- Do LEED BD+C and ID+C certifications expire?
- Do LEED O+M certifications expire? How can I recertify my project?
- Can we update the certification level or revise a project's scorecard after the project has been certified?
- Where can I see the history of my project's certifications?
- How can I fulfill USGBC's data sharing requirements for my LEED projects?
Do LEED BD+C and ID+C certifications expire?
Certifications under the LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating system adaptations (NC, CS, etc.) and the LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) rating system adaptations (CI, Retail, etc.) do not expire. These rating systems certify the design and construction of buildings/spaces, and, therefore, as long as the building/space continues to exist it is appropriate to claim that it has been certified under a particular BD+C or ID+C rating system. That said, we encourage teams to recertify such projects as now allowed per the November 2018 article, "USGBC Announces all LEED Certified Green Buildings Eligible for LEED Recertification". For v4.1 recertification, the registration fee is waived.
To lock in the current LEED Recertification guidelines, you may select the Recertification link in the details tab of LEED Online. This will activate the project for LEED v4.1 O+M Recertification and allow your team to upload data in Arc, generate scores, and submit for Recertification review.
Find more information, see Choosing a recertification approach and, for access issues, Getting started with your recertification.
Do LEED O+M certifications expire? How can I recertify my project?
The LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance rating system (LEED O+M) certifies the sustainability of the ongoing operations & maintenance of existing buildings, and, therefore, LEED O+M certifications expire after 3 years (v4.1) or 5 years (v2, v2009, v4) if the building has not been recertified. Projects certified under LEED O+M must file for recertification at least once every 3 (or 5, if v2, v2009, v4) years to maintain their LEED O+M-certified status, as noted in the LEED v4.1 O+M Beta Guide or, for pre-v4.1 projects, the Guide to Certification. LEED O+M projects should not be marketed as LEED certified after their certification has expired.
While we cannot extend certifications beyond their 3 or 5 year expiration dates, expired O+M projects have the option to recertify. Such projects (as well as BD+C and ID+C projects) can now recertify using the streamlined approach described in the November 2018 article, "USGBC Announces all LEED Certified Green Buildings Eligible for LEED Recertification". For recertification, the registration fee is waived.
To lock in the current LEED Recertification guidelines, you may select the Recertification link in the details tab of LEED Online. This will activate the project for LEED v4.1 O+M Recertification and allow your team to upload data in Arc, generate scores, and evaluate your options.
Find more information, see Choosing a recertification approach and, for access issues, Getting started with your recertification.
Can we update the certification level or revise a project's scorecard after the project has been certified?
Based on the Guide to LEED Certification: Commercial, once a project has accepted the final certification report, the project will no longer be able to submit for supplemental (appeal) reviews or contest review decisions for specific credits or prerequisites. This means the certification level or scorecard can not be changed after certification even if the project adopts new design features. However, the project is welcome to apply for LEED recertification.
Where can I see the history of my project's certifications?
Find information on this at After recertification is complete.
How can I fulfill USGBC's data sharing requirements for my LEED projects?
According to MPR 6, all v2009 ID+C, BD+C, and O+M projects are required to submit energy and water use data to USGBC for five years after receiving their certification. In v4, BD+C and O+M projects are subject to this requirement according to the WE and EA building-level metering prerequisites. LEED v4 ID+C projects that achieve EA Credit Advanced Energy Metering using Option 1 are also required to submit energy use data.
Projects may use Arc or ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to fulfill the data sharing requirement. Teams also have the additional option of submitting a completed data template to us on a regular basis as described on the template's resource page.
For more background on this requirement, please see the Resources tab of MPR 6 for v2009 projects and the pertinent prerequisites in the LEED v4 rating system adaptations (e.g., WEp Building-level water metering in BD+C: NC). See also the USGBC article titled "Track, perform and excel with LEED".
Note: Although the obligation to report water and energy use does not exist for v4 ID+C projects, if an owner wishes to pursue recertification for such a project in LEED v4.1, then use of Arc for tracking energy, water, and other performance data will be advantageous.