Green Building Certification Institute:
Important Information for LEED Project Teams 

With the launch of LEED® v3 on Monday, April 27, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) began administering the LEED project certification process. We are taking on this role as part of the overall evolution of LEED represented by LEED v3. The transition will mean greater capacity, quality and consistency through every phase of the certification process. GBCI will undertake the implementation of LEED certification with our network of 10 internationally recognized, ISO-compliant certification bodies, maintaining LEED’s commitment to rigorous third-party review. The U.S. Green Building Council will continue to lead the ongoing improvement of the LEED Rating System.

We are excited to be working with your project team, and we are committed to ensuring this transition is a smooth, positive experience for you. GBCI is now administrating the certification of all projects that submit for review on April 27 or thereafter with the exception of any project that is participating in a rating system pilot or using LEED for Homes; certification reviews for those projects will continue to be managed by USGBC.

In addition to the improvements to the certification process, there are several practical implications for your project. Please be sure to review this letter and save it for your future reference.

Deadlines
Projects that have already registered under a version 2 rating system have the option of remaining registered under their current rating system or transitioning their project to the LEED 2009 rating system that was released April 27 as part of LEED v3. Version 2 projects have through December 31, 2009, to transition to LEED 2009 without paying a new registration fee. Your currently registered project will not automatically be migrated to LEED Online v3. If you choose to transition your project to LEED 2009, you will then have access to LEED Online v3 and can enter your project data there. Only projects registered under LEED 2009 will have access to the new version of LEED Online.

During a 60-day window – from LEED v3’s April 27 launch through June 26 – new projects will have the option of registering under a version 2 rating system or a LEED 2009 rating system. After June 26, projects will only be able to register for certification under the LEED 2009 rating systems.

Assignment of Certification Bodies
One of the biggest changes to the project certification model under LEED v3 is that projects seeking LEED certification will be reviewed by a third-party certification body. These internationally recognized experts in certifying products, processes and professionals bring the reliability of ISO compliance and the capacity to ensure that LEED can continue to grow within the market. Each new project will be assigned to a certification body at the time of registration. Projects that have registered since January 1, 2009, and have not yet submitted an initial application for certification, will be assigned to a certification body by June 30. Those projects will receive customer service contact information once their certification body has been assigned to them. Projects that registered with LEED before January 1 will be assigned a certification body when they submit their initial application for certification review. These projects will receive their customer service support from GBCI.

Certification Fees
The fees for certifying projects will remain the same under GBCI through December 31, 2009. The current pricing structure will be honored for all projects that submit for a preliminary construction review or preliminary standard review prior to December 31. Initiating a design-phase review prior to this date will not lock in the current pricing structure for your construction-phase review.

Credit Interpretation Requests
Effective June 26, 2009, credit interpretation requests (CIRs) submitted by any registered project will no longer be vetted by USGBC or its LEED Technical Advisory Groups. As a result, CIR rulings will now be applicable only to the project that submitted them. For LEED version 2 projects, rulings on CIRs submitted prior to June 26, 2009, will be honored until they are retired by USGBC or incorporated into general USGBC-issued project guidance, such as through errata or addenda.

Customer Service
Please visit the GBCI website, www.gbci.org, for assistance with general customer service inquiries. Projects that have been assigned a certification body should work directly with that body for customer service.

We look forward to working with you through the certification process and seeing the innovative ways you continue to use LEED and green building strategies to realize a more sustainable environmental and economic future.


Sincerely,

Peter Templeton
President
Green Building Certification Institute