LEED v4 and EPDs: How’s That Market Disruption Working Out for You?

To some technical experts, the current upsurge in publication of environmental product declarations (EPDs) is too chaotic. For Brendan Owens, P.E., chief of engineering at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it’s a dream that’s just barely starting to come true.

There’s one thing everyone can agree on: EPDs represent a radical transformation for the building industry, and LEED v4 jump-started that transformation. In this article, we’ll look at what LEED incentivizes, how the market is responding, and some critiques of LEED’s approach.