Another Greenbuild Conference has come and gone, leaving us inspired and energized for the future of sustainability. This November 2024, our team—Abby McDonald, Sophia Hestad, and Savannah Thornburgh—attended the event to explore cutting-edge solutions, hear from industry leaders, and connect with like-minded professionals. 

Three recurring themes dominated the conversation this year: the accelerating push for decarbonization, the growing importance of resiliency, and the highly anticipated arrival of LEED v5. Let’s dive into these topics and what they mean for business and building owners alike.

Decarbonization and Its Role in LEED v5

Many Greenbuild sessions emphasized the pivotal role of decarbonization within the forthcoming LEED v5 rating system. Remarkably, half of the available points in LEED v5 are tied to decarbonization concepts! While decarbonization is heavily featured in the Energy category, it also influences credits in the Integrative Process, Location & Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, and Materials & Resources categories.

At its core, decarbonization focuses on strategies and technologies designed to reduce carbon emissions throughout a building's lifecycle—spanning design, construction, and operations. As the construction and real estate industries advance their sustainability goals, their processes have become increasingly interconnected.

The embodied carbon of materials chosen during design establishes a building's initial carbon footprint. This is followed by efficiency strategies and technologies employed during construction, culminating in operational emissions influenced by the building’s energy use and occupant behavior. Together, these factors shape the building's overall carbon impact and highlight the importance of decarbonization in achieving meaningful sustainability outcomes.

Resiliency: A New Prerequisite in LEED v5

For the first time, LEED v5 will require all projects to complete a resiliency assessment as a prerequisite. This shift underscores the growing emphasis on designing buildings that can last longer, be more flexible, and can adapt to and endure increasingly extreme weather conditions.

With the rising frequency of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and heat waves, the need for resilient buildings has never been more critical. As the frequency of intense weather events such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and heat waves increases, the need for safe and endurable buildings is becoming more important.

Buildings designed and built with resiliency in mind should not only withstand the specific climates in which they are located but also recover more quickly from adverse events. This approach prioritizes the safety and comfort of occupants while ensuring that structures remain functional and durable in the face of challenges. As resiliency gains traction, it is clear that this new prerequisite will drive meaningful change in how projects are designed and evaluated moving forward.

LEED v5: Charting the Path to Net Zero and Beyond

And finally, how does the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) plan to address the industry’s most pressing topics? The eagerly anticipated LEED v5 rating systems for Building Design + Construction (BD+C), Interior Design + Construction (ID+C), and Operations + Maintenance (O+M) are set to launch in early 2025, according to the current timeline shared by USGBC.

The core focus areas for these systems — Decarbonization, Quality of Life, and Ecology & the Natural World — reflect the evolving priorities of the sustainability community. With O+M already in beta testing and all three systems having completed two rounds of public comments (which Emerald reviewed and participated in!), LEED v5 is shaping up to be the most ambitious version yet. 

This latest evolution of the LEED framework is designed to propel the building and real estate industries forward, aligning them with net-zero and sustainability goals. By emphasizing decarbonization, LEED v5 ensures that projects reduce their environmental impact at every stage of a building's lifecycle. Meanwhile, Quality of Life and Ecology & the Natural World underscore the importance of creating spaces that enhance human well-being while preserving the planet’s ecosystems.

Let Emerald Help You Lead the Way

Greenbuild 2024 made it clear that the future of sustainability is bold, innovative, and action-oriented. As the LEED v5 rollout approaches, now is the time to prepare your projects and business for these transformative changes.

At Emerald Built Environments, a Crete United Company, we are ready to help you navigate this shift, from decarbonization strategies to LEED certification and beyond. Reach out today to learn how we can guide your sustainability journey and turn your goals into measurable success.