The Green Building Certification Institute’s (GBCI) use of third-party certification bodies did not last long.     You may recall that in 2009, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) outsourced green building certification to the Green Building Certification Institute:  

"LEED certification became so popular that the USGBC had to begin allowing certification through independent certification bodies. . . . The USGBC responded to the backlog by delegating certification to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which will then be responsible for ten additional "certification bodies."  The ten independent companies will interpret LEED credits and apply them to projects seeking certification."

One of my primary concerns with the use of independent certification bodies was inconsistent application of the LEED rating system.  If you have two people from the same organization review construction documents, the two may come to different conclusions.  If you have two people from different organizations reviewing construction documents, the likelihood that the individuals will come to different conclusions increases.  

According to Bruce DeMaine, GBCI Vice President, changes at the GBCI are imminent:  

"GBCI is bringing the technical review of project documentation in house over the next two years rather than continuing to manage the process exclusively through other certification bodies. This move will allow us to have closer technical oversight of reviews and more direct communication with our customers to ensure consistency and clarity throughout the process. This doesn’t change anything project teams are doing now."
 

I immediately focused on the phrase "to ensure consistency and clarity throughout the process."   

LEED certification has become paramount to many owners and developers.  Inconsistent application of LEED certification would have negative implications for these owners and developers.  Hopefully, "consistency" issues can be resolved with the insourcing of LEED certification to the GBCI.     Related Links:   Is the LEED Backlog Resolved (GBLU)   Is USGBC Going to Gut GBCI Administered LEED Certification? (VA Land Use)   Photo:  minusequalsplus