Green building Standards and Certifications Systems
- PV Digital
- Apr 17
- 7 min read
Green building standards and rating systems are becoming increasingly important as more nations and organizations shift to greener construction and development.
This encouraging trend is also evident in the rising compliance and ongoing improvement of these standards.
In this article, we'll go over why architects need to know about these standards and the many rating systems you can use if you want to help promote sustainability.
What Is A Green Building Standard?
Most nations have building standards in place to guarantee safe and effective construction and design. They serve as a collection of evaluation criteria that, depending on the kind of building standard, establish minimal requirements for different project phases, typologies, and design elements.
One such standard that aims to direct architects, engineers, constructors, and developers toward green design (and/or sustainability) is the green building standard.
How do we define a green building?
Have you ever questioned what a green building is, even if we've been talking about green standards? In essence, a green building design is an environmentally conscious design strategy to lessen the impact of human activity on the environment.
The following are the most typical green building specifications or attributes:
Energy efficiency
Water saving
Minimal harm to the environment
Relying on renewable resources
Non-toxic building materials
Efficient use of space
Responsible harvesting and use of materials
When it comes to defining green architecture, it is crucial to distinguish it from greenwashing. Greenwashing, which exaggerates the benefits and aesthetics of sustainable products, is more of a marketing gimmick than a sustainable design approach.
A project is not "green" just because it has a lot of trees on it. To maintain them, it may even need a lot of water and energy, which would make it even less environmentally friendly.
Examples of Green Buildings
According to BREEAM, the Edge building is the greenest in the world. It achieved sustainability by utilizing technology advancements. Solar panels are used for energy efficiency in order to produce enough energy to run the building.
The Vancouver Convention Centre has received multiple accolades and is a double LEED Platinum certified facility. By using green building design techniques, the design seeks to be as ecologically sustainable as feasible.
To learn what it means to be "green" in architecture, have a look at these green building projects. We promise that it has nothing to do with color!
Green Building Certifications and Rating System
How can we prevent greenwashing in our projects, then? The simplest approach is to consult the standards and codes for green buildings. To make sure a building design complies with green building rules or standards, green building rating systems are based on these requirements. They are provided using a scoring system as certificates.
Initially produced in a single nation, some of these rating systems are now accessible globally. For instance, although BREEAM originated in the UK, buildings certified by the system can today be found in more than 70 nations.
List Of Green Building Standards and Certifications
1. ASHRAE Standards
Established in 1894, ASHRAE is an acronym for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Its members, who regard it as a society, prioritize sustainability, indoor air quality, building systems, and energy efficiency.
There are multiple green building standards from ASHRAE. It has released six green building guidelines and more than a dozen standards that focus on HVAC, comfort, and occupancy.
Standard 189.1-2020, the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard for the design of high-performance green buildings, is one of the most well-known ASHRAE standards. It offers minimal specifications for high-performance green building design, construction, and operation.
In addition to lowering emissions, safeguarding nearby ecosystems, increasing resiliency to risks, and encouraging sustainability, the goal is to improve building quality with improved occupant comfort and health.
All the information you require regarding High-Performance Building Design and its implementation through Computational Design is provided here.
2. BREEAM
The BRE Group's BREEAM sustainability assessment system was introduced in 1990. The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, which it stands for, has been used to evaluate a building's environmental performance. A comprehensive evaluation towards sustainable values is offered by BREEAM.
Net zero carbon, whole life performance, biodiversity, circularity and resilience, health and social effect, disclosure and reporting, and EU taxonomy—a classification system for economically sustainable practices—are all included.
How Are Buildings Rated in BREEAM?
The certification assures performance, quality and value of the design asset. The rating is given in a series of stars according to the percentage score.
3. LEED
The "green" symbol of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is widely accepted. This building standards and guidelines are overseen by USGBC (U.S Green Building Council).
It guarantees that the buildings offer cost-effective and healthful places in addition to offering a foundation for green buildings with minimal carbon emissions.
A leading system that takes into account every aspect of the best building design is the LEED building standard. There are six different types of LEED systems for different construction types and phases.
Building Design and Construction (BD+C)
Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)
Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M)
Neighborhood Development (ND)
Homes
Cities
How Do You Get A Leed Certification?
The LEED building standards include a set of requirements that a design project must follow. These requirements cover topics such as transportation, water, waste, interior environmental quality, materials, energy, carbon, and health.
The Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) will grant points depending on the LEED certification following project verification.
4. WELL Building Standard
As the name implies, the WELL building standard provides a framework for tracking the elements that affect the health and well-being of the residents.
