It’s here! On April 27, 2009, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) released the LEED Version 3. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green rating and certification program for green homes and buildings. The updated version, LEED v3 has been highly anticipated in the green building industry. It represents three main changes from the LEED v2 rating system:

LEED 2009 – This is an updated list of advancements to the LEED v2 green rating and certification system. Please note that the LEED 2009 rating system affects all LEED building categories except the LEED–Homes (LEED–H) rating and certification system. Therefore, LEED 2009 applies to New Construction (NC), Existing Buildings (EB), Core and Shell (CS), Commercial Interiors (CI), and Neighborhood Development (ND). Visit the USGBC’s page on LEED 2009 for more information.

LEED Online – An improved online tool used by LEED project teams for registration and project certification. For more information on the new LEED online tool, visit the USGBC.org.

Certification Model – By using additional certification bodies, and by moving the certification process to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), the certification model has been sustainable improved.

With LEED v3, builders are now using the most up–to–date green building standards, creating healthy and efficient living and work areas.