USGBC to Drop Its Resilience Rating System, RELi

Resilient design is getting a makeover at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The organization, which acquired the RELi resilience rating system in 2017, will cede ownership as of January 1, 2022. RELi (pronounced “rely”) will return to its developer, The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS), while USGBC works to integrate resilient design into future versions of LEED. Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) will no longer certify RELi projects.

Why drop RELi?

“USGBC is committed to further integrating resilience strategies into our flagship program—LEED,” reads a USGBC statement to BuildingGreen. “Integrating resilience principles into LEED will allow USGBC to address it in a holistic way since green buildings and resilience go hand in hand. When a project is designed and constructed to meet high levels of sustainability and efficiency—like those required under LEED—it is favorably positioned to maximize its overall resilience.”