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as this unifying prerequisite which enables project teams to compare their sources of emissions and see which are significant. This prerequisite takes the data from EAp1: Operational Carbon Projection and Decarbonization Plan, EAp5: Fundamental Refrigerant Management, MRp2: Quantify and Assess Embodied Carbon ; as well as LTc4: Transportation Demand Management, if that credit has been pursued. It then provides project teams with a report and visualization showing how their different sources of emissions will compare over a 25-year time horizon. The goal is to promote more informed carbon-related decision-making.
Carbon Assessment
USGBC will develop a 25-year carbon assessment of the estimated emissions from energy use, refrigerants, embodied carbon, and for some projects, transportation from the data in the prerequisites and optional credit. It includes:
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Annual carbon emissions from each source for 25 years.
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Cumulative emissions from each source each year for 25 years.
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Cumulative emissions over 25 years in total and from each source and the percentage of the total from each source.
Additional considerations The information in this carbon assessment provides an overview of the various sources of carbon emissions and can help owners make informed decisions to reduce the project’s emissions. Although not required for compliance, sharing the 25-year carbon projection with the owner can be beneficial. From the report, owners can extract insights on how to reduce emissions over time.
This prerequisite does not require comprehensive carbon accounting, wholebuilding life cycle analyses, nor is it meant to be a substitute for more in-depth analysis. Rather, LEED v5 requires this basic cross-categorical carbon assessment to enable a broad understanding of how project emissions across sources will add up over time, using data all LEED v5 projects must be submitted under other prerequisites and applying reasonable assumptions.
Assumptions Behind the Assessment
While project teams do not need to compile any calculations to complete this credit, the following section outlines the assumptions behind the USGBC-supplied carbon assessment for full transparency. Project teams should conduct their own analysis in addition to this carbon assessment to produce more customized results.
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 32