USGBC names certification bodies for LEED ratings
The Washington-based U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named 10 organizations that will serve as certification bodies for its Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The certification bodies are part of a new version of USGBC’s well-known green building rating system, LEED 2009, which will be implemented in January.
The complete list of certification bodies is available at http://www.usgbc.org/, and each is “well-known and respected for their role in certifying organizations, processes and products to [Jersey City, N.J.-based Insurance Services Office (ISO)] and other standards,” according to a USGBC statement.
Also, as part of the LEED 2009 program, the Washington-based Green Building Certification Institute, a non-profit organization established in 2007 with USGBC’s support, will now administer all LEED certification, a function previously performed by USGBC. “During the past year, the dramatic growth in the number of LEED project certifications challenged us to apply our mission of market transformation to ourselves,” USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi said in a statement. “By learning from ISO, engaging with world-class certification bodies, and focusing on our mission, we’ve been able to create a solution that will expand our capacity to serve the community while letting USGBC continue to focus on improving the LEED rating system and delivering green building education.”