CONSTRUCTION Accounting ARTICLE -
LEED Changes Increase Complexity of Going Green
Target Audience: Construction Industry Professionals, Interest in Going Greeen and Environmental Innitiatives
In an effort to eliminate backlogs and comply with ISO standards, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has revised its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. As a result, contractors looking to “go green” with their projects will face a substantially larger number of reviewing organizations and a more complex point system to qualify for certification.
More Reviewers, Points
Until this year, the USGBC reviewed all submissions for certification. As green building continues to grow, however, the USGBC has been hard-pressed to keep up with demand — even with the support of independently contracted reviewers.
Therefore, the organization has transferred responsibility for LEED certification reviews to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), a nonprofit organization established with support from the USGBC in 2007. And beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, the institute started working closely with the following 10 certifying organizations to provide ISO-compliant LEED certifications based on a new rating system:
1. ABS Quality Evaluations,
2. BSI Management Systems America,
3. Bureau Veritas North America,
4. DNV Certification,
5. Intertek,
6. KEMA Registered Quality,
7. Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance,
8. NSF International Strategic Registrations,
9. SRI Quality System Registrar, and
10. Underwriters Laboratories-DQS.
All are well known for their certification standards and capabilities, and all are very familiar with ISO standards.
Along with incurring the change in reviewers, the old 69-point system for certification has become a 100-point system, weighted by categories that reflect priorities. Climate change and indoor environmental quality have the heaviest weightings, while ozone depletion and acidification received the lowest weightings.
In addition, building projects now may qualify for up to 35 points related to protecting the atmosphere and 26 points for creating sustainable sites. Previous LEED ratings allowed only 17 points for protecting the atmosphere and 14 for sustainable sites.
With a maximum of 10 points, water efficiency is lowest on the possible point scale, though it’s double the previous 5-point maximum. Materials and resources now qualify for up to 14 points, compared to the previous 13 points, and environmental quality is unchanged at 15 points.
The four certification categories are unchanged: Certified projects must have 40-49 points; Silver, 50-59; Gold, 60-79; and Platinum, 80 or more.
Regional Priorities
Recognizing that water efficiency is more important in New Mexico than in New York, the system also provides for up to four credits for regional issues. Working with regional councils throughout the country, the USGBC developed six environmental priorities per region, offering credits for up to four per project. Another 6 points is available for innovation and design.
As in the past, buildings must meet minimum requirements to obtain LEED certification. There are minimum energy standards, for example, and certification requirements for reductions in use of potable water have been strengthened.
More Change Coming
For complete information on the new LEED standards, visit the USGBC’s Web site at usgbc.org. Don’t get too complacent, though: The next version of LEED is already in the works and could be ready by 2010 or 2011.
Find out how our expertise in construction accounting can add value to your business. Email us or call us at 1 (888) 875-9770.
related links
Construction Newsletters & Articles
Specialized Construction Services
Construction Contract Audits
Construction Resources
Auditing & Accounting
Seminars & Events |
