The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced in early April 2025 that version 5 of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system has been ratified by its members.

LEED v5 for Building Design and Construction: New Construction Core and Shell, Interior Design and Construction: Commercial Interiors and Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings will ultimately replace LEED v4 and v4.1, though dates for that transition are still to be determined.

Project teams, which can include electrical contractors, may continue to register for LEED v4 and 4.1 for the time being along with LEED v5. Once LEED v4 and v4.1 are closed, projects already registered under those versions will have a specified period to complete certification.

According to the USGBC press release, “LEED v5 provides a framework for how the built environment can tackle some of today's most pressing challenges to our health, climate and communities. It provides a pathway for buildings to make meaningful contributions to decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration throughout their life cycles—from design and construction to operations and maintenance—demonstrating leadership to all stakeholders.”

Within the LEED rating systems, there are adaptations for a variety of building project types, including schools, hospitals, hospitality, retail, data centers and warehouses and distribution centers. These adaptations can include numerous aspects that electrical contractors may be involved in, such as energy-efficient power distribution systems, lighting and lighting controls, on-site renewable energy generation and energy storage.

The ratification of LEED v5 coincides with the 25th anniversary of LEED’s launch. It comes on the heels of two 2024 public comment periods, one in the spring and the other in the fall. Prior to that, LEED v5 underwent a multiyear development process incorporating hundreds of volunteers serving on technical advisory groups, committees and working groups.

Since LEED’s initial launch, more than 15 billion square feet of floor area in some of the globe’s most innovative buildings have been LEED-certified, according to USGBC. Examples of successful LEED projects can be found at the searchable LEED Project Directory.