USGBC Outsources LEED Certification Words: Bronzella Cleveland JulyAugust 2008 Industry News USGBC Outsources LEED Certification In a move the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) says is designed to help the organization meet the growing demand for LEED certification, the group has decided that as of January 2009, it will outsource the certification of buildings. The responsibility now will pass to independent, accredited certifiers overseen by USGBC’s sister nonprofit corporation, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). “We believe in third-party certification,” said Michelle Moore, senior vice president for policy and public affairs at USGBC. “So moving certification to GBCI is the right thing to do from a market perspective. We’ll be able to deliver high-quality, auditable third-party certification.” According to USGBC, LEED applications under the new program still will be submitted through the group’s LEED Online software. Additionally, the organization says this change should be welcome news for owners and builders, as the GBCI will be better equipped to handle the growing number of customer service needs during the LEED certification process. MD