LEED branches out: the popular green building rating system is about to extend its reach to new programs for existing buildings, commercial interiors, and core and shell structures.(Sustainable Programs)

Four years ago, when the U.S. Green Building Council launched the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system for newly constructed buildings, even its staunchest advocates admitted that LEED was pocked with flaws.

As we documented in last November's "White Paper on Sustainability" (which may be downloaded at www.bdcmag.com), LEED-NC does a poor job of taking regional climatic differences into account, relies on minimal standards (such as ASHRAE 90.1-1999) for determining energy savings, and gives away meaningless credits for hiring a LEED-accredited professional and installing outlets for electric vehicles (when there are fewer than 2,000 EVs in the whole country).

Sure, everybody knew LEED-NC was flawed, but damn if it didn't work! Architecture and engineering firms jumped on LEED as a way to differentiate themselves from the pack. Universities and environmental organizations just had to have LEED certification for their buildings. Federal agencies, notably the General Services Administration, the Energy Department, and even the military branches, specified LEED for new projects. Politicians passed laws requiring LEED certification for new schools and public buildings.

LEED's very simplicity made it easy to understand. The point system was a stroke of genius, and LEED paved the way for the USGBC to become the fastest-growing nongovernmental organization in America.

Now, with 4,500 members, 1,342 registered projects totaling more than 165 million sf, 107 certified buildings, and 8,369 LEED Accredited Professionals, the USGBC is settling into a more mature stage of growth, under new CEO S. Richard Fedrizzi.

LEED is about to get another shot in the arm from three new programs: LEED for existing buildings (EB), commercial interiors (CI), and core and shell (CS). All three …