Since it gauges the elements that impact wellbeing—ventilation, hydration, light, comfort, nutrition, fitness, and mental clarity—it is performance-based.
Since we spend about 90% of our time indoors, WELL is aware of how crucial the interior environment is to people's health and wellbeing.
Preconditions and optimizations are the two divisions of the certification components. While the optimizations are optional routes for certification criteria, the preconditions are required.
Since it is a performance-based approach, each WELL concept is verified on-site using performance testing and metrics.
5. Green Mark Certification Scheme
In order to turn its little island into a green, livable country, Singapore has concentrated on sustainable green building projects.
Since its initial introduction in 2005, the Green Mark Certification has undergone numerous revisions and enhancements. In order to encourage sustainable design, the system assesses the performance and environmental impact of both new and existing structures.
The Green Mark certification is not just for buildings; parks and infrastructure projects can also apply. Each project category has a somewhat different grading methodology.
The requirements include, among other things, existing buildings, landed homes, schools, and residential and non-residential structures. The ratings (Certified, Gold, Gold Plus, and Platinum) are determined by points scored, just like in other certification programs.
6. Green Globes
The United States and Canada are the main countries that employ Green Globes, a green rating system.
It aims to improve the environment, comfort, and operations of buildings. Green Globes, which debuted in 2004 for New Buildings Canada and the U.S, was a product based on the original BREEAM system. In Canada, there is also a distinct module for Sustainable Interiors in addition to new construction. Both modules can be used with a variety of building types.
An online questionnaire is used for the assessment. A report is automatically generated once it is finished.
The grades, accomplishments, and design suggestions will all be covered in the report. Third-party verification from qualified local specialists gives the procedure legitimacy and significance.
7. EDGE
The World Bank Group's IFC (International Finance Corporation) EDGE rating focuses on efficiency and zero-carbon buildings, while other ratings concentrate on total building performance. Water, energy, and embodied energy in materials are said to be reduced by at least 20%.
How can we assess a building's energy efficiency and consumption? The easy way is to perform Building Energy Analysis.
Another way that EDGE differs from others is that we use the EDGE app to save at least 20% in three categories first. We will thereafter be accredited at Level 1: EDGE. The building needs to have at least 40% on-site energy savings in order to achieve Level 2 (EDGE Advanced: Zero Carbon ready).
Level 3, the last level, mandates that 100% of purchased carbon be offset or come from renewable sources on-site or off-site. A building that has earned Level 3 certification is carbon-neutral.
There are no required renewals for the first two levels, however assessment is required at the preliminary and final certification stages. The building must, however, undergo a second evaluation at least a year after achieving 75% occupancy following the final EDGE certification.
Additionally, it requires renewals every four years with 100% renewables or every two years with offsets.
HERS Index
The Home Energy Rating System, or HERS, index is a nationally accepted U.S. system. RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) created HERS in 2006.
The evaluation is done using building blueprints and on-site inspections, and it is only for residential properties. The performance of the building will be assessed by a certified RESNET Home Energy Rater.
When compared to other comparable properties, the score shows how energy-efficient the house is. Based on the Energy Star performance requirements, the rater will also pinpoint any possible energy efficiency gains. A lower score indicates that the house is more energy-efficient or that less energy is used.
Benefits Of Green Building Standards
Guidelines for sustainable design and construction are provided by green building standards and rating schemes. The design can have positive effects on the economy and the environment by following these guidelines. Why should we construct green buildings, one would ask?
Green construction regulations consider the health and well-being of occupants even as we constantly discuss energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. Therefore, tenants of green buildings enjoy more comfort, productivity, and general well-being.
Achieving energy efficiency as an environmentally friendly building can lower energy purchases, thus saving building owners money. Similar advantages are also developed by renewable energy.
As high-performance structures, green buildings generally offer a good return on investment.
How Are Green Building Standards Changing The AEC Industry?
Sustainable green buildings are typically defined as structures that adhere to green building standards and norms. However, many of these standards aim for excellent performance in design as well as environmentally sustainable structures.
The architect has prioritized sustainability and good performance from the beginning of the design process. It guarantees not only that the design is high-performing and sustainable, but also that the planning and construction are environmentally friendly.
There are now comparable norms and requirements for products in addition to those for green buildings. This shows that we may focus on a sustainable future and lessen our impact on the environment in a variety of ways.
Stay tuned with PrimaVerse as we share current insights and trends in the engineering industry, including the latest in generative design. Have a project in mind? Contact us today