Building leadership, building the future with LEED v5 and LEED for Cities

The following post was provided by the U.S. Green Building Council

Two impactful convenings last month in Boston, in collaboration with BE+, demonstrated countless examples of public and private sector leadership in Massachusetts. 

In the Local Government Leadership Summit, twenty plus municipalities from across New England participated including mayors, energy managers, climate officers, sustainability planners, city managers and more plus many USGBC members and advocates across the green building community from consultants to NGOs to students. So many inspiring local leaders shared insight into LEED for Cities importance and adoption in Massachusetts.

Then in the LEED v5 Leadership Series,  a dynamic panel of experts who are committed to resilience and sustainability shared insight into LEED v5 strategies and solutions and shared what they’re excited for in this next iteration!

Building on this excitement, USGBC is gearing up for our most powerful leadership convening of the year at Greenbuild 2025.

Greenbuild 2025, themed “Better Buildings, Better Futures,” the global community’s top space for learning, networking and sharing insights, takes place in Los Angeles from Nov. 4 to 7. The event will offer more than 100 sessions on the most critical topics in the industry, including many opportunities to learn more about LEED v5.

The latest version of the world’s leading green building standard, LEED v5, isn’t just about today’s buildings; it’s about creating a better future. LEED v5’s comprehensive framework is designed to guide the market toward a near-zero carbon future that is equitable, resilient, and encourages the responsible, safe use of all resources.

Take a look at a small sample below of the ways to explore LEED v5, and explore the full Greenbuild education program when you register to attend. You can sort by track, topic, learning level and more.

Workshops
Build a Sustainable Future with LEED v5
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1–5 p.m.

This half-day workshop dives into the principles and framework of the LEED v5 Building Design and Construction, Interior Design and Construction, and Operations and Maintenance rating systems so that attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how buildings can contribute to critical environmental and social imperatives through the LEED v5 framework. The session will present the three impact areas—decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration—and how they align with LEED v5 credits to drive real-world change. Review each credit category and discuss key prerequisites and credits, and discover the key changes from LEED v4 and LEED v4.1.

Decarbonize Now: LEED v5 Strategies for Ultra-low-emissions Buildings
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 8 a.m.–12 p.m.

LEED v5 has been holistically created to guide decisions and actions to move us toward our global climate goals. This workshop focuses on the LEED for Building Design and Construction rating system to provide steps and tools to deliver new buildings with ultra-low greenhouse gas emissions for operations and will concentrate on the first step: operational decarbonization design and planning. It will highlight the LEED v5 “recipe” for achieving decarbonization and clarify the importance of decarbonization plans and how to establish them for new construction projects. Attendees will model designs and factors and learn how to account for wild cards in a green building project.

Unlocking LEED v5: Synergize and Optimize EA Credits for Success
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1–5 p.m.

There are huge changes for LEED v5. The Energy and Atmosphere (EA) credit category has the most potential for leveraging synergies and maximizing points with streamlined workflows. This workshop focuses on documentation and understanding compliance paths to unlock LEED v5 and master EA credits through interactive strategies. Gain a solid understanding of how to implement the new LEED v5 energy credit requirements in the design and construction rating systems, and to fully leverage the synergies built into the EA framework to achieve the project’s decarbonization goals, while optimizing project workflow.

Sessions
LEED v5 in Action: A How-to Session on the New Assessment Prerequisites
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Join a how-to session focused on understanding and using the new Integrative Process Assessment Prerequisites in LEED v5. These new prerequisites are tools to collect data and plan for the right outcomes in all LEED v5 projects. USGBC’s experts on climate resilience, social impact and carbon emissions will unpack the intent, requirements and pathways for compliance. We’ll explore real-world case studies and qualifying examples to illustrate how to integrate these prerequisites into project workflows, drive data-backed decision-making and bolster building performance. Attendees will engage with case studies and practical takeaways to understand how to meet these baseline requirements—and how doing so can unlock broader innovation across the LEED rating systems. Demystify these critical assessment areas and gain clarity on LEED v5’s bold push toward decarbonization, equity and climate resilience.

Leveling Up LEED v5: New Forms, Tools and Enhanced User Experience
Thursday, Nov. 6, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

This session will take the audience on a deep dive into the currently available suite of tools and the vision for what comes next. Tools covered include updated forms, calculators and workbooks for decarbonization, as well as the new assessments for resilience and human impact. These are credit-specific resources serving LEED v5 for Building Design and Construction, Interior Design and Construction, and Operations and Maintenance to support the new prerequisites and key credit advancements. Attendees will see the new Arc platform in action and understand how it integrates performance tracking and project documentation into the user experience. Harness the full potential of LEED’s evolving tool ecosystem and gain insight into USGBC’s ongoing effort to make LEED v5 the most intuitive, streamlined and supported user experience yet.

Lessons Learned: Retrospective on LEED v5 O+M from Iconic Buildings
Friday, Nov. 7, 10:15–11:25 a.m.

Join USGBC and industry experts for “Part II” of their dive into LEED v5. In this session, project team leaders return from Greenbuild 2024 to discuss their experiences with certification through LEED v5 or Operations and Maintenance. They will share lessons learned, financing and actual costs, and goals achieved, and will share a look at how each project is faring post-certification. Speakers will discuss strategies for promoting LEED v5 to diverse stakeholders, emphasizing its alignment with key market drivers such as decarbonization, resilience, health and well-being, and equity. Attendees will also gain practical guidance on financing opportunities and strategies for adoption, along with step-by-step recommendations to help project teams prepare for implementation. Gain the tools and knowledge to champion LEED v5 adoption within your organization and actionable insights for transitioning to the updated rating system.

View the full education lineup.

Register for Greenbuild.