<p>&nbsp;<br />LEED 2009, the long-awaited update to the internationally recognized LEED green building certification program, has passed member ballot, and will be <br />introduced in 2009 as the next major evolution of the existing LEED rating systems for&nbsp; commercial buildings.&nbsp;&nbsp; It includes a series of major technical advancements focused on <br />improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and addressing other environmental <br />and human health outcomes.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br />LEED 2009 will also incorporate highly anticipated regional credits, extra points that have been identified as priorities within a project's given environmental zone.&nbsp; LEED has also undergone a <br />scientifically grounded re-weighting of credits, changing allocation of points among LEED&nbsp; credits to reflect climate change and energy efficiency as urgent priorities.&nbsp; This will be one of the most significant changes to the rating system, and will increase the importance of green building as a means of contributing immediate and measurable solutions toward energy <br />independence, climate change mitigation, and other global priorities. <br />&nbsp;<br />LEED 2009 incorporates eight years worth of market and user feedback in the form of precedent-setting Credit Interpretation Rulings, which will ensure clarity for project teams. <br />Coupled with a credit alignment structure designed to create a more elegant and harmonized rating system, LEED 2009 will reset the bar for the certification of high-performance green <br />buildings. <br />&nbsp;<br />Process innovation in how new technical advancements are incorporated into LEED will also be introduced alongside LEED 2009, including a "pilot process" for individual credits that will allow <br />major new technical developments to be flexibly trialed, evaluated, and incorporated into LEED.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br />"The conclusion of the balloting process marks the culmination of tireless work done by representatives from all corners of the building industry," said Brendan Owens, vice president, <br />LEED technical development, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).&nbsp; "We have the deepest gratitude for our volunteer leaders, and for their bold steps towards resetting the bar for green building <br />leadership and challenges the industry to move faster and reach further." <br />&nbsp;<br />The first public comment period for LEED 2009 opened in May 2008, followed by a second in late August. USGBC had received nearly 7,000 comments from members and stakeholders at <br />the conclusion of the second public comment period on Sept. 2.&nbsp; The final step is the consensus development process for LEED 2009 was to be balloted for a pass/fail vote among <br />USGBC's 18,000 member organizations. LEED 2009 successfully passed member ballot on Nov. 14. Detailed information about specific proposed technical changes to the rating <br />system can be found in the background documents that accompany the public comment forms on USGBC's Web site<a href="http://www.usgbc.org"> www.ugbc.org</a>.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p>