What Is LEED? LEED Green Building Certification Levels, v5, Process and Costs
What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the international green building rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with certification reviewed and awarded by the third-party body GBCI. Projects earn Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum based on points across carbon reduction, energy, water, materials and indoor environment. The current version is LEED v5, launched in April 2025, with about half of its points tied to decarbonization; registration for commercial projects under the older v4/v4.1 closes on June 30, 2027.
LEED at a Glance
| Developer | U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC); third-party certification by GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) |
|---|---|
| Current version | LEED v5 (launched April 28, 2025); commercial registration under v4/v4.1 open until June 30, 2027 |
| Credit categories | 8 categories in v5: Integrative Process, Location and Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Project Priorities |
| Certification levels | Certified 40, Silver 50, Gold 60, Platinum 80+ points (out of 110) |
| Rating systems | New construction BD+C, interiors ID+C, existing building operations O+M, plus neighborhood, residential and cities systems |
| Review | Online submission; GBCI preliminary and final reviews take about 20–25 business days each |
| Validity | Existing buildings O+M (v4.1, v5) recertify every 3 years; new construction and interiors are one-time certifications |
How Is LEED v5 Different from v4?
LEED v5 launched in April 2025 and focuses on three impact areas: decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration. Compared with v4, there are five main changes:
About half of the points relate to operational carbon, embodied carbon, refrigerants and transportation emissions, calculated over the building's full life cycle.
For example, climate resilience assessment, human impact assessment, carbon assessment, operational carbon projection and decarbonization plan, and embodied carbon quantification.
Beyond 80 points, projects must also meet specified decarbonization requirements, such as electrification, energy efficiency, renewable energy and embodied carbon reduction.
The former Innovation and Regional Priority categories are merged into Project Priorities, worth 10 points (including 1 point for a LEED AP).
v5 projects register and submit on the Arc platform, which continues to track the building's actual performance.
Older standalone systems for schools, retail, healthcare and hospitality are folded into BD+C new construction, handled through project-type-specific paths.
How Long Can LEED v4/v4.1 Still Be Used?
| Version | Registration deadline | Certification submission sunset |
|---|---|---|
| v4, v4.1 commercial (BD+C, ID+C, O+M) | June 30, 2027 | June 30, 2033 |
| LEED v5 | Registration remains open | — |
In May 2026, USGBC announced a one-year extension of the v4/v4.1 commercial registration deadline, from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027. From July 1, 2027, new commercial projects can in principle only register under v5. Many articles online still say registration closes in 2026; that information is out of date.
How Is LEED Scored? What Are the Levels?
Every project must meet all of them; they earn no points. v5 BD+C new construction has 16 prerequisites.
Chosen according to project conditions; points are earned when achieved, out of a total of 110. For v5 BD+C new construction, Energy and Atmosphere is worth 33 points, Materials and Resources 18, and Location and Transportation 15.
40–49 points
50–59 points
60–79 points
80+ points plus decarbonization thresholds
Decarbonization thresholds for LEED v5 Platinum : for BD+C new construction, beyond 80 points a project must earn the full 5 points in the electrification credit, earn 8 points in enhanced energy efficiency, source 100% of site energy from renewables, and cut embodied carbon by 20%. The point thresholds are the same as v4, but Platinum is now harder to achieve.
LEED v5 BD+C Points by Category
| Category | New Construction (NC) | Core and Shell (CS) |
|---|---|---|
| Integrative Process, Planning and Assessments (IP) | 1 | 7 |
| Location and Transportation (LT) | 15 | 15 |
| Sustainable Sites (SS) | 11 | 11 |
| Water Efficiency (WE) | 9 | 8 |
| Energy and Atmosphere (EA) | 33 | 27 |
| Materials and Resources (MR) | 18 | 21 |
| Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) | 13 | 11 |
| Project Priorities (PR) | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 110 | 110 |
Which LEED Rating Systems Exist, and Which One Fits My Project?
| Rating system | Applies to | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BD+C Building Design and Construction | New buildings, major renovations | v5 is open for New Construction (NC) and Core and Shell (CS). For leased office buildings where the owner builds only the core and common areas and tenants fit out their own spaces, choose Core and Shell |
| ID+C Interior Design and Construction | Interior fit-outs such as offices and stores | Suited to tenants of leased space; v5 is now open |
| O+M Operations and Maintenance | Existing buildings in operation | Scored on 12 months of actual operating performance; older buildings can apply too; v4.1 and v5 recertify every 3 years |
| ND Neighborhood Development | Neighborhoods, campuses, block planning | Currently still on v4 |
| Residential | Single-family and multifamily housing | Currently on v4/v4.1; multifamily buildings of 4 stories or more may also choose BD+C |
| Cities and Communities | Cities, districts | Certification of city-level performance |
Before registering, confirm the project meets LEED's minimum program requirements (a permanent location, reasonable certification boundaries, and a qualifying floor area), then choose a rating system.
What Are the Steps in LEED Certification?
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Assess and set goals
Review project conditions, choose a rating system, assess achievable credits, and set a target level and budget.
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Register
v5 projects register on the Arc platform and v4/v4.1 projects on LEED Online, paying a registration fee. New construction and interiors projects should register early in design.
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Prepare documentation and apply
Compile documentation and calculations for each credit, pay the certification review fee and submit. New construction may submit in design and construction phases, or all at once after completion.
