LEED v4 Development – the Road to Ballot
Have you ever wondered what happens between the last public comment period and ballot? There are quite a few steps involved in closing the development process (when rating system changes are made based on marketplace feedback) and opening ballot.
To understand the process, you first have to understand the role of the LEED Steering Committee (LSC). This is a diverse group of volunteers and USGBC staff who manage and guide the evolution of LEED. They’re involved in every step of the development of LEED, from technical language to the program as a whole.
Step 1: Review comments
After each public comment period, the comments are reviewed by LSC members and additional USGBC staff to determine if any substantive changes need to be made. If changes are needed, they are made and a new draft is presented to the public. If not, we move on.
Step 2: Respond to comments
After the review, responses to the public comments are written. This happens for every comment period, even when no substantive changes are needed. The LSC reviews and approves all public comment responses to ensure that they address all feedback received.
Step 3: Approve the draft
If no substantive changes are needed, the rating system draft is approved by the LSC to enter ballot.
Where are we now with LEED v4?
During the last public comment period, we received 346 comments—bringing the total number of comments received over the last 32 months to over 22,000. The LSC reviewed all comments and determined that no additional technical language changes are needed. This means that step one is complete!
In the coming weeks, the LSC will do a last review of the responses to public comments and the draft of the LEED v4 credit language for ballot. The final approved versions will be posted on the LEED v4 page and in the credit library on June 1 with the opening of the vote.
Special thanks goes to the thousands of volunteers and stakeholders who have dedicated their time to the development of LEED. We're looking forward to the vote!
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Christina Macken made 4 contributions in the last 6 months
5 commentsLeave a comment
2 weeks 1 day ago
Muhammad Faisal A...
Sustainability Consultant, Ramboll Middle East
I hope the new version brings out some cultural and heritage credits, which could be applied in the region where the project is located.
2 weeks 18 hours ago
Deon Glaser
Director, LEED International Technical Development, U.S. Green Building Council
Hi Muhammad, and thank you for your comment. We have been working hard to ensure both the current and next versions of LEED address the wide variety of conditions for projects all over the world. The LEED International Roundtable is made up of organizations representing 30 countries, including Emirates GBC, whose charge is to advance the relevancy and application of the LEED rating systems internationally. They've been helping us tremendously in identifying opportunities to improve the relevancy of LEED for their markets. For more information on the LEED International Roundtable please visit http://www.usgbc.org/about/committees/international.
2 weeks 6 days ago
James Oquin
Boral Material Technologies Inc.
I'm with Heather, that is not comforting.
2 weeks 6 days ago
Christina Macken
Assistant Project Manager, LEED v4, U.S. Green Building Council
Hi Heather and James - both your examples are referring to non-substantive changes to the rating system. The LSC determined that no substantive changes are necessary, meaning, the stringency of the (or any) requirements will not be changing in advance of ballot, which would have prompted another public comment. We're continuing to build out our glossary (available in the credit library at usgbc.org/credits) and doing some copy editing and overall document clean up. Those types of changes do not require a subsequent public comment period. More information on this is available here: http://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/Foundations-of-LEED.pdf (see appendix 2 and 3).
3 weeks 15 hours ago
Heather Marquard ...
Architect + USGBC Faculty, Greenscape, LLC
346 comments received and not one single change determined to be needed from all of those comments? Not even a word change or added definition? I find that quite unbelievable.