The convergence of green certification and regulatory compliance: How LEED v5 complements the UAE Climate Law
Authors
Decarbonisation and climate action in the UAE just received a powerful boost, driven by the newest version of LEED.
LEED v5 marks a shift from prescriptive energy measures to a holistic decarbonisation pathway aligned with science-based targets and net zero carbon buildings by 2050. It broadens assessment beyond operational efficiency to include long-term climate resilience and the carbon impacts of materials, construction, energy sourcing, and mobility patterns.
What’s new in LEED v5?
Among the most significant changes in LEED v5 are two new mandatory prerequisites:
- All projects must undertake a climate resilience assessment
- They must quantify all carbon emissions within the project boundary
These requirements are further reinforced by credits that promote climate-resilient design and decarbonisation strategies, underscoring LEED’s shift toward measurable climate outcomes.
- Climate Resilience Assessment
Under the ‘Climate Resilience Assessment’ prerequisite, project teams must identify and prioritise at least two climate hazards, taking into account the project’s service life, risk levels, vulnerabilities, and potential impacts on operations and construction, and assess them using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC’s) Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). The aim is to mitigate climate-related risks and improve long-term building durability.
This is further supported by the “Enhanced Resilient Site Design” credit, where project teams must show how the future hazards identified in the prerequisite, such as drought, flooding, extreme heat, and high-speed winds, have been addressed through suitable measures.
2. Carbon Assessment
The ‘Carbon Assessment’ prerequisite requires project teams to evaluate major emission sources including embodied carbon, operational carbon, refrigerants, and, optionally, transport related emissions.
Based on the submitted data, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) provides project teams with a report and visualisation comparing projected emissions over a 25-year period. The objective is to support more informed carbon related decision making and strengthen long-term decarbonisation strategies.
Raising the bar for platinum certification
LEED v5 significantly raises the bar for platinum certification. In addition to achieving 80+ points and meeting all prerequisites, projects must now satisfy extra mandatory decarbonisation requirements.
For new buildings and interior fit-outs, the focus is on electrification, enhanced energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and reducing embodied carbon in materials and construction.
For operations and maintenance (O+M) projects, the emphasis shifts to improving existing building performance through measurable emissions reductions, stronger energy performance, and clear long-term decarbonisation plans.
Together, these requirements reinforce LEED’s commitment to advancing decarbonisation and setting a more ambitious benchmark for platinum certification.
How LEED v5 aligns with the UAE Climate Law
The UAE Climate Law, introduced on 30 May 2025 and due to come fully into effect on 30 May 2026, requires organisations to measure and report Scope 1 and 2 emissions, implement reduction measures, and provide progress updates, in addition to conducting climate risk assessments and developing adaptation plans accordingly. These efforts support the country’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47% by 2035 and establish a clear pathway toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
Although LEED v5 is structured around buildings, it can act as a valuable mechanism for supporting organisational compliance with the law. Its emphasis on energy efficiency, electrification, renewable energy, refrigerant management, and transport emissions helps reduce operational emissions at the asset level, contributing to Scope 1 reductions that feed into corporate reporting and targets. In parallel, LEED v5’s climate risk assessment and resilience planning prerequisite closely reflects the law’s requirements for hazard identification, adaptation, and mitigation.
As a result, LEED serves not only as a sustainability certification framework but also as a practical tool for supporting legal compliance and future-proofing projects against regulatory risk.
The future of the building industry
LEED v5’s strategic transformation is expected to accelerate the convergence of voluntary certification and regulatory compliance, turning climate responsive, low carbon design from an aspirational goal into a mandatory standard. This shift is both timely and necessary, given that the built environment still accounts for nearly one-third of global carbon emissions.
Although not yet explicitly regulated, embodied carbon is likely to become a greater focus in the UAE as the regulatory framework evolves. As power grids decarbonise and buildings become more efficient, embodied carbon will represent a growing share of total emissions. With the introduction of LEED v5 and emerging tools such as TM65 UAE which support embodied carbon assessments, this area is expected to come into sharper focus over time.
These developments are also expected to drive wider adoption of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) across the MENA region, strengthening accountability and transparency in carbon reporting.
How Cundall is leading the transition
At Cundall, we possess the knowledge and technical expertise in decarbonisation and climate-responsive design to help projects across the UAE navigate the evolving demands of LEED v5 and the UAE Climate Law.
Drawing on our long history of delivering high performance, sustainability focused projects worldwide, and with net zero at the core of everything we do, we develop project-specific solutions that not only support regulatory compliance but also maximise alignment with LEED v5, helping projects achieve the highest levels of certification.
To learn more, please contact our sustainability team.
