The new rating system features streamlined reporting, fewer prerequisites, greater focus on O&M rather than construction, ease of scale for use in greening larger building portfolios, and more rewards for environmental performance.

After a year’s effort by the LEED®-EB core committee, a new and improved version of LEED-EB O&M is now available, according to Mike Opitz, P.E., LEED AP, director of LEED implementation for the USGBC.

The new rating system features streamlined reporting, fewer prerequisites, greater focus on O&M rather than construction, ease of scale for use in greening larger building portfolios, and more rewards for environmental performance. According to Opitz, the new version has moved from prescriptive credits to performance credits and is an ongoing certification process. “This LEED element is unique to LEED-EB because it is a measurement of how green you are doing,” Opitz said. Recertification is required at least once every five years, although buildings can re-certify annually if feedback on building performance reviews and budgets is necessary.

The LEED-EB O&M improvements include expanded sections on energy efficiency, water efficiency, and green cleaning, with ratings sections organized by type of green issue. Opitz said the goal of the revision was to further realize the USGBC’s vision of creating healthier buildings that are better for employees, less costly to operate, and less taxing on natural resources, making green building benefits go straight to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits.