CoreNet hosts LEED v4 event featuring Kienzl, Nakagawa and Walker

CoreNet Global New York City Chapter's (CoreNet NYC's) Sustainability Community hosted "LEED v4 — Understanding the Newest Rating System," featuring speakers Niko Kienzl, director at Atlier Ten, Junko Nakagawa, associate at Atlier Ten and Jonce Walker, manager at Urban Green Council, on April 2nd at Mohawk Group. Nakagawa and Kienzl, each environmental design consultants, outlined the latest approved version of the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED v4, a certification system for buildings based on environmental standards for design and/or operation. The new system will become effective in June 2015 and will have a major impact on CoreNet NYC's End-User membership, which controls over $2 billion in real estate in New York City. Additionally, Walker spoke on the philosophy and recent actions of Urban Green Council, the New York City chapter of USGBC focused on sustainable development and green initiatives. The speakers explained the latest system changes since the last LEED version in 2009, and how the modifications will affect all phases of building from design and development to construction and operation. Most notably, the LEED v4 system includes increased thresholds for energy and water use, waste production and indoor environmental quality, an increased focus on human health, encouragement of material transparency through product and ingredient declarations and a focus on integrative design practices and processes.