LEED v5 Unpacked: Key Certification Changes for Buildings and Interiors

Sustainability in building design isn’t just about energy efficiency or reducing waste — it’s about creating spaces that work smarter, last longer, and support both people and the planet. That’s where LEED BD+C (Building Design and Construction) and LEED ID+C (Interior Design and Construction) come in. These certifications help ensure that new buildings and commercial interiors meet the highest standards for performance, materials, and occupant well-being.

But sustainability isn’t a fixed target, and LEED v5 is raising the bar. This latest version of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework brings major updates to both BD+C and ID+C, aligning with today’s biggest environmental priorities — carbon reduction, resilience, and social impact.

In this blog, we’re unpacking why these certifications matter, what’s changing in LEED v5, and the 10 most important updates for buildings and interiors. Whether you're designing from the ground up or transforming existing spaces, these changes will redefine what it means to build sustainably.

Overview of LEED BD+C and ID+C Certifications

Whether you're constructing a new building from the ground up or transforming a commercial interior, these certifications ensure that projects meet industry-leading sustainability standards — boosting efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and adding market value.

What Are These Certifications?

LEED BD+C applies to new construction and major renovations, covering a range of building types, from offices and schools to hospitals and retail spaces. It focuses on whole-building sustainability — energy use, water efficiency, materials, and occupant experience.

LEED ID+C serves a different but complementary role, focusing on commercial interiors, making it ideal for tenants, office fit-outs, and retail spaces within existing buildings. The emphasis is on sustainable interior materials, energy-efficient lighting, and improved indoor environmental quality.

By achieving LEED certification, projects demonstrate a commitment to sustainability that goes beyond compliance — it’s about creating buildings that work better for the people who use them and the environment around them.

How Does the Certification Work?

Both BD+C and ID+C certifications follow the LEED rating system, where projects meet mandatory prerequisites and earn points across multiple sustainability categories to achieve one of four certification levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

For BD+C projects, certification is built around whole-building performance, with common goals like:

• Energy efficiency – Optimizing HVAC systems, insulation, and renewable energy integration.
• Water conservation – Installing low-flow fixtures, rainwater capture, and water-efficient landscaping.
• Sustainable materials – Choosing low-carbon, responsibly sourced, and recycled materials.
• Indoor air quality – Using low-VOC materials and designing for adequate ventilation.

For ID+C projects, the focus shifts to sustainable interior spaces, with key objectives like:

• Efficient lighting and HVAC – Reducing energy loads in existing buildings.
• Healthy materials – Using non-toxic finishes, furniture, and flooring to improve indoor air quality.
• Water and energy efficiency – Incorporating ENERGY STAR appliances and efficient plumbing fixtures.
• Occupant experience – Enhancing comfort and acoustics.

Certifications like these offer both environmental and financial benefits. Working with an expert team can streamline the process and maximize project impact.

Introduction to LEED v5

Sustainability is a moving target. As environmental challenges evolve, so must the frameworks that guide sustainable building and design. That’s the driving force behind LEED v5. More than just an update, LEED v5 is a strategic shift — one that prioritizes climate action, equity, and human health in ways that align with today’s most pressing sustainability goals.

What’s New in LEED v5?

At its core, LEED v5 is built around three major themes:

1. Decarbonization: Decarbonization is incorporated into a majority of the LEEDv5 credits, touching on operational, embodied, refrigerants, and transportation emissions. LEED v5 aligns more closely with global climate commitments like the Paris Agreement and science-based targets for decarbonization.

2. Quality of Life: Sustainability isn’t just about buildings — it’s about the people who live and work in them. LEED v5 integrates required social equity considerations, encouraging projects to prioritize community impact, workforce development, and accessibility in building design and operations.

3. Ecological Conservation and Restoration: To ensure that our buildings and spaces coexist with nature, LEED v5 includes prerequisites and credits to minimize environmental impact and support ecosystem restoration.

These updates also ensure LEED v5 aligns more closely with global standards like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the World Green Building Council’s Advancing Net Zero initiative, making it a more powerful tool in the push for sustainable cities.

Why LEED v5 Matters for BD+C and ID+C

For projects pursuing BD+C and ID+C certification, these updates are more than just theoretical—they fundamentally reshape the certification process to better reflect modern sustainability challenges.

• For BD+C projects, LEED v5 introduces more rigorous energy performance metrics, encourages the use of low-carbon materials, and strengthens requirements around resilience planning — ensuring that buildings are designed for long-term sustainability.
• For ID+C projects, LEED v5 enhances indoor air quality criteria, promotes healthier material selection, and refines strategies for energy efficiency in existing buildings — helping interior spaces achieve high performance, even within less sustainable structures.

