New LEED for Cities, LEED for Communities pilot certifications unveiled

The U.S. Green Building Council released two new pilot certifications, LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities, last month.

The certifications call for a community or a city to set goals, and implement strategies to support the goals. The city or community then shares performance data to measure and track progress toward those goals.

For example, greenhouse gas emissions figures will be provided based on energy consumption so that officials can track and report progress toward a city’s emissions targets. In addition to energy, the pilot program tracks water, waste, transportation, and human experience including education, prosperity, equitability, and health and safety.

LEED for Cities provides measures to educate residents, visitors, and business owners to enable continuous improvement and make the locale the place where people want to live, according to the USGBC.