When LEED v4 was approved in June of 2013, the USGBC boasted an 86 percent membership vote approval. An “overwhelming” number that practically had the USGBC dancing in the streets. Chrissy Macken, assistant project manager for LEED v4 at USGBC, said in a press release: “This is really phenomenal; it’s a great sentiment from our membership that we are moving in the right direction.”
But there were several members that cautioned the USGBC against putting LEED v4 out to ballot at all, because of the many problems identified with the proposed rating system during its development. These people, including some key USGBC members, voted “no” and were deeply concerned that the new version of LEED would be rubber stamped, as usual, by the unquestioning voting majority. USGBC Founding Chairman Rob Watson, a self-described “market transformation expert,” was part of the 10 percent that voted against LEED v4. Just after LEED v4 approval, he posted: