LEED v4.1 - Green Building Rating System (US Green Building Council)

LEED v4.1 Energy and Atmosphere (EA) Credit Category - 33 points BD+C max (HIGHEST POINT CATEGORY). EA prerequisites and credits address building energy performance + atmospheric impacts: (a) EA Prerequisite 1 Fundamental Commissioning and Verification (REQUIRED 0 points) - independent third-party commissioning of energy + water + indoor environmental quality + envelope systems per ASHRAE Guideline 0-2019 + Cx Authority; (b) EA Prerequisite 2 Minimum Energy Performance (REQUIRED 0 points) - reduce energy use 5% below ASHRAE 90.1-2016 + 2019 baseline (whole-building energy simulation) or ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide compliance; (c) EA Prerequisite 3 Building-Level Energy Metering (REQUIRED 0 points) - permanent energy meter + 12-month reporting to USGBC; (d) EA Prerequisite 4 Fundamental Refrigerant Management (REQUIRED 0 points) - zero use of CFC-based refrigerants in new HVAC equ

• Cx Authority engagement
• Whole-building energy simulation
• ASHRAE 90.1-2019 baseline
• Refrigerant inventory (zero CFC)
• Energy meters with reporting
• REC purchase documentation
• Demand response participation

• No fundamental commissioning
• Below ASHRAE 90.1-2019
• CFC refrigerants
• No metering
• No renewable energy

LEED v4.1 Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) Credit Category - 16 points BD+C max. EQ prerequisites and credits address indoor air quality + thermal comfort + lighting + acoustic + occupant wellbeing: (a) EQ Prerequisite 1 Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance (REQUIRED 0 points) - meet ASHRAE 62.1-2016 ventilation rate procedure + indoor air quality procedure + monitoring; (b) EQ Prerequisite 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control (REQUIRED 0 points) - prohibit smoking within building + 25 feet of entrances + intakes + operable windows + outdoor signage; (c) EQ Prerequisite 3 Minimum Acoustic Performance (REQUIRED 0 points, Schools only) - HVAC noise + reverberation time + sound transmission per ANSI S12.60; (d) EQ Credit 1 Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies (1-2 points) - additional outdoor air monitoring + carbon dioxide monitoring + air filtration MERV 13+ + entryway systems + int

• ASHRAE 62.1-2016 compliance
• Smoking-free zone signage
• Low-emitting material certifications (CDPH/GREENGUARD)
• MERV 13+ filtration
• IAQ post-occupancy testing
• Daylight modeling (sDA)
• Views analysis
• ASHRAE 55-2017 thermal comfort

• No IAQ monitoring
• High-VOC materials
• No daylight analysis
• No thermal comfort survey
• No acoustic performance

LEED v4.1 Innovation (IN) + Regional Priority (RP) Credit Categories - 10 points BD+C max combined. IN credits recognize exceptional environmental performance beyond LEED requirements + Regional Priority addresses location-specific environmental priorities: (a) IN Credit 1 Innovation (1-5 points) - up to 5 points from any combination of: (i) Innovation - achieve significant measurable environmental performance using strategy not addressed by LEED; (ii) Pilot - achieve credit from USGBC LEED Pilot Credit Library (continuously evolving credits testing new approaches); (iii) Exemplary Performance - achieve a level above LEED v4.1 credit thresholds (typically 2x the credit threshold); (iv) Additional Documentation - demonstrate using strategies + technologies not represented in LEED credits; (b) IN Credit 2 LEED Accredited Professional (1 point) - at least one principal participant of projec

• Innovation credit documentation
• Pilot credit submissions
• Exemplary performance evidence (2x threshold)
• Regional Priority Credit Database alignment
• LEED AP team member credential

• No innovation strategy
• No pilot credit participation
• No exemplary performance
• No regional priority alignment
• No LEED AP on team

LEED v4.1 Integrative Process (IP) Credit Category. LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design v4.1 developed by US Green Building Council (USGBC) + LEED v4.1 launched 2019 as evolution from LEED v4 (2013) + LEED v2009 + LEED 2.2 + LEED 2.1. Five LEED rating systems: (1) LEED Building Design and Construction (BD+C) - New Construction + Core and Shell + Schools + Retail + Hospitality + Data Centers + Warehouses and Distribution Centers + Healthcare; (2) LEED Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) - Commercial Interiors + Retail + Hospitality; (3) LEED Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) - Existing Buildings + Schools + Retail + Hospitality + Data Centers + Warehouses; (4) LEED Neighborhood Development (ND) + Plan + Built Project; (5) LEED Homes - Single Family + Multifamily Low-Rise + Multifamily Midrise. LEED v4.1 Cities and Communities + LEED Zero (Zero Energy + Zero Carb

