LEED v5 for architects and developers marks a major shift in how we define high-performance buildings in a carbon-constrained world. The most recent version of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® is now open for new project registrations in both Canada and across North America. In this article, we’ll explore the rating system typology that applies to new Building Design and Construction (LEED BD+C) and LEED for Core and Shell Development (LEED CS) and how this ambitious overhaul will change how you design, build, and benchmark your projects. We’ll also give you an overview of how it still leaves significant opportunities on the table for reaching high performance levels in energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, which affects occupant productivity and health, and, of course, with accelerating climate change, climate resilience and carbon impact.
