LEED v4 Deadline is Almost Here: Are You Ready?

The changeover to LEED v4 is fast approaching and, before we know it, will completely replace the prior current LEED AP and LEED GA exams. In fact, on June 15th, the switch will be finalized, which means that if you’ve been studying under the old system – it’s time to finally step up to the plate!

Part of the rush toward taking the new exams is that the LEED v4 standard includes a significant number of changes from LEED 2009 and the exams are expected to be more difficult. In addition to new market sectors - including data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, existing schools, existing retail and high-rise residential projects - the most noted adjustment to the LEED credential system is the increased focus on material transparency. Indeed, the LEEDv4 Materials and Resources category barely resembles LEED 2009 thanks to Environmental Product Declarations and Life-Cycle Assessments.

Long story short, the use of environmental product declarations (EPD) and life-cycle assessments (LCA) is an attempt to mitigate greenwashing, which is a company's use of deceptive claims with respect to improving the environment through its products or practices.

These tools allow project teams to make "Apples to Apples" comparisons of different building products and gauge the environmental impact in a more holistic way. For a simple guide to better understand the concepts of EPD and LCA consider browsing this Slideshare!

The upside to these new, arguably more challenging, guidelines is that USGBC has also updated their website – including the LEED Online portal which houses all of the relevant documents in one user-friendly database. Especially given the increased documentation requirements, this should hopefully make the once cumbersome paperwork process considerably more straightforward.

Are you ready for these changes? Whether a contractor, subcontractor, architect, attorney or developer, taking the time to proactively address your understanding of new credit criteria and LEED standards could prevent costly missteps. Nevertheless, if you’ve been studying for the exam with our free tests, you’ll want to sign up for your exam right away. The last day to take your LEED exam under the 2009 system is June 15th. The countdown is on, and there are are only a few weeks left!