Standards Comparison

    PRINCE2

    Voluntary
    2023

    Structured methodology for project governance and control

    VS

    LEED

    Voluntary
    1998

    Global framework for sustainable green building certification

    Quick Verdict

    PRINCE2 governs projects with principles, practices, and processes for controlled delivery across industries, while LEED certifies sustainable buildings via energy, water, and IEQ credits. Companies adopt PRINCE2 for reliable governance; LEED for green credentials and cost savings.

    Project Management

    PRINCE2

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Manage by exception using tolerances
    • Continued business justification throughout lifecycle
    • Tailor to suit project environment
    • Defined roles and accountability structure
    • Focus on products with acceptance criteria
    Green Building

    LEED

    Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Third-party GBCI verification and certification
    • Point-based scoring across weighted categories
    • Tailored rating systems for project types
    • Mandatory prerequisites with elective credits
    • Recertification for ongoing performance tracking

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    PRINCE2 Details

    What It Is

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a process-based project management framework. It provides governance, control, and delivery mechanisms for projects of any scale. The methodology emphasizes seven principles, practices, and processes for value-driven, exception-based management.

    Key Components

    • **Seven PrinciplesGuiding obligations like continued business justification, manage by exception, and tailoring.
    • **Seven PracticesBusiness case, organization, plans, quality, risk, issues, progress.
    • **Seven ProcessesStarting up, directing, initiating, controlling stages, product delivery, stage boundaries, closing.
    • Certification via Foundation and Practitioner levels.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Ensures auditable governance and risk control.
    • Reduces executive overhead via tolerances and stages.
    • Improves success through tailoring and lessons learned.
    • Builds stakeholder trust in regulated sectors.
    • Enables hybrid agile integration.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: assessment, tailoring, training, pilots, rollout.
    • Involves role definition, templates, certification.
    • Suits all sizes/industries with tailoring; no mandatory audits.

    LEED Details

    What It Is

    LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary green building certification framework developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides a performance-based rating system for sustainable design, construction, operations, and maintenance across building types and phases. Its primary purpose is to promote healthy, efficient buildings reducing environmental impacts via prerequisites and credits.

    Key Components

    • Seven core categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation, Regional Priority.
    • Up to 110 points total; prerequisites mandatory, credits elective.
    • Rating systems like BD+C, ID+C, O+M tailored to project scope.
    • Third-party verification by GBCI; certification tiers: Certified (40-49), Silver (50-59), Gold (60-79), Platinum (80+).

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Drives cost savings (energy/water reductions), asset value uplift, ESG reporting.
    • Mitigates risks from regulations, climate; enhances tenant appeal, productivity.
    • Builds reputation via globally recognized symbol.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, scorecard, design integration, documentation, review.
    • Applies to all sizes/industries; project-based with recertification.
    • Requires registration (Arc/LEED Online), rigorous evidence for GBCI audit.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    PRINCE2
    Project governance, processes, principles
    LEED
    Building sustainability, energy, IEQ performance

    Industry

    PRINCE2
    All sectors, global project management
    LEED
    Construction, real estate, green buildings

    Nature

    PRINCE2
    Voluntary project management methodology
    LEED
    Voluntary green building certification

    Testing

    PRINCE2
    Stage reviews, exception reporting, audits
    LEED
    Third-party GBCI review, performance verification

    Penalties

    PRINCE2
    No legal penalties, failed governance
    LEED
    No certification, no legal penalties

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about PRINCE2 and LEED

    PRINCE2 FAQ

    LEED FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages