LEED rating system selection guidance

Follow our guidance to help select a rating system before you register your project.

Engineering Building Oval | LEED Silver | Photo: © Art Howard Photography

Selecting a LEED rating system

LEED is the world’s leading green building project and performance management system, delivering a comprehensive framework for green building design, construction, operations and performance. The LEED v4.1 and LEED v4 rating systems are open for registration. Review the Glossary for term definitions. Contact USGBC for additional support.

Identify an appropriate rating system

The following 40/60 rule provides guidance for making a decision when several rating systems appear to be appropriate for a project. To use this rule, first assign a rating system to each square foot or square meter of the building, and then choose the most appropriate rating system based on the resulting percentages. The entire gross floor area of a LEED project must be certified under a single rating system and is subject to all prerequisites and attempted credits in that rating system, regardless of mixed construction or space usage type.

If a rating system is appropriate for less than 40% of the gross floor area of a LEED project building or space, then that rating system should not be used.
If a rating system is appropriate for more than 60% of the gross floor area of a LEED project building or space, then that rating system should be used.
If an appropriate rating system falls between 40% and 60% of the gross floor area, project teams must independently assess their situation and decide which rating system is most applicable.

Determine the best LEED v4.1 adaptation

Review the full suite of rating systems to determine which is right for your project. Questions about the LEED v4.1 rating systems? Contact us.

LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C)

This rating system is for buildings that are new construction or major renovations. At least 60% of the project’s gross floor area must be complete by the time of certification (except for LEED BD+C: Core and Shell). You must include the entire building’s gross floor area in the project.

New Construction and Major Renovation. New construction or major renovation of buildings that do not primarily serve residential, K–12 educational, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality or health care uses.
Core and Shell Development. Buildings that are new construction or major renovation for the exterior shell and core mechanical, electrical, and plumbing units, but not a complete interior fit-out. LEED BD+C: Core and Shell is the appropriate rating system to use if more than 40% of the gross floor area is incomplete at the time of certification.
Schools. Buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K–12 school grounds. LEED BD+C: Schools may be used for higher education and nonacademic buildings on school campuses.
Retail. Buildings used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
Data Centers. Buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high-density computing equipment such as server racks, used for data storage and processing. LEED BD+C: Data Centers only addresses whole-building data centers (greater than 60%).
Warehouses and Distribution Centers. Buildings used to store goods, manufactured products, merchandise, raw materials or personal belongings, such as self-storage.
Hospitality. Buildings dedicated to hotels, motels, inns or other businesses within the service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging, with or without food.
Healthcare. Hospitals that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide inpatient medical treatment, including acute and long-term care.

LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)

This rating system is for interior spaces that are a complete interior fit-out. In addition, at least 60% of the project’s gross floor area must be complete by the time of certification. For ID+C projects, spaces are considered incomplete if they do not include the furnishings, fixtures, and equipment intended for regular operations of the space.

Commercial interiors. Interior spaces dedicated to functions other than retail or hospitality.
Retail. Interior spaces used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
Hospitality. Interior spaces dedicated to hotels, motels, inns or other businesses within the service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging, with or without food.

LEED for Residential BD+C

LEED v4.1 presents a new approach to residential projects, that pulls the most relevant language from the BD+C and all residential focused rating systems and merges it with the priorities of the residential market. With the release of the new multifamily options in LEED v4.1, Residential BD+C becomes the required rating system for all single family and multifamily projects. Residential projects using LEED v4.1 may not use LEED BD+C.

Residential BD+C addresses residential buildings that are new construction or major renovation. At least 60% of the project’s gross floor area must be complete by the time of certification (except for LEED Residential BD+C: Multifamily Core and Shell Homes). Must include the entire building’s gross floor area in the project.

Single Family Homes. New single-family homes that are attached or detached, and multifamily buildings with up to four units.
Multifamily Homes. Applicable to any predominantly multifamily building with two or more units and any number of stories.
Multifamily Homes Core and Shell. Multifamily buildings that are new construction or major renovation for the exterior shell and core mechanical, electrical and plumbing units, but not a complete interior fit-out. It is the appropriate rating system to use if more than 40% of the gross floor area is incomplete at the time of certification.

LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C Multifamily Homes and Multifamily Homes Core and Shell are now available for registration in LEED Online for all countries except the United States and Canada. Projects in the United States and Canada can continue to use the LEED v4 rating systems available to residential projects and substitute credits from LEED v4.1 Residential.

LEED for Cities and Communities

Cities are political jurisdictions or places defined by their municipal public sector governance (e.g., mayors or town managers) except in regions (especially Asia) where the term "city" is culturally understood as encompassing some places with private sector governance. 

Communities are defined as every urbanized location that is not a "city," including sub-city locations (such as districts), and meta-city regions (such as counties).  In addition, privately developed or owned urban areas (for example, Songdo District or Rockefeller Center) generally fit within the definition of "Community," except where they are self-identified (per definition of "city" above) as cities.

