GSA confirms new LEED Gold requirement

The General Services Administration has increased its sustainability requirements and now mandates LEED Gold for its projects.

Previously, the GSA required LEED Silver, but suggested projects aim for Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program.

The change was announced by Lace Davis, director of the sustainability office for the GSA, at the Green Legal Matters conference in New Orleans on Oct. 15, and reported in the Washington Business Journal.

However, as noted in the article, the GSA hasn’t updated its material or Website to reflect the change, so questions about the new requirement remained.

BD+C contacted Don Horn, AIA, LEED AP, at the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, U.S. General Services Administration, and he confirmed the new LEED Gold requirement.

According to Horn: “GSA's Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan released the first week of September includes our new requirement to achieve LEED Gold. An internal memo from Les Shepherd and Bill Guerin, dated 9/24/10, also states the requirement is for new construction and substantial renovation projects.”

Update (Nov. 4, 2010)

The GSA has updated its materials and Website. The official announcement.

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