If you’ve been rushing to meet the June 30, 2026, deadline for registering projects under LEED v4 or v4.1, there’s good news: you can now relax a bit. LEED v5 is now available for registration, and USGBC still recommends it for new projects, but they’ve extended the registration period by a year, now closing on June 30, 2027. If your project is already registered, there’s no need to worry; your certification timelines through 2033 will remain the same.
What’s new in LEED v5
LEED v5 focuses more on carbon than any earlier version, with almost half the points linked to carbon and emissions. Construction IAQ Management is now required, not just a credit. You also need to measure embodied carbon, so you must collect the right product data as the project progresses, rather than waiting until the end.
Why LEED v5 is worth getting excited about
Some see v5 as just another compliance step, but it’s much more than that. This is the biggest LEED update in over ten years. It targets what really matters for buildings and communities: deeper decarbonization, better ecological conservation and restoration, and a real focus on the quality of life for the people who use these spaces every day.
Buildings certified under v5 are designed to perform better, not just to earn points. Lower embodied and operational carbon means real long-term savings and a smaller environmental footprint. Stronger air quality and health standards help create healthier spaces for everyone inside. By linking credits to real ecological outcomes, v5 encourages projects to support the resilience of both the land and the community, rather than just meeting requirements.
For teams ready to put in the effort, this is a real chance to deliver buildings that set new standards, stand out in a market that prioritizes sustainability, and help create healthier, low-carbon communities. The extra year with v4 doesn’t take away this opportunity. In fact, it gives teams more time to approach v5 carefully.
How to use the next year well, and how Green Badger can support you
- Take time to choose the best path for each project. Now that there’s less pressure, you can compare v4/v4.1 and v5 carefully instead of rushing. LEED v4 is familiar and cost-effective, while LEED v5 requires more effort but gives more benefits. If you register under v4 now and later want to switch to v5, that upgrade is free, so your choice isn’t final.
- Start learning how to track embodied carbon before it becomes urgent. This is the biggest change in v5, and most teams are new to it. Green Badger’s LEED v5 Submittal Cover Sheet is a free template that helps organize product and sustainability data for v5. It’s a helpful way to get used to the new documentation.
- Start planning early. We offer free, downloadable templates for two credits that teams often find challenging under v5: an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan and a Construction Waste Management Plan. These templates help teams check if they’re meeting credit requirements before it’s too late to make changes.
- Use our cheat sheets to see exactly what to track and when. We keep an updated library of LEED v5 credit cheat sheets, including ones for Low-Emitting Materials (ID+C and BD+C) and Construction & Demolition Waste Diversion. These show which documentation is needed for each credit, so you only collect what’s necessary and don’t miss anything important.
- Get ready for v5 with our resources. The Ultimate Guide to LEED v5 Construction Credits for General Contractors explains what’s new, what’s familiar, and where to start. We also host a free monthly LEED Construction User Group where teams can ask experts their LEED questions.
- Make documentation a regular habit, not just something you do once in a while. Templates and cheat sheets help in certain situations, but the real benefit comes from continuously collecting documentation in real time as your project progresses. This includes EPDs, sourcing records, IAQ inspection logs, and waste tracking, all kept together rather than gathered at the end. That’s what the Green Badger platform is built for, and it’s the habit that makes both v4 and v5 much easier.
The extension reduces some of the deadline pressure, but the opportunity is still there. Whether your next project uses v4 or v5, we have the resources and platform to help your team succeed and get the most out of whichever version you choose.
