LEED Recertification Process Made Easy
Learn the Basics of Recertifying Under Each System
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (EB O&M) certifications last for five years, starting from the date the initial certification review was accepted. After five years, the certification will lapse. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) prefers that projects move into the recertification review process before that five-year threshold; however, the timing on this is not strict. While the certification date is publicly displayed in the LEED Project Directory, no one is going to stop by to take the plaque off your wall at the five-year mark.
Your path to recertification depends on which system your original rating was under. Read on for the basics of recertifying under each system.
V2008 and Prior
The rating system for v2008 and prior versions of the EB O&M certification has changed significantly, so a recertification from these versions essentially requires a new certification using either the v2009 or v4 rating system. You’ll be using a three month performance period, with very limited data from the past; however, you are encouraged to build on the existing documentation from the previous certification. To recertify a project, register it in LEED Online and title it with the original name plus “recertification.” The cost to register is currently $900, payable to the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). Once registered, you do not have to pursue certification right away: the registration is open for five years. For v2008 projects, please see the USGBC Recertification Guidelines for details on the crossover to v2009.
V2009
If the EB O&M certification was in v2009, you have two options: recertify using v2009 or essentially complete a new certification using v4. Registration for v2009 closes on October 31, 2016, after which only v4 will be available; Cadmus recommends registering under v2009 to recertify under the rating system for which you have experience. Be sure to contact Cadmus or the GBCI for a promo code to register your project in LEED Online for free. When registering the new project, use the ID number of your old project to tie to the new project, and title the project with the original name plus “recertification.”
To pursue a recertification, follow the USGBC Recertification Guidelines and, in the case of most credits, submit documentation for the last 25 percent of your certification duration (the time from the last certification to this recertification).
>>For example, if five years have passed, 25 percent is the most recent 15 months (similar to a 15-month performance period).
Some credits require documentation from the entire time range, and some credits require event-driven documentation. In Cadmus’ experience, the review process is streamlined when pursuing recertification within the same rating system because most of the establishment data remains unchanged. You can read more on the details of recertification here.
V4
If you are interested in being an early adopter of v4, you can register for LEED EB v4 in LEED Online regardless of whether your initial certification was in v2008 or v2009. While you should still label your project with “recertification,” this process will resemble more of a new certification because the rating system changed significantly from v2008 or v2009 to v4. The performance period is three months, with very limited data needed from the past. However, you are encouraged to build on the existing documentation from your last certification. The thresholds for several credits have been raised, so it is likely more challenging to attain a similar score as in v2009.
If you are considering which option to pursue, Cadmus can assist with a gap analysis to determine the current project status and the path forward for each option. The GBCI review cost of all EB O&M certifications remains $0.03 per square foot, with a minimum of $1,500 and maximum of $15,000.
Dynamic Plaque: The Wave of the Future
The USGBC recently released a brand new certification option, Dynamic Plaque. Dynamic Plaque is the culmination of USGBC’s vision for a program based on the operational metrics of a building, mainly to help verify that new construction buildings are actually operating to the sustainability and efficiency level of the original design. As a result, the new program focuses more on performance data—and significantly less on the prescriptive path—to achieve the performance level. See our overview of Dynamic Plaque for more details.
The USGBC is eager to get buildings into this path, and allows you to register for Dynamic Plaque for free to figure out where your building might stack up before you commit.
