Foundations of LEED 1_2023 - Page 008

Extracted Content

Market Sector/Project Type Adaptations Working groups will be created to address market sector/project types identified as priorities. These working groups will include appointed members who will represent various perspectives and membership categories and who have relevant expertise. They will be supported by USGBC staff and consultants.

iii. Next Version Development

The LEED rating system will be updated on a regular development cycle which restarts when the previous version is approved by the relevant consensus committee and ratified by vote of the USGBC membership.

Next Version Development allows the public to provide ideas for rating system improvement from the beginning of the next development process. At all stages of the development process, feedback from USGBC membership is requested to help shape the improvements of LEED and allow for openness and transparency. The LEED committee structure maximizes the opportunities for member participation through member-comprised subcommittees and working groups that focus on addressing specific issues within the rating system.

Once approved for public comment, the Next Version rating system will follow the Balloting Procedures outlined in Appendix 2.

iv. Pilot Credits/Beta Versions

Pilot credits The LEED Pilot Credit Library is a rating system development tool established to encourage testing of new and revised LEED credit and prerequisite language, alternative compliance paths, and new and innovative green building technologies and concepts. An effective infrastructure for the Pilot Library facilitates refinement of LEED credits and enhances the effectiveness of LEED.

Pilot testing of new ideas in LEED encourages continuous improvement of the LEED rating system by establishing incentive for continued innovation of green building practices. The Pilot Credit Library allows USGBC to test and refine elements such as proposed prerequisites and credits as well as alternative compliance paths to existing credits before they are introduced into the core rating systems.

All pilot credits and prerequisites shall follow the procedures in Appendix 1.

Beta Version In order to test the changes to the LEED rating system either by credit or for an entire rating system, projects may use a new rating system prior to public comment and balloting through a beta test of the system, described more fully in Appendix 1.

4. Global Approach to LEED

USGBC has developed a global approach to LEED that will leverage the knowledge, technical abilities and enthusiasm of partner organizations around the world in the establishment of LEED internationally. This approach recognizes LEED as a global rating system for green building that meets the needs of different countries while maintaining stringency and consistency in a single tool.

USGBC’s vision for LEED internationally is based on three core principles:

 - Global Consistency – Maintaining consistency of the technical stringency and certification process of LEED across the

world;

 - Regional Approach to Prerequisites and Credits – Providing opportunity for countries to collaborate on the

establishment of regional alternative compliance paths to LEED requirements that meet the unique needs of a particular region. This collaboration will begin with reference standards and be expanded to address other appropriate prerequisite and credit components over time.

 - Local Support and Outreach – Building partnerships to provide resources, education, training and support for LEED at a

local scale, while acknowledging the possibility of local adaptations in the future.

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