What’s Next for Sustainability

An official release date has not yet been announced but the rating system is in member ratification through March 28, 2025. Updates from USGBC.org indicate that the new version will bring significant changes, including enhanced performance metrics, greater emphasis on equity and resilience, and expanded opportunities for carbon reduction.

At GHT, we are committed to keeping our clients informed and prepared. This article explores what we know so far about LEED v5, how these updates may impact your projects, and what steps you can take now to stay ahead of these changes.

Key changes from previous LEED versions include:

1. Decarbonization: LEED v5 more robustly addresses operational and embodied carbon in buildings. It emphasizes the creation of decarbonization roadmaps at the asset level, which aligns with organizational commitments to science-based carbon targets.
2. Equity: Social equity has been integrated into the framework with specific prerequisites like the Human Impact Assessment. Credits focus on equitable operations, including improved conditions for custodial staff and contractors, and emphasize green cleaning and integrated pest management.
3. Resilience: New prerequisites and credits target climate adaptation, such as disaster preparedness, regional priorities, and strategies to address occupant needs during extreme weather.
4. Flexibility for Existing Buildings: LEED v5 introduces pathways for lower-performing buildings to engage in the certification process, offering an option to certification based on incremental improvements.

These updates reflect a more inclusive approach to sustainability while responding to evolving challenges in the built environment.

1. Decarbonization Focus: LEED v5 emphasizes reducing embodied carbon – the carbon emissions from building materials’ life cycle – through requirements such as lifecycle assessments and the procurement of low-carbon materials.
2. New Goals: The updated framework is structured around three main objectives:
   • Climate Action (50% of total credits)
   • Quality of Life (25% of total credits)
   • Ecological Conservation and Restoration (25% of total credits)
3. Operational Changes: New prerequisites like Carbon Assessment, Climate Resilience Assessment, and Social Equity Assessment aim to address broader sustainability goals such as near-zero operational emissions by 2050.
4. Feedback Process: LEED v5 is in the draft stage and is open now for member ratification. Additionally, after v5, the LEED rating system will be updated every five years.

All Eyes on Carbon: LEED v5 emphasizes strategies for achieving ultra-low-carbon buildings, addressing operational emissions, embodied carbon from construction, and transportation-related emissions. It aligns with net-zero goals by providing tools to build lower-GHG emission standards and reducing embodied carbon through carbon caps for materials.

Carbon Literacy and Accountability: Buildings will receive greenhouse gas emissions projections through 2050, helping stakeholders understand the long-term impact of their decisions. Reporting requirements for refrigerant leak tracking will enhance accountability.

Pathways for Existing Buildings: The framework rewards existing buildings for creating decarbonization pathways and long-term plans to achieve near-zero emissions.

Incentives for Efficiency: New buildings are incentivized to meet low-carbon standards from the outset, while existing ones are encouraged to make incremental progress toward decarbonization.

Quality of Life: Beyond sustainability, occupant well-being remains a priority. Like WELL and Fitwel, LEED v5 prioritizes health and comfort, reinforcing the impact buildings have on people’s well-being.

LEED v5 retains the same credit categories as v4, but point allocations have shifted across categories and credits. Several credits from v4 have been consolidated—for example, the three Building Product Disclosure and Optimization credits are now combined under Building Product Selection and Procurement. Other points have been redistributed, such as 13 former Optimize Energy Performance points, which are now spread across EAc Electrification, EAc Grid Interactive, and MRc Reduce Embodied Carbon. Additionally, new prerequisites and credits have been introduced to align with v5 priorities, including the Climate Resilience Assessment, Human Impact Assessment, and Carbon Assessment under the Integrative Process (IP) category.

At GHT, we recently examined an interiors project pursuing LEEDv4 and evaluated the same contemplated design using the v5 rating system. The sample project, a 25,000 square foot office fit out in downtown Washington DC, can achieve more than 80 points for a Platinum Commercial Interiors certification under LEED v4.

The same project, when considered under LEED v5, is only able to achieve 50 points for Silver certification. The scorecard below shows the substantial changes from v4 and the increased focus on embodied carbon. In addition to the new prerequisites, existing prerequisites have been updated to reflect newer referenced standards, such as ASHRAE 90.1-2019.

As USGBC introduces its most ambitious LEED standards yet, DC and surrounding jurisdictions—Arlington, Fairfax, and Montgomery counties—are implementing aggressive code updates to drive the building industry forward. While LEED certification remains optional for many, the global commercial office market is aligning with its principles. Investors now demand Net Zero Energy, Zero Carbon, and stricter carbon accounting to secure funding and advance urban developments. Carbon and embodied carbon are key concerns, with the financial sector linking sustainability to resilience and business growth. We expect carbon accounting and LEED v5 principles to become as standard as daylighting strategies and Indoor Air Quality are today.

Equity is also taking center stage in project planning. Factors like access to transportation, community impact, supplier diversity, and workforce inclusion are becoming essential considerations in today’s global economy. Integrating these elements into AEC projects is not just responsible, it is good business.

Pursuing LEED v5 requires early planning. Projects should coordinate with the design team to look at the new prerequisites and review the updated referenced standards to ensure minimum requirements are met.

Certifying under the newest version of LEED offers a way to future-proof projects against evolving codes, programs like Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), and return-to-office mandates.

As LEED v5 reshapes sustainable design, the AEC industry must proactively adapt. To explore key strategies for aligning with the updated framework and maximizing certification success, contact Meghan McAvoy, GHT’s Director of Sustainable Programs, at [email protected].