• Integrative design charrette records
• Multidisciplinary team roster
• Pre-design discovery analysis
• Energy + water analysis
• LEED scorecard with target points
• GBCI registration
• LEED AP credential evidence

• No integrative charrette
• No multidisciplinary team
• Target certification not declared
• No LEED AP on team

LEED v4.1 Location and Transportation (LT) Credit Category - 16 points BD+C max. LT credits emphasize site selection that reduces environmental impacts of development + supports use of low-impact transportation: (a) LT Credit 1 LEED for Neighborhood Development Location (1-16 points) - building in LEED ND certified neighborhood automatically achieves all LT credits; (b) LT Credit 2 Sensitive Land Protection (1-2 points) - avoid development on greenfield + sensitive land including prime farmland + floodplains + endangered species habitat + critical wildlife habitat + designated wetlands + water bodies; (c) LT Credit 3 High Priority Site (1-2 points) - infill development + brownfield redevelopment + priority designation; (d) LT Credit 4 Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses (1-5 points) - urban density at least 4 acres per 200K sq ft of building + at least 4 diverse uses within walking dist

• LEED ND location documentation
• Sensitive land protection evidence
• Walk Score/Transit Score reports
• Density calculations
• Bicycle facilities documentation
• EVSE installation
• Reduced parking calculations

• Greenfield development
• No transit analysis
• No bicycle facilities
• Excessive parking
• No EVSE

LEED v4.1 Materials and Resources (MR) Credit Category - 13 points BD+C max. MR prerequisites and credits address material lifecycle + waste management: (a) MR Prerequisite 1 Storage and Collection of Recyclables (REQUIRED 0 points) - dedicated easily-accessible recycling areas for mixed paper + corrugated cardboard + glass + plastics + metals + collection of two of (batteries + mercury-containing lamps + electronic waste); (b) MR Prerequisite 2 Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning (REQUIRED 0 points) - construction waste management plan identifying materials to be diverted from disposal + audit + reporting; (c) MR Credit 1 Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction (1-6 points) - whole-building life-cycle assessment (LCA) per ISO 14040/44 demonstrating 10-20% reduction in cradle-to-grave embodied carbon + acidification + eutrophication + smog + ozone depletion + non-renewable

• Whole-building LCA per ISO 14040
• 20 products with EPDs
• 20 products with CSRs (GRI)
• 20 products with HPDs
• Construction waste diversion 50-75%
• Recycling collection areas

• No LCA
• Few EPDs
• No HPDs
• No construction waste plan
• No recycling collection

LEED v4.1 Sustainable Sites (SS) Credit Category - 10 points BD+C max. SS prerequisites and credits address site disturbance + erosion + sediment + habitat + heat island + light pollution + rainwater management: (a) SS Prerequisite 1 Construction Activity Pollution Prevention (REQUIRED 0 points) - control erosion + waterway sedimentation + airborne dust generation per 2012 US EPA Construction General Permit or equivalent + sediment-and-erosion control plan + best management practices (BMPs); (b) SS Credit 1 Site Assessment (1 point) - assess site conditions before design (topography + hydrology + climate + vegetation + soils + human use + human health effects); (c) SS Credit 2 Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat (1-2 points) - preserve 40% of site or restore 30% of disturbed area to native vegetation + financial support to nationally accredited land trust; (d) SS Credit 3 Open

• Erosion and sediment control plan + BMPs
• Site Assessment report
• Habitat restoration evidence
• Rainwater management calculations
• SRI calculations for roofs/paving
• BUG ratings for outdoor lighting

• No erosion control
• No site assessment
• No habitat preservation
• Inadequate rainwater management
• No SRI calculations

LEED v4.1 Water Efficiency (WE) Credit Category - 11 points BD+C max. WE prerequisites and credits address all aspects of indoor + outdoor + process water use: (a) WE Prerequisite 1 Outdoor Water Use Reduction (REQUIRED 0 points) - reduce landscape water use by 30% from calculated baseline using EPA WaterSense Water Budget Tool or no irrigation after establishment; (b) WE Prerequisite 2 Indoor Water Use Reduction (REQUIRED 0 points) - reduce aggregate water use 20% below baseline including water-efficient plumbing fixtures (toilets + urinals + faucets + showerheads + WaterSense labels); (c) WE Prerequisite 3 Building-Level Water Metering (REQUIRED 0 points) - install permanent water meter measuring whole-building potable water use + 12-month reporting commitment to USGBC; (d) WE Credit 1 Outdoor Water Use Reduction (1-2 points) - reduce 50-100% from baseline; (e) WE Credit 2 Indoor Water

• WaterSense Water Budget Tool output
• Indoor water use calculations
• Building-level water meter
• WaterSense fixture certifications
• Cooling tower cycles documentation
• 12-month USGBC reporting commitment

• No WaterSense fixtures
• No water metering
• No baseline calculations
• No reporting commitment