After a year of beta testing, LEED v4 is out. What caused the delay? Some changes hardly seem controversial, like the new market sectors that allow for a wider selection of building types for existing schools and retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, and mid-rise residential projects.
According to Beth Heider, "USGBC – when I was chair – realized through discussions with stakeholders that those groups didn’t feel the market was ready for as much change as LEED v4 contains. Part of the reason was the building market was – and still is –...