USACE ECB 2026-3 revokes LEED Silver requirement for applicable Army military projects; shifts to CEQ 2020 Guiding Principles checklists

USACE Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) No. 2026-3 (issued Jan 30, 2026) directs an immediate transition away from using LEED (previously LEED v4 Silver per UFC 1-200-02) for applicable Army military projects, moving instead to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 2020 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings checklists (Army self-certification approach). The bulletin includes limited grandfathering: projects already registered for LEED that awarded a construction contract including third-party certification costs prior to Dec 19, 2025 may continue using LEED while internal validation processes are developed. Compliance teams supporting Army projects should update project requirements/specifications, documentation workflows, and contracting language accordingly and monitor incorporation into UFC 1-200-02.