LEED v5 and Adaptive Reuse: Using LEED as a Framework to Repurpose Existing Buildings

The greenest building is often the one that already exists. LEED v5 has a new emphasis on existing buildings and helps make building conversion projects more feasible and sustainable.

Adaptive reuse—the process of repurposing existing buildings for new uses—has become a cornerstone of sustainable development.

With the release of LEED version 5 (v5), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has taken significant steps to make adaptive reuse more accessible, impactful, and aligned with today’s climate and equity goals.

The rating system’s updated structure and prerequisites are designed to open the door for more existing buildings to pursue certification, even those with “high transition potential”—in other words, buildings that may not have been maintained to the highest standards but have significant opportunity for improvement.

The new framework is less about penalizing older buildings for past shortcomings and more about providing a clear, actionable path to better performance.

Let’s take a closer look at how LEED v5 can serve as a framework for adaptive reuse projects and how project teams can earn the relevant LEED credits.

A Path for Every Building

Perhaps the most important message of LEED v5 is that every building—no matter its age or condition—can improve. The new rating system provides tools, templates, and alternative compliance paths to help project teams navigate local regulations and unique challenges.

By focusing on performance, transparency, and continuous improvement, LEED v5 empowers adaptive reuse projects to deliver meaningful, measurable benefits for owners, occupants, and communities.

Example Scenario: General Adaptive Reuse

• Credit: “Existing Building Reuse” (LEED v5 BD+C) – Points for retaining a significant portion of the existing structure and envelope, reducing demolition and new material use.
• Strategy:
  • Evaluate the building’s structure and envelope for reuse potential early in design.
  • Retain as much as possible and document the percentage of reused elements.
  • Pair this with upgrades to systems and finishes to meet performance and health credits, maximizing both sustainability and LEED points.

Performance and Transparency

One of the most notable changes in LEED v5 is the emphasis on performance-based metrics. For existing buildings, this means that 80% of points are tied to measurable outcomes in energy, water, waste, transportation, and indoor environmental quality. The system is designed to be transparent, with clear tables and benchmarks that help building owners and project teams understand where they stand and what steps are needed to improve.

Example Scenario: Performance Metrics

• Credit: “Performance Pathway” (LEED v5 O+M) – Projects earn points based on actual, measured performance in energy, water, waste, transportation, and indoor environmental quality.
• Strategy:
  • Implement sub-metering and real-time monitoring for energy and water use.
  • Use the data to identify inefficiencies and prioritize upgrades.
  • For example, a building team might install advanced meters and use a dashboard to track and optimize energy use, directly supporting the Performance Pathway credit.

Decarbonization and Long-Term Planning

LEED v5 introduces a strategic decarbonization plan as a central feature for existing buildings. This long-term view encourages owners to think beyond quick fixes and invest in deep retrofits, electrification, and renewable energy procurement.

Importantly, the system requires a five-year capital plan, signed by decision-makers, to ensure that decarbonization isn’t just a paper exercise but a real commitment.

Example Scenario: Decarbonization Planning

• Credit: “Strategic Decarbonization Plan” (LEED v5 O+M) – Requires a 25-year decarbonization roadmap, including operational and embodied carbon, and a five-year capital plan signed by decision-makers.
• Strategy:
  • Conduct a whole-building energy audit and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) to identify the biggest carbon reduction opportunities.
  • Develop a phased plan for electrification, envelope upgrades, and renewable energy procurement.
  • For example, a project might commit to replacing gas boilers with heat pumps and purchasing off-site renewable energy as part of its decarbonization plan.

Resilience, Equity, and Health

Adaptive reuse projects often face unique challenges, from outdated infrastructure to occupant health concerns. LEED v5 addresses these with new prerequisites for climate resilience and human impact assessments. Project teams must evaluate local hazards, demographic factors, and occupant experience; then integrate these findings into their design and operations.

The system also places a strong emphasis on equity, requiring policies and practices that ensure fair treatment and safe working conditions for building staff.

Example Scenario: Resilience and Health Impact

• Credit: “Climate Resilience and Human Impact Assessment” (LEED v5 O+M) – Projects must assess local climate hazards, demographic factors, and occupant experience, then integrate findings into design and operations.
• Strategy:
  • Use FEMA flood maps and local climate projections to assess risks; then update emergency plans and infrastructure accordingly.
  • For equity, implement policies for fair wages and safe working conditions for building staff.
  • For health, upgrade to MERV 13 filtration and increase outdoor air ventilation, both of which are now prerequisites in LEED v5.

Material Reuse and Waste Reduction

LEED v5 brings back and strengthens credits for building and material reuse. Projects can earn points by salvaging and reusing structural elements, finishes, and furnishings, with calculations now based on surface area or quantity rather than cost.

This approach rewards creative reuse and helps keep valuable materials out of landfills, supporting both environmental and economic goals.

Example Scenario: Material Reuse and Waste

• Credit:“Building and Material Reuse” (LEED v5 BD+C, O+M) – Points for salvaging and reusing structural elements, finishes, and furnishings, calculated by surface area or quantity.
• Strategy:
  • During renovation, take inventory of all reusable materials (e.g., doors, flooring, fixtures) and incorporate them into the new design.
  • Document the reused materials with photos and calculations for LEED submission.
  • For waste, implement source separation and require third-party verification for commingled recycling to meet the new construction waste prerequisites.

Why Adaptive Reuse?

As cities and communities grapple with addressing carbon emissions, housing shortages, and equitable development, the ability to repurpose existing buildings is a powerful tool.

Adaptive reuse has many benefits:

• Structurally sound buildings in prime downtown locations
• Expedited approvals and shorter construction timelines
• Significant tax savings for a decade or more
• Substantial embodied carbon reductions by reusing existing steel and concrete
• Help meeting Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) targets.

Read more about the new rules and incentives for building conversion projects here, and contact us here about your questions and upcoming conversion projects.

Author: Kai Starn, Principal Sustainability Consultant at SWA