LEED Ahead of Green Globes on Meeting New DOE Standards

After years of work—and controversy—the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a final rule clarifying which green building rating systems federal agencies may use. DOE only names criteria, not specific rating systems, but based on these criteria—including one for performance verification—LEED comes out ahead of Green Globes, which does not currently make the cut.

Cutting the ANSIan knot

DOE begins by clarifying that federal agencies are not required to use green building rating systems at all. The two agencies with the largest building portfolios—the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration—have required certification for years, however.