In August 2007, the United States Green Building Council updated the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) scoring system criteria. The new criterion calls for all LEED projects to achieve a minimum of two “Optimizing Energy Performance” points. The effect of the change is to reduce energy in new LEED buildings by a minimum of 14% above ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and 7% for existing building renovations. The criteria also gives up to 8 points for buildings that can show even better energy performance than the minimum. Conceivable a new building showing a 35% better energy performance can get all 8 points. What makes this significant is that 35% better energy performance may be achieved simply with and EIFS liquid applied air and water-resistive barrier. And any shortcomings to that goal may be made up with the insulation value that can be put over the water-resistive barrier.