Changes Made in LEED v4.1 for New Construction

As LEED continues to evolve with the latest iteration LEED version 4.1, the green program continues to grow delivering influential positive impacts to the world and environment. From the original version to the most recent restatement, LEED continues to incorporate technological advancement with updated government policies to advance carbon reduction as well as improve the health of humankind.

The newest version of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED green building program, entitled LEED v4.1, brings changes for new construction projects and interior spaces.

 The versions, LEED v4.1 BD+C and LEED v4.1 ID+C focuses on improvement of energy performance, integrative design, and human health and comfort. The changes made address project challenges come across whenever sustainability goals are present.

LEED v4.1 incorporates knowledge gathered from LEED v4 project teams to deliver a rating system which will be within reach for more projects. With transformed performance levels and standards, LEED continues as the global standard for green building area.

The previous LEED versions eg. LEED v4 have focused on construction, materials, and energy efficiency but LEED v4.1 focuses on the drastic population growth and its impacts on the environment.

LEED v4.1 puts efforts in promoting green building, performance, and sustainability for the advancement of civilisation.

LEED v4.1 potentials an honest response to the realities of the market while continuing to promote the best in industry performance in existing buildings and new construction.

LEED v4.1 emphasise focus on the use of energy and water usage.

One of the major changes in v4.1 is the introduction of performance-based prerequisites, and it is linked l with Arc for some data management.

This new version of LEED gives more weight to credit requirements that are directly measurable by the project, with 90 of the possible points allocated to the prerequisites that calculate points based on actual building data.

 The remaining 10 points can be earned by documenting compliance on credits.

 A minimum score of 40 must be earned for each performance-based prerequisite.

Other benefits of LEED v4.1 are

• It  that all building stakeholders – developer, property manager, occupant and the community benefit from sustainable design, construction, operations and performance.
• Supports projects to implement sustainable and healthy building practices to realize environmental, economic, and social and community benefits for future.
• Underlines integrative design to ensure better design, translation of design into high quality construction, optimize operations and high performance of a building.
• Helps buildings deliver higher quality beyond market practices by incorporating innovative design, technologies, construction and material selection strategies.
• Focuses on both performance oriented sustainable strategies and outcomes.
• Helps buildings consume fewer natural resources, reduce operating costs, increase value and create safer and healthier environments for its occupants.
• Helps buildings reduce their GHG/carbon emissions by incorporating energy efficiency measures.
• Helps buildings use toxin free materials to deliver cleaner indoor air to improve productivity, focus and reduce respiratory illnesses of its occupants.