have in abundance is the desire to put everyone in a green building within this generation, we also have programs that make that aspiration actionable. Ultimately we want at least one LEED building in every country on earth, so last year we launched the LEED Earth campaign – because there were still 100 or so countries where there wasn’t a LEED building. Since then we’ve reduced that number of countries by 15, and we’re still going, in part I think because we’ve offered free certification to the first LEED project in every country. I like this idea a lot because few things are more motivating than knowing something is possible.
To that end, I want to let everyone know that we’ll give free certification to the first LEEDv4 Platinum projects that complete certification in each of the rating systems of new construction, existing buildings and core and shell, no matter where in the world they are. In addition to this we are doing a few other things: We’re removing cost to upgrade. If you are currently registered in LEED 2009, and you want to upgrade to LEED v4, we’ll waive the $100 upgrade fee. We’re providing greater visibility for leaders. Even while we were in beta, we were shining the spotlight on LEED v4 projects, and this will continue as we recognize projects not just on USGBC.org, but in various trade publications and partner websites. All LEED v4 project teams will receive a specialized press kit that can help them share their experiences and stories. We’re harnessing the info power of LEED Online. When you enter LEED Online to register a project, there will be educational videos that you will view before deciding which rating system to use. These will address potential concerns by project type (e.g. cost, prerequisite requirements, and materials), highlight LEED v4 resources such as the LEED Coach and free call with reviewers, and outline credit substitution options from LEED v4 to LEED 2009. We’re linking LEED v4 to usgbc.org. The USGBC.org website will soon link directly to the LEED v4 website.
The USGBC.org and LEED v4 websites highlight existing resources and tools available to LEED v4 project teams, including:

  • LEED v4 User’s Guide.
  • LEED v4 substitutions in LEED 2009 projects.
  • Translations in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, and Chinese of LEED v4 reference guides and accreditation exams.
  • LEED v4 web-based reference guide modules.

We’re introducing LEED v4 road trips. Coming in 2015 will be half-day, town hall style sessions, presented in conjunction with USGBC chapters. In advance of each event, attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions they would like to have addressed during the session. Attendees will fill out surveys both before and after the events that will provide USGBC with a more concrete picture of the market climate.
Ancillary to the rating systems is the support structure that surrounds them. From Education @usgbc to our recent Greenbuild in New Orleans and our already-in-the-works Monumental Green in Washington, D.C. in 2015, we look to advance high performance building every way we can. Informa, who just agreed to purchase the Hanley Wood unit that now owns Greenbuild, will help us put much stronger weight against our international Greenbuild plans and give us much deeper influence in areas where buildings intersect with the nearly 300 industries they represent across their 277 global events.
At the end of the day, market transformation is the singular goal, and real leadership is in the art form of getting as many people to the majority as possible. That means enabling the innovators and early adopters, but it also means encouraging those in the early and late majority to make the leap. USGBC has, and always will, work to do both. It won’t be fast enough for some, and it will be too fast for others, but it’s in the majority middle that real success will be found.
Rick