The goal? A more impactful, forward-thinking approach to sustainable building and interior design — one that helps projects stay ahead of regulatory shifts, market demands, and environmental challenges.

The 10 Biggest Changes in LEED v5

Here are the 10 most significant changes in LEED v5 and what they mean for BD+C and ID+C projects.

1. Enhanced Energy Efficiency Requirements

LEED v5 tightens energy performance standards, requiring projects to meet more ambitious efficiency targets.

• BD+C: Stricter energy modeling criteria push projects to optimize building envelopes, HVAC systems, and lighting. Greater emphasis is placed on on-site renewable energy generation and electrification.
• ID+C: Projects must demonstrate improved energy efficiency within existing buildings, focusing on tenant-controlled systems, submetering, and operational performance tracking.

2. Emphasis on Whole-Building Carbon Assessments

A major shift in LEED v5 is a more comprehensive approach to carbon impact, covering both embodied and operational emissions.

• BD+C: Whole-building lifecycle carbon analysis (LCA) is now a core requirement, encouraging the selection of low-carbon materials and long-term carbon reduction strategies.
• ID+C: While not as extensive as BD+C, ID+C projects must account for material-related embodied carbon, prioritizing carbon-conscious material sourcing and reuse.

3. Expanded Material Transparency

Material selection plays a bigger role in LEED v5, with added emphasis on transparency and responsible sourcing. Projects for both certifications earn credits for using materials with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), and responsible sourcing certifications, ensuring informed decision-making about environmental and health impacts.

4. Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Buildings must now be designed with future climate risks in mind, such as extreme weather, flooding, and heat stress.

• BD+C: Resilience planning is now embedded in the certification process, requiring projects to assess site vulnerabilities and integrate adaptation strategies like passive cooling and flood mitigation.
• ID+C: Tenant spaces are encouraged to incorporate adaptive design strategies, such as material durability, passive ventilation, and localized air filtration for climate resilience.

5. Focus on Equity and Social Impacts

LEED v5 reinforces the connection between sustainability and social equity, rewarding projects that engage communities and promote accessibility. New credits recognize efforts to prioritize workforce diversity, community engagement, and equitable access to sustainable buildings. Public health considerations, such as improved access to fresh air and daylight, are also prioritized.

6. Improved Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

LEED v5 raises the standard for indoor air quality and occupant health.

• BD+C: Stricter ventilation, air filtration, and moisture control requirements aim to reduce indoor pollutants and improve occupant comfort.
• ID+C: A stronger focus on low-VOC materials, air purification, and acoustic performance enhances indoor environments, particularly in office and retail settings.

7. Strengthened Water Efficiency Standards

Projects must meet higher benchmarks for indoor and outdoor water conservation while integrating more innovative reuse strategies.

• BD+C: More stringent requirements for water-efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and cooling tower water use encourage net-zero water strategies.
• ID+C: Tenant-level water metering and efficient fixture selection are emphasized, ensuring that commercial interiors contribute to overall building water savings.

8. Digital Tools and Reporting

LEED v5 integrates digital tracking tools to streamline certification and monitor ongoing performance. Enhanced digital reporting requirements ensure that projects can track energy, water, and carbon data more accurately, making certification more transparent and performance-driven.

9. Net-Zero Readiness

Projects that achieve or prepare for net-zero energy and carbon operations can earn additional recognition.

• BD+C: Credits for designing buildings to be net-zero-ready through high-efficiency envelopes, renewables, and electrification.
• ID+C: Emphasis on operational efficiency and renewable energy procurement helps interior spaces contribute to building-wide carbon reductions.

10. Alignment with International Standards

LEED v5 strengthens its compatibility with global sustainability frameworks like WELL and BREEAM, making it easier to pursue multiple certifications.

LEED v5: Raising the Bar for Sustainable Building and Interior Design

With these changes, BD+C and ID+C certifications are more rigorous, adaptable, and impact-driven than ever. LEED v5 strengthens the role of sustainable design in tackling climate challenges, improving resilience, and enhancing occupant well-being.

It’s important to note that these updates extend beyond BD+C and ID+C — LEED v5 also introduces changes to other rating systems, like O+M (Operations + Maintenance) and Cities and Communities, which we’ll cover in a future blog.

But for now, if you’re navigating the new framework, Emerald Built Environments, a Crete United Company, is here to help. Our team can guide you through the updated certification process, ensuring your project meets the latest sustainability standards with confidence.