Building rating / certification systems and individual accreditation programs are beginning to impact the professional standard of care recognized by law and the building community. Such systems and programs may cause design professionals, owners, managers, and facilities personnel to be held to higher degrees of expertise and performance.

The vast majority of insurance claims involve misrepresentation, miscommunication, and misunderstood expectations between owners and design and construction professionals.

There are growing concerns that the implied guarantee of building energy performance emanating from building rating / certification / labeling systems may confuse or mislead policy makers and the public.

There are no common metrics or consistent methodologies to determine building performance levels relative to achieving targets / requirements defined by building rating / certification systems.

There is a significant lack of understanding or knowledge of design intent as it relates to the day-to-day operations of a particular building in the building owner and operator communities. The implications of this lack of understanding / knowledge in achieving building performance goals / targets established by building rating / certification systems have not been determined.

Achieving conformance with a building rating or certification when validated by an independent, third-party evaluator is moving the building community into an area of whole building prequalification reserved in the past for individual building products, components, and systems.

Compliance with building certification and reliance on accreditation diminishes the authority and accountability of the licensed design professional.