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LEED v4 energy update basics

  • Updated

An update to LEED v4 was proposed on November 22, 2022, and went into effect on March 1, 2024.

Any LEED v4 projects registered after March 1, 2024 are held to the updated requirements, which can be found in the LEED credit library.

For more information about applying the energy update to a project, please also see Applying the LEED v4 energy update to your project. 

Why did USGBC update the LEED v4 energy requirements?

To reflect the urgency of the climate crisis, LEED requirements must ensure outcomes that swiftly decarbonize building operations. Those of you who have been with us over the years know that it takes time to build a LEED rating system and bring it to market. While we are working hard on LEED v5, we also wanted to make sure LEED v4 was updated to reflect a focus on increased energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The LEED v4 update serves as an incremental step in transitioning to the Future of LEED to ensure LEED continues to fulfill its roles as a driver of market transformation, an enabler of actions on all projects, and a symbol of leadership for others to follow.

It is critically important that the current version in use by projects reflects the future of LEED goals and that we can move the market forward while equipping you with the tools needed to make these changes. These updates better reflect current expectations of market leadership on climate — as defined in local codes, industry commitments and global targets. The energy update raises the threshold for energy performance and emissions reductions and provides a mechanism for specifically evaluating and incentivizing greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

What are the primary changes affecting the prerequisite and credit in this update?

Highlights of changes affecting both EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA Credit Optimize Energy Performance (or EA Credit Annual Energy Use) include:

  • Increases performance improvement thresholds in alignment with LEED 1 stringency
  • Adds greenhouse gas emissions metric
  • Allows source energy metric as an alternative to the cost metric to demonstrate energy efficiency savings
  • Replaces prescriptive compliance options with credit substitution of more streamlined LEED 1 prescriptive paths

ASHRAE 90.1 2010 Appendix G remains the referenced standard, but additional pathways are available for projects applying later versions of ASHRAE 90.1 (see "What options/pathways are available for Minimum Energy Performance and Optimize Energy Performance when using the updated requirements?" for more information about these options).

What are the changes specific to EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance?

  • Minimum performance improvement may be documented using a cost metric, a source energy metric, or a GHG emissions metric
  • Contribution of on-site renewable energy is credited towards prerequisite compliance

What are the changes specific to EA Credit Optimize Energy Performance (or EA Credit Annual Energy Use)?

Implemented dual metric structure, linking achievement of maximum points to projects that demonstrate both a high level of energy performance and substantial greenhouse gas emissions savings:

  • Greenhouse gas emissions performance improvement achieves up to one half of the available points
  • Energy efficiency performance improvement documented using either source energy metric or cost metric achieves up to one half of the available points
  • Points are summed for the two metrics

Why is ASHRAE 90.1-2010 still the referenced standard within this update?

Retaining 90.1-2010 Appendix G as the referenced compliance path mitigates disruption to current users similar to previous balloted energy updates. By referencing 90.1-2010, project teams may continue to leverage currently published LEED v4 Interpretations and/or LEED v4.1 credit substitution options to document whole building energy simulation using the most appropriate reference for their project including all later referenced versions of ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G (2013, 2016, 2019, 2022) (see "What options/pathways are available for Minimum Energy Performance and Optimize Energy Performance when using the updated requirements?" for more information about these options).

How is the original LEED v4 rating differentiated from the LEED v4 update for projects referencing these requirements?

Due to the urgency of the climate crisis, many jurisdictions and agencies referencing LEED have pressed for immediate updates to LEED energy efficiency and decarbonization criteria. Regulations, grants, and incentives with options referenced to LEED v4 could be retired or become obsolete if viewed as not reflecting jurisdictional climate goals. The LEED v4 update will better support these programs. 

USGBC will publish information in conjunction with the balloted update that clearly identifies the implications on LEED v4 stringency and certification levels. Jurisdictions and agencies with regulations, grants, or incentives can leverage this guidance to update regulatory references, or to verify projects subject to the update are in compliance with the stringency of the jurisdiction or agency’s original requirements.

The LEED review report will clearly show that the project was certified under the more stringent LEED v4 update and can be shared with jurisdictions and agencies.

What happens to projects registered before the update? Are they required to use these new requirements?

No. LEED v4 projects registered before March 1, 2024 may apply the original requirements. Only projects registered on or after March 1 are required to apply the update.

How were the revised thresholds derived?

The revised thresholds were determined based on 2030 climate goals. Minimum improvement thresholds for the prerequisite were linked to ASHRAE 90.1-2016 average improvements beyond ASHRAE 90.1-2010. Optimize Energy Performance points are awarded based on incremental improvements to energy efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with near zero GHG emissions required for projects achieving the maximum number of points.

What are the new performance percentage thresholds in this new energy update?

To understand the new thresholds in this update, please refer to the following charts. Note that the new thresholds sum the points achieved from Table 1 (Cost or Source Energy) and Table 2 (Greenhouse Gas Emissions). Those tables can be found in the LEED credit library.

The charts below assume an equal savings for the cost and greenhouse gas emissions metrics.

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Can you summarize the additional changes for multifamily projects using LEED v4 BD+C: Multifamily Midrise or BD+C: Homes?

The updates for LEED v4 BD+C: Multifamily Midrise projects include the changes listed above for EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA Credit Annual Energy Use, as well as the following additional changes:

  • Limited the magnitude of credit for Home Size Adjustment
  • Updated the commissioning reference to current Energy Star Multifamily Homes New Construction (MFNC) references, replacing obsolete High Rise program reference

For LEED v4 BD+C: Homes, the magnitude of credit for Home Size Adjustment was updated to align with the changes to BD+C: Multifamily Midrise.

For Multifamily Midrise, why has the Home Size Adjustment been reduced?

The update refocuses the credit on decarbonization through energy efficiency and renewable energy. More than half of LEED points currently documented for Multifamily Residential projects are awarded for Home Size Adjustment for dwelling unit sizes that are common in densely populated areas. The Home Size Adjustment (HSA) was incorporated into LEED v4 Homes rating systems to credit projects that limit energy consumption by reducing dwelling unit area.

However, LEED v4 Multifamily energy simulation results do not show a statistically significant correlation between home size and modeled energy consumption per bedroom, suggesting the limited effectiveness of the HSA towards achieving this intent. Therefore, the update limits the magnitude of the Home Size Adjustment to ensure that total EA Annual Energy points correspond to meaningful savings in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

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