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1%). Consequently, existing buildings must dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from operations.

However, decarbonizing an existing building is typically complex and expensive. While new buildings can be built efficiently and free from onsite combustion (see EA section of LEED v5 for New Construction, which provides a recipe for the design of ultra-low carbon new buildings), most existing buildings were not built with carbon in mind. They often have leaky, underinsulated envelopes, other inefficient systems, and fuel-fired heating equipment. To achieve an ultra-low-carbon state, existing buildings will have to do much of the following: improve their envelopes, invest in efficiency strategies, and replace at least some of their heat-related systems (space heating and service hot water).

The way to achieve deep decarbonization as cost effectively as possible is to create a “strategic decarbonization plan” (SDP), which lays out a series of decarbonization measures to be undertaken over a long period; this credit uses a 20-year time window. Such a plan coordinates with “trigger events,” events in the life of a building, such as the end of life of existing equipment or refinancing, to bring costs down. The development of such plans will be essential in decarbonizing the building sector; therefore, this credit is more heavily weighted to reflect the importance of decarbonizing existing buildings.

DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC DECARBONIZATION PLAN

This credit outlines a process for the development of an SDP which is divided into a preplanning and a planning phase.

Pre-planning

The pre-planning phase is the investigation phase and includes the creation of a planning team and the assembling of necessary information about the building and its energy systems. Preplanning must include:

• The creation of a project team, including a team leader and members with a broad range of expertise, as outlined in the credit. Developing an SDP is not solely an engineering exercise: it requires asset planning, engineering, and architectural expertise.

• Creating a carbon BAU projection for all projects and a Building Performance Standard (BPS) BAU carbon project for projects that are subject to a BPS as addressed in EAp1: Carbon Projection from Energy Use

• Creating a financial BAU, including the cost of equipment replacement and anticipated fees due for projects subject to a BPS

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Operations and Maintenance, April 2025 Launch Edition 173