Navigating LEED v5: The future of sustainable construction

With a legacy spanning over three decades, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) continues to lead the charge in transforming the construction industry through LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This newest iteration of LEED reflects the urgency of global climate goals, integrating new prerequisites, improved frameworks, and expanded credit categories to address decarbonization, health, equity, and resilience.

LEED v5 builds on a foundation of progress, as highlighted by USGBC’s recent Impact Report, which reveals the tangible benefits of LEED-certified projects over the years. The report notes that these projects have collectively saved over 120 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, reshaped industry standards, and contributed to sustainable development on a global scale. With over 195,000 projects across 186 countries and more than 29 billion square feet of certified space, the influence of LEED-certified buildings is profound — and LEED v5 is poised to amplify this impact.

One Click LCA recently sat down with David MacLean and Suryabala Sah of USGBC-TX to learn more about how LEED v5 will impact the construction industry.

Key changes in LEED v5

LEED v5 introduces significant advancements aimed at addressing emerging challenges in the built environment. The updated framework emphasizes three primary impact areas: decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration. Within these areas, new prerequisites and optional credits target operational and embodied carbon, transportation carbon, and building materials reuse.

For the first time, embodied carbon reporting will become a prerequisite for LEED certification. This requirement compels project teams to assess and quantify the global warming potential of materials used in building structures, enclosures, and hardscapes. The reporting scope includes cradle-to-gate emissions (A1–A3 stages), covering raw material extraction, transportation, and manufacturing processes. This shift represents a critical step toward industry-wide transparency.

Optional credits build on this foundation by encouraging carbon optimization. Projects can achieve these credits through strategies like whole-building life-cycle assessments, environmental product declaration (EPD) analysis, and innovative material reuse practices. Thresholds for reductions are tied to baselines established by organizations such as the Carbon Leadership Forum, which provides average industry data to measure improvements.

By establishing prerequisites and robust pathways for optimization, LEED v5 aims to elevate the construction industry’s accountability and contribution to global decarbonization targets.

Tools and strategies for compliance

Achieving LEED v5 certification requires comprehensive tools and data to meet the new requirements effectively. Software platforms like One Click LCA streamline the life-cycle assessment (LCA) process by integrating material data, automating reporting, and generating compliance-ready documentation. These tools enable project teams to quantify material impacts and explore carbon reduction strategies through detailed baseline comparisons.

Data accuracy plays a pivotal role in embodied carbon assessments. With over 150,000 North American-specific datasets, One Click LCA offers the world’s largest material database. Teams can input material quantities through various methods, including BIM models, Excel-based bills of materials, and conceptual carbon modeling tools. The software matches materials to representative EPDs, allowing users to refine assumptions such as transportation distance, end-of-life scenarios, and replacement cycles.

Automation further supports compliance by generating reports tailored to LEED requirements. These reports outline baseline impacts, proposed reductions, and supporting EPD documentation, helping projects meet both prerequisite and credit criteria with efficiency and precision.

The business case for green building

LEED’s evolution is deeply tied to market dynamics, and LEED v5 reflects an alignment between sustainability goals and economic benefits. LEED-certified buildings consume 25% less energy, reduce carbon emissions by 34%, and use 11% less water compared to traditional buildings. These efficiency gains translate to significant cost savings and operational resilience, making green building practices not only environmentally sound but financially prudent.

The shift toward transparency and accountability in LEED v5 is also driven by market demand. As noted in the USGBC Impact Report, businesses increasingly recognize the return on investment for sustainable practices. Additionally, new programs like PERFORM offer a portfolio-wide approach to sustainability, ensuring that all building types — regardless of starting point — contribute to organizational performance goals. Such tools are essential as companies strive to meet climate commitments and align with the Paris Agreement’s 2030 and 2050 targets.

Looking ahead: A roadmap for transformation

LEED v5 marks a turning point for sustainable construction, emphasizing holistic, scalable, and actionable strategies for addressing the built environment’s environmental and social challenges. With the promise of updates every five years, starting with LEED v6 in 2030, USGBC is committing to continuous innovation to meet evolving market and climate demands.

Beyond technical changes, LEED v5 reflects a broader vision for the role of green buildings in fostering equitable, healthy, and resilient communities. In the USGBC's recent Impact Report, Peter Templeton, President and CEO of USGBC noted,

“We have shifted market demand toward more sustainable and healthy buildings by demonstrating their value and fostering innovation in building technology, materials, and processes."

As the construction industry adopts LEED v5, the stage is set for transformations that extend beyond buildings, influencing materials, policies, and best practices worldwide. By combining rigorous standards with innovative tools and a clear business case, LEED v5 enables stakeholders across the industry to play an active role in creating a sustainable, low-carbon future.