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LEED Version 4 Approved by U.S. Green Building Council

7/25/13

By: Matt Foree
The Board of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently approved version 4 of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.  This version was the subject of lengthy commentary, delays, and controversy.  The new version of LEED will launch at the Greenbuild Conference and Expo, scheduled for November 18-23 in Philadelphia.
According to Christina Macken, the Assistant Project Manager of the LEED v4 Program at the USGBC, the new version focused on a more performance-based (measurable) system. The new version also addresses the need to tailor standards to buildings in certain markets, including data centers, warehouses, and distribution centers.
Recent actions by Skanska USA indicate LEED’s importance to some in the construction industry.  Skanska USA recently announced that it has resigned as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to protest the Chamber’s support of an initiative to halt progress in sustainable building that would “effectively ban the future use of LEED for government buildings.” The President and CEO of Skanska USA, Michael McNally, had previously submitted commentary to the Washington Post foreshadowing Skanska’s decision.