LEED v4 to v5 High-Level Crosswalk
Scope boundary
This is a category and major-theme map, not a credit-by-credit crosswalk.
Changedmeans that the validated local sources visibly frame or organize the theme differently; it does not establish a detailed requirement change.
Official comparison evidence
LEED BD+C v4 to v5 Summary of Changes is now the primary source for the high-level BD+C comparison. Its detailed category tables are preserved as page images, so they support the themes below but are not being transcribed into a credit-by-credit crosswalk.
Crosswalk
| Major theme | LEED v4 evidence | LEED v5 evidence | Relationship | Review boundary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integrative process | The Third Edition describes integrative process as a sustainable-thinking and project-process method: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 037 | v4 PDF page 37]]. | The official summary shows the new Integrative Process, Planning, and Assessments category and its assessment prerequisites: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 002 | Summary PDF page 2]]. The published rating system contains the category and Integrative Design Process credit: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-v5-bd-c-rating-system-november-2025-clean/pages/Page 002 |
| Location and transportation | Listed as a core application category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 006 | v4 PDF page 6]]. | The official summary maps major LT consolidations and new credits: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 003 | Summary PDF page 3]] and [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 004 |
| Sustainable sites | Listed as a core application category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 006 | v4 PDF page 6]]. | The official summary shows credit consolidation and new resilient-site topics: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 005 | Summary PDF page 5]]. The published rating system retains the category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-v5-bd-c-rating-system-november-2025-clean/pages/Page 003 |
| Water efficiency | The Third Edition frames indoor and outdoor water efficiency as a core category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 068 | v4 PDF page 68]], [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 095 | v4 PDF page 95]]. | The official summary identifies whole-project water management, metering, leak detection, and consolidated efficiency credits: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 006 |
| Energy, carbon, and atmosphere | The Third Edition links energy efficiency, commissioning, monitoring, and ongoing performance: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 071 | v4 PDF page 71]], [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 076 | v4 PDF page 76]]. | The official summary shows expanded decarbonization framing, updated commissioning, energy-performance, metering, electrification, refrigerant, renewable-energy, and grid-interactive topics: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 008 |
| Materials and resources | Listed as a core application category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 006 | v4 PDF page 6]]. | The official summary maps embodied-carbon, reuse, product-selection, procurement, and waste changes: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 011 | Summary PDF page 11]] and [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 012 |
| Indoor environmental quality | The Third Edition defines IEQ as a core category concerned with indoor conditions: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 084 | v4 PDF page 84]]. | The official summary shows revised air-quality, ventilation, construction, occupant-experience, thermal-comfort, and resilient-space organization: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 013 | Summary PDF page 13]] through [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 015 |
| Innovation and project priorities | The Third Edition presents Innovation as a category and notes that recognized innovations can change as LEED evolves: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 089 | v4 PDF page 89]]. | The official summary says Innovation is renamed Project Priorities and combines it with Regional Priority: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 016 | Summary PDF page 16]]. The local BD+C and ID+C sources show the category: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-v5-bd-c-rating-system-november-2025-clean/pages/Page 006 |
| Ongoing and operational performance | The Third Edition describes ongoing commissioning and performance feedback: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 076 | v4 PDF page 76]], [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 077 | v4 PDF page 77]]. | O+M organizes multiple categories around monitoring, reporting, and measured performance: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-v5-o-m-rating-system-february-2026/pages/Page 003 |
| Climate resilience | The Third Edition discusses climate exposure, adaptation, and resilience: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 015 | v4 PDF page 15]] through [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 018 | v4 PDF page 18]]. | The official summary identifies Climate Resilience Assessment as a new prerequisite: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 002 |
| Decarbonization | The Third Edition identifies building-related greenhouse-gas sources and reduction context: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 015 | v4 PDF page 15]] through [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-coreconcepts-strategies-3rd-edition/pages/Page 017 | v4 PDF page 17]]. | The official summary names decarbonization as a central impact area and describes a low-carbon Energy and Atmosphere frame: [[02 - Sources/PDF/leed-bdc-v4-v5-summary-of-changes/pages/Page 002 |
Next Comparison Gate
The first cross-source atomic batch should compare integrative process, commissioning, energy metering, and climate resilience. Each resulting note must keep LEED v4 foundational statements separate from LEED v5 requirement and guidance statements.