As one of the most widely used green building rating systems in the world, the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program continues to set the standard for the design and development of sustainable projects. In April 2025, USGBC launched its latest update, LEED v5, which is structured around three core concepts or impact areas. So, what are the three impact areas for LEED v5?
- Decarbonization
- Enhanced quality of life
- Ecosystem and biodiversity restoration.
To achieve credit within these categories, project teams must think beyond the building envelope. Site design, including how landscapes manage water, support biodiversity and remain resilient over time, is more important than ever. That’s where porous paver systems by Invisible Structures come in.
Designed to manage stormwater and reduce environmental impact, our porous pavers, Grasspave2, Gravelpave2 and Rainstore3 can play a crucial role in helping projects meet LEED v5 goals. Here's how:
Credits under the Sustainable Sites category
- Biodiverse Habitat (up to 2 points)
LEED v5 underlines the importance of restoring a site’s natural ecology. In many projects, it can start with landscape elements such as trails and walkways that have healthy soil and vegetation. With up to 92 percent void space, Grasspave2 can be filled with grass and other native plants. The application facilitates water infiltration, supports natural vegetation and minimizes soil compaction. This helps meet LEED’s requirements for restoring disturbed areas and promoting biodiversity across the landscape.
- Accessible Outdoor Space (up to 1 point)
Creating inclusive outdoor environments that encourage interaction with the environment, social and physical activities, and passive recreation is a key focus under LEED v5. Porous pavers by Invisible Structures offer stable, ADA-compliant surfaces that integrate seamlessly with green space. By supporting grass and other vegetation types, these systems contribute to the requirement of at least 25% of outdoor space be planted, helping projects earn credit while promoting wellness and community connection.
- Enhanced Resilient Site Design (Up to 2 points)
As extreme weather events increase in intensity and frequency, the need for resilient site infrastructure becomes more pronounced. Porous pavers like Grasspave2 and Gravelpave2 enable a drainage rate of up to 38.5 inches per square foot per hour. Conversely, traditional pavers have a void space ranging from 8 to 25 percent and can drain about 6.5 inches of water per square foot per hour. By using porous pavers, design teams can enable larger volumes of runoff to penetrate the ground, allowing sites to better absorb heavy rainfall and adapt to future conditions like flooding or rising sea levels.
- Rainwater Management (up to 3 points)
Managing water where it falls is a critical strategy for protecting communities downstream. Porous paver systems replicate the hydrology of undeveloped land by absorbing and filtering rainwater naturally at the source. This reduces strain on municipal stormwater systems and improves water quality. Projects that go a step further and reuse collected rainwater through water containment systems like Rainstore3 and utilize the water for irrigation, cooling, or toilet flushing can earn an additional point under the Water Efficiency category as well.
Credits under Materials and Resources
- Building and Materials Reuse (up to 3 points)
Reusing site materials doesn’t just conserve resources—it also keeps valuable materials in circulation and reduces the impact on the environment. An eco-friendly solution, porous pavers and water containment systems by Invisible Structures are made with 100 percent recycled plastic. Aligning with LEED’s circularity goals, they can bring additional credits to green building certifications as a sustainable choice.
- Reduce Embodied Carbon (Up to 6 points)
Exterior hardscapes are often overlooked when it comes to embodied carbon, but LEED v5 requires that all ancillary structures, such as parking structures or outbuildings within the LEED project boundary, must be included in the calculations.
Recycled plastic porous pavers often have a lower environmental footprint compared to conventional asphalt or concrete. This aspect supports projects aiming to reduce carbon emissions across all elements of construction, including parking lots, fire lanes and service roads.
Looking ahead
LEED v5 encourages design teams to think holistically about sustainability—from carbon reduction to community well-being. With porous pavers from Invisible Structures, project teams gain a powerful tool to meet LEED v5 standards while building smarter, greener and more resilient landscapes.
Ready to explore how our porous pavers can support your next project? Get in touch with our team—we’re here to help.