LEED v5 O+M: Key Changes for Building Owners

The transition from LEED v4.1 O+M to LEED v5 O+M marks a significant shift in how we evaluate building performance—moving from a snapshot of current operations to a forward-looking, impact-driven framework.

LEED v4.1 O+M: Performance in the Present

LEED v4.1 relies on Arc to assess a building’s performance over a 12-month period, focusing on:

• Utility Performance – energy, water, and waste data

• Indoor Air Quality – CO₂ and TVOC levels

• Human Experience – tenant and visitor feedback

This approach provides a clear picture of how a building is operating today.

LEED v5 O+M: Designing for the Future

LEED v5 expands the lens—prioritizing not just how buildings perform now, but how they will perform over time. USGBC has updated the structure of certification splitting credits into three Key impact areas:

• Decarbonization – addressing operational, embodied, refrigerant, and transportation emissions

• Quality of Life – enhancing health, well-being, resilience, and equity

• Ecology – reducing environmental harm while contributing to ecosystem recovery

New prerequisites such as climate resilience assessments, carbon planning, and human impact evaluations reinforce this broader, more strategic approach.

A few examples of v5 changes from v4:

• Energy Performance

  • v4.1 – 12 months of whole building energy data uploaded to Arc profile in combination with building size and occupancy. A minimum of 13/33 points is required for initial certification.

  • v5 – Scored off ENERGY STAR Score (minimum of 60 required), performance relative to ASHRAE EUI targets, or performance relative to historical baseline in the past 8 years.

• Water Performance

  • v4.1 – 12 months of whole building water data uploaded to Arc profile in combination with building size and occupancy. A minimum of 8/15 points is required for initial certification.

  • v5 – Points are awarded based on the total potable water consumption during a 12-month period in comparison to the baseline water use intensity threshold by space type. The larger the percent reduction from the baseline water use intensity, the more points awarded to the project.

• Indoor Air Quality Performance

  • v4.1 – Conduct at least one indoor air quality evaluation per year. Input measured contaminant levels into Arc to calculate a CO2 and TVOC score for the project. Take the indoor air measurements in locations representative of all occupied spaces, within the breathing zone (between 3 and 6 feet (900 and 1800 millimeters) above the floor), during normal occupied hours, under typical minimum ventilation conditions.

  • v5 – Install continuous air monitors, conduct targeted one time air testing, and/or target one-time organic compound lavatory testing. The installation of continuous air monitors yields the greatest number of points and requires monitors to collect hourly PM2.5 and TVOC and 15-minute CO2 data. Monitors must be between 3 and 6 feet off the ground and away from doors, windows, air filters, air supply outlets, exhaust intakes, stoves and printers. Targeted one time air testing and laboratory are alternative options, that will allow buildings without continuous air monitors to gain points.

A Higher Bar for Platinum

LEED v5 raises expectations for top-tier certification. Projects pursuing Platinum must now go beyond achieving 80 points and demonstrate:

• Optimized Energy Performance (ENERGY STAR score >69 or measurable improvement)

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions (including reduced on-site combustion and renewable energy adoption)

• Decarbonization & Efficiency Planning (with a defined 5-year capital strategy)

What This Means for the Industry

While LEED v5 introduces more complexity, it also creates greater flexibility. Property teams now have more opportunities to tailor their sustainability strategies and showcase what makes each building unique.

Key Sunset Dates to Know:

• New projects and recertifications must register by June 30, 2027, to pursue LEED v4.1 O+M. After this date, all new certifications will follow LEED v5 O+M.

If you maintain LEED O&M for your building(s), you should develop a recertification schedule that maps out the remaining v4.1 cycle and prepare for your first v5 certification, since it will require considerable additional time and resources to achieve v5 certification.

The Takeaway: LEED v5 isn’t just an update—it’s a redefinition of building performance, aligning certification with long-term environmental impact and human outcomes.