The deadline to register projects under the LEED 2009 rating system has been extended by the USGBC to October 31, 2016. While the original date for LEED 2009 registration to close was set for June, 2014, the extension will give LEED users and members of the green building industry more time to prepare for LEED v4, which includes significant updates and has been on the market for nearly a year.
The decision came after a survey conducted at the Greenbuild conference that found 61% of respondents are currently not ready or unsure if they're ready to pursue LEED v4 certification, and that additional preparation time would be necessary to pursue the new version. Also noted was the increasing prevalance of international LEED users, who also indicate that they need more time to prepare for the new requirements.
Although the deadline for LEED 2009 has been extended, this will not affect those projects currently undergoing certification for LEED v4, which will remain as the next step in LEED. The USGBC hopes that extending the availability of LEED 2009 will help the industry at large implement meaningful changes to sustainability.
“We want to support our LEED users as they move the market forward with us, and allowing them to utilize the LEED 2009 rating system for a little longer will facilitate that,” says Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC.
Considering LEED? Take a look at the Top 10 Changes you can expect to see in v4.
