The U.S. Green Building Council has opened the first public comment period for its draft rating system, LEED v5. This step marks a milestone for LEED and the building industry at large, providing a comprehensive framework for creating sustainable, efficient, and resilient built environments that promote environmental responsibility, economic viability and social equity.  LEED v5 emphasizes impact, alignment and interconnectedness to support initial and ongoing sustainability efforts throughout a building’s lifecycle. Impact highlights include:         LEED v5 Operations + Maintenance puts existing buildings on a path to decarbonization and ties Platinum-level certification to near-zero carbon operating emissions. … Read more