There are two options available for both cities and communities:

Plan and Design. New cities and communities that are in the planning/designing stage.
Existing.Cities and communities that are more than 75% built out.

LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M)

This rating system is for buildings & spaces that are fully operational and occupied for at least one year. The project may be undergoing improvement work or little to no construction.

Existing Buildings. Existing whole buildings.
Existing Interiors. Existing interior spaces that are contained within a portion of an existing building. Interior spaces may serve commercial, retail or hospitality purposes.

Determine the best LEED v4 adaptation

Review the full suite of LEED v4 rating systems to determine which is right for your project. Check out the LEED v4 Minimum Program Requirements to make sure that LEED will work for your project no matter what rating system you choose.

LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C)

Buildings that are new construction or major renovation. At least 60% of the project’s gross floor area must be complete by the time of certification (except for LEED BD+C: Core and Shell). Must include the entire building’s gross floor area in the project.

LEED BD+C: New Construction and Major Renovation. New construction or major renovation of buildings that do not primarily serve K-12 educational, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, or healthcare uses. High-rise residential buildings 4 stories or more can use New Construction or Multifamily Midrise.
LEED BD+C: Core and Shell Development. Buildings that are new construction or major renovation for the exterior shell and core mechanical, electrical, and plumbing units, but not a complete interior fit-out. LEED BD+C: Core and Shell is the appropriate rating system to use if more than 40% of the gross floor area is incomplete at the time of certification.
LEED BD+C: Schools. Buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K-12 school grounds. LEED BD+C: Schools may optionally be used for higher education and non-academic buildings on school campuses.
LEED BD+C: Retail. Buildings used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
LEED BD+C: Data Centers. Buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high density computing equipment such as server racks, used for data storage and processing. LEED BD+C: Data Centers only addresses whole building data centers (greater than 60%).
LEED BD+C: Warehouses and Distribution Centers. Buildings used to store goods, manufactured products, merchandise, raw materials, or personal belongings, such as self-storage.
LEED BD+C: Hospitality. Buildings dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
LEED BD+C: Healthcare. Hospitals that operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and provide inpatient medical treatment, including acute and long-term care.
LEED BD+C: Homes and Multifamily Lowrise. Single-family homes and multifamily housing (apartments, condominiums, etc.) consisting of units that are separated by horizontal dividing walls so the units are stacked up to three conditioned stories above grade.
LEED BD+C: Multifamily Midrise. Multifamily housing (apartments, condominiums, etc.) consisting of units that are separated by horizontal dividing walls so that the units are stacked four or more stories (LEED v4 BD+C: Multifamily Midrise, LEED for Homes Midrise Pilot v2010). Note: Buildings with four to five stories can use LEED Homes Multifamily Lowrise if they have 80 percent in-unit space OR, if they are required to use ENERGY STAR for Homes by a funding or incentive program.

LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)

Interior spaces that are a complete interior fit-out. In addition, at least 60% of the project's gross floor area must be complete by the time of certification. For ID+C projects, spaces are considered incomplete if they do not include the furnishings, fixtures, and equipment intended for regular operations of the space.

LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors. Interior spaces dedicated to functions other than retail or hospitality.
LEED ID+C: Retail. Interior spaces used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas (a showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
LEED ID+C: Hospitality. Interior spaces dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.

LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M)

Buildings that are fully operational and occupied for at least one year. The project may be undergoing improvement work or little to no construction. Must include the entire building’s gross floor area in the project.

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings. Existing buildings that do not primarily serve K-12 educational, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, or hospitality uses.
LEED O+M: Retail. Existing buildings used to conduct the retail sale of consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas (showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
LEED O+M: Schools. Existing buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K-12 school grounds. May also be used for higher education and non-academic buildings on school campuses.
LEED O+M: Hospitality. Existing buildings dedicated to hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the service industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
LEED O+M: Data Centers. Existing buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high density computing equipment such as server racks, used for data storage and processing. LEED O+M: Data Centers only addresses whole building data centers.
LEED O+M: Warehouses & Distribution Centers. Existing buildings used to store goods, manufactured products, merchandise, raw materials, or personal belongings (such as self-storage).
LEED O+M: Multifamily. Existing multifamily projects with 20 or more units, either a single building with 20 units or multiple buildings within the same complex (e.g., 20 townhomes).

LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)

New land development projects or redevelopment projects containing residential uses, nonresidential uses, or a mix. Projects may be at any stage of the development process, from conceptual planning through construction. It is recommended that at least 50% of total building floor area be new construction or major renovation. Buildings within the project and features in the public realm are evaluated.

LEED ND: Plan. Projects in conceptual planning or master planning phases, or under construction.
LEED ND: Built Project. Completed development projects.

Multiple buildings

Please refer to the in the Help Center. If you have further questions about the registration approach, please contact us.

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