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GBCI review
Preliminary and final reviews take about 20–25 business days each, with the team responding to comments in between; expedited review cuts each phase to about 10–12 business days for a fee.
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Certify
Accepting the final review result completes certification, with the level awarded by points. For 5 years after certification, projects must share energy and water data with USGBC.
Submission deadlines : new construction and interiors must submit within 2 years of substantial completion (receiving the occupancy permit); existing buildings O+M must first accumulate 12 months of operating performance. In practice, new construction takes about 2–4 years in step with the construction schedule, and interiors projects about 6–12 months.
How Much Does LEED Certification Cost?
LEED costs have four components:
Fixed per project; see the table below.
Calculated by rating system and floor area.
Consulting, energy modeling, commissioning and similar services, quoted per project.
Equipment, materials and design adjustments; usually lowest when introduced early in design.
GBCI Official Fees (as published on the GBCI website, November 2026, USD)
| Item | USGBC member | Non-member |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee (BD+C, ID+C, O+M) | 1,350 | 1,700 |
| BD+C certification fee (under 250,000 sq ft) | 0.064 per sq ft, minimum 3,200 | 0.076 per sq ft, minimum 3,825 |
| ID+C certification fee (under 250,000 sq ft) | 0.042 per sq ft, minimum 2,150 | 0.052 per sq ft, minimum 2,525 |
| O+M certification fee (v4.1, v5, under 250,000 sq ft) | 0.026 per sq ft, minimum 1,275 | 0.030 per sq ft, minimum 1,500 |
| Expedited review (BD+C) | 12,000 | 12,000 |
Member pricing applies to USGBC Silver-level members and above; fees follow the rate table in effect at registration, and GBCI's quote prevails.
Example: A 10,000 m² Project (Official Fees)
| Project | Approx. sq ft | Member total (USD) | Non-member total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction (BD+C) | 107,639 | About 8,240 | About 9,880 |
| Existing building (O+M v5) | 107,639 | About 4,150 | About 4,930 |
How Is LEED Different from Taiwan's EEWH Green Building Label?
Developed by USGBC in the U.S. and reviewed by GBCI, recognized worldwide, and commonly required by multinational tenants, global supply chains, and ESG and GRESB disclosure. Levels are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
A system of the Architecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior, assessed by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center. It is mandatory for public new buildings above a certain size and can also be linked to urban renewal floor-area bonuses. Levels are Qualified, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond.
The two are not mutually exclusive, and many landmark buildings in Taiwan pursue both: EEWH serves local regulations and floor-area bonuses, while LEED provides international visibility and ESG disclosure, and documentation for energy, water and materials can be shared. To learn about healthy buildings, see " What Is WELL?".
Further reading: " What Is Taiwan's EEWH Green Building Label?", " What Is the BERS Building Energy Rating?", " What Is Building Environment Simulation?" (energy modeling and daylighting calculations), " What Are a GHG Inventory, Carbon Footprint and SBTi?".
LEED Certification FAQ
What is LEED certification?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the international green building rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and reviewed by the third-party body GBCI. It scores carbon reduction, energy, water, materials and indoor environmental quality, and awards four levels by points: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
What are the LEED levels and point thresholds?
Out of 110 points: Certified 40–49, Silver 50–59, Gold 60–79, Platinum 80 and above. From LEED v5, Platinum also requires specified decarbonization measures, such as electrification, enhanced energy efficiency, 100% renewable energy and a 20% embodied carbon reduction (for BD+C new construction).
Should I use LEED v5 or v4.1 now?
New projects should go straight to LEED v5. The registration deadline for v4/v4.1 commercial projects is June 30, 2027, and registered projects must submit by June 30, 2033; from July 1, 2027, new commercial registrations can in principle only choose v5.
What is the biggest difference between LEED v5 and v4?
LEED v5 centers on decarbonization, with about half of the points tied to operational carbon, embodied carbon, refrigerants and transportation emissions. It adds prerequisites such as climate resilience and carbon assessments, adds decarbonization thresholds for Platinum, merges Innovation and Regional Priority into Project Priorities, and moves submission and performance tracking to the Arc platform.
Which LEED rating system fits my project?
Choose BD+C for new construction or major renovation (leased office buildings may choose Core and Shell, CS); ID+C for office or store fit-outs; O+M for existing buildings in operation; ND for neighborhood planning; and Residential for housing.
How much does LEED certification cost?
GBCI's official fees include a registration fee of US$1,350 per project (USGBC members) or US$1,700 (non-members), plus a certification review fee based on floor area. For a 10,000 m² new construction project, member fees total about US$8,240. Consulting, energy modeling, commissioning and the incremental cost of meeting the targets are extra.
How long does LEED certification take?
GBCI's preliminary and final reviews take about 20–25 business days each, with paid expedited review available. The overall timeline depends on design and construction: in practice about 2–4 years for new construction and 6–12 months for interiors. New construction must submit within 2 years of substantial completion, and existing buildings must accumulate 12 months of operating data.
How long is LEED certification valid?
Existing buildings O+M must recertify every 3 years under v4.1 and v5 (every 5 years under v4). New construction BD+C and interiors ID+C are one-time certifications; once the building is in operation, it can apply for O+M certification.
Need Help with LEED Certification?
GreenJump provides LEED feasibility assessment, certification consulting, energy modeling and operational recertification services.
