Building for the Future: Enhancing Resilience with Cool Surfaces in LEED v5
2026-05-20 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | https://gbes.com/event/building-for-the-future-enhancing-resilience-with-cool-surfaces-in-leed-v5/
Solar-reflective roofs, walls, and pavements reduce heat exposure from individual buildings to communities and globally. LEED v5 integrates surface reflectance across multiple credits and prerequisites, recognizing its impact on energy, health, durability, and urban heat-island mitigation. The session will address shortcomings in historical climate data and highlight the importance of forward-looking assessments for building design. Presenters will outline relevant LEED v5 credits, how to use third-party radiative property ratings for documentation, and certified project examples. Emphasizing systems thinking, they show how cool surfaces connect envelope, site, energy, and occupant health.
After attending this session, participants will be able to:

Describe how LEED v5 integrates cool surface requirements across multiple credits and prerequisites to address heat resilience at building and site scales.
Identify the radiative properties that define cool surface performance and explain how third-party rating systems support product comparison and LEED documentation.
Evaluate the limitations of historical climate baselines for heat exposure and explain how forward-looking climate data informs material and design decisions over a 50-year service life.
Explain how cool surfaces function within a systems approach to heat-resilient design, connecting envelope performance, energy use, occupant health, and urban heat island mitigation.

This webinar can be self-reported for 1 free general-hour of LEED, WELL, and/or AIA continuing education.

Better Building with Thermal Breaks
2026-06-17 13:00 - 14:00 | https://gbes.com/event/better-building-with-thermal-bridging/
Thermal bridging is a major, often overlooked source of heat loss that can significantly impact building performance, comfort, and durability. This webinar explores where thermal bridges commonly occur within the building envelope and how thoughtful design, including the use of structural thermal breaks and continuous insulation, can reduce heat transfer and improve overall efficiency. Participants will gain a practical understanding of key thermal performance concepts, condensation risks, and strategies for meeting evolving standards such as ASHRAE and LEED v5, while supporting long-term building resilience and cost savings.
By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

Define thermal bridging and explain its impact on energy performance, comfort, and durability.
Interpret key thermal metrics and terminology, including U-values, R-values, and conductivity.
Identify common thermal bridging locations and evaluate strategies such as continuous insulation and thermal breaks. –
Explain how thermal bridging influences condensation risk and how current standards and frameworks, such as ASHRAE and LEED v5, address mitigation.

This webinar can be self-reported for 1 free general-hour credit toward LEED, WELL, and/or AIA continuing education.

Navigating the Shift to LEED v5
2026-07-15 13:00 - 14:00 | https://gbes.com/event/navigating-the-shift-to-leed-v5/
With the launch of the LEED AP Version 5, sustainability professionals face a major evolution in green building certification and credentials. This webinar, led by GBES education experts, will guide attendees through the key updates and new focus areas of the LEED v5 rating system.
Participants will gain clarity on how LEED has shifted toward decarbonization, resilience, equity, and performance outcomes, and what that means for exam preparation and real-world application. We’ll break down the content domains, exam format, and study strategies and compare v4 and v5 so candidates can transition confidently.
Whether you’re new to LEED or curious about updates to the version 5 rating system, this session equips you with the insights and tools to prepare for the LEED AP v5 exam and apply it in practice.
By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

Understand the major differences between LEED v4 and LEED v5
Explain how LEED v5 aligns with global sustainability priorities
Recognize how LEED v5 impacts professional practice and project delivery
Develop a targeted study plan for passing the LEED AP v5 exam

This webinar can be self-reported for 1 free general-hour credit toward LEED, WELL, and/or AIA continuing education.

LEED v5: Driving Decarbonization
2026-08-19 13:00 - 14:00 | https://gbes.com/event/leed-v5-driving-decarbonization/
As climate action becomes an increasingly important priority for the building industry, LEED v5 places a stronger emphasis on decarbonization than any previous version of the rating system. This webinar, featuring TÜV SÜD Senior Sustainability Consultant Ashley Langenfeld, will introduce attendees to LEED v5’s carbon-focused approach and explain why reducing emissions has become a central goal of green building certification. Participants will gain an understanding of the key concepts behind operational carbon, embodied carbon, electrification, renewable energy, and carbon-conscious design decisions. We’ll explore how these topics appear throughout the LEED v5 rating systems, discuss why they matter to project teams and sustainability professionals, and review how LEED is helping align building performance with broader climate goals.
Whether you’re preparing for a LEED credential, working on LEED projects, or simply looking to better understand the industry’s shift toward carbon reduction, this session will provide a practical overview of one of the most significant changes in LEED v5.
By the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

Explain why decarbonization is a major focus of LEED v5 and the green building industry.
Differentiate between operational carbon and embodied carbon in the built environment.
Identify common decarbonization strategies emphasized within LEED v5, including electrification, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-carbon materials.
Recognize how decarbonization concepts are integrated throughout LEED v5 rating systems and project decision-making.

This webinar can be self-reported for 1 free general-hour credit toward LEED, WELL, and/or AIA continuing education.
