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Interiors should focus on. Teams must determine how climate hazards could affect indoor air quality, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) efficiency, electrical systems, material durability, and occupant well-being. The assessment should analyze at least two priority hazards using IPCC SSP emissions scenarios, defining the project’s expected service life and assessing hazard levels, risks, vulnerabilities, and potential operational impacts.

Since LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors projects operate within existing structures, the assessment should also consider how building-wide resilience strategies (or lack thereof) influence interior spaces. For instance, if a building is in a flood-prone area, interior projects may need to incorporate moisture-resistant materials, elevated critical systems, and emergency response protocols for water damage mitigation. If extreme heat is a priority hazard, the assessment should evaluate HVAC performance, thermal comfort strategies, and interior materials’ heat resistance.

Identification of Priority Hazards

Project teams must identify at least two priority hazards based on the assessment, considering historical hazard data, projected future risks, and the impact on interior environments and systems. The assessment should integrate regional climate models, hazard mitigation plans, and available climate risk databases to determine the likelihood and severity of each hazard.

For LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors projects, priority hazards should be identified based on their potential to disrupt building operations, occupant safety, and interior system performance. Teams should consider factors such as the resilience of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as indoor temperature stability, air quality, and material durability.

To support this evaluation, project teams can use tools such as the FEMA National Risk Index [6] , NOAA Climate Explorer [7], or municipal hazard mitigation plans to understand site-specific risks. For example, if a commercial interior project is in an area experiencing increasing extreme heat events, priority hazards may include excessive indoor temperatures and strain on HVAC systems. If the project is located in a coastal region vulnerable to storm surge, teams may prioritize flood-related risks that could impact electrical and IT infrastructure within the interior space.

Once priority hazards are identified, teams must document findings in the climate resilience assessment template or submit an equivalent external assessment tool. This ensures that climate risks are systematically analyzed and addressed within the scope of interior design and operations.

6 “FEMA National Risk Index”, FEMA, accessed March 31, 2025, https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/. 7 “NOAA Climate Explorer”, NOAA, accessed March 31, 2025, https://crt-climate-explorer.nemac.org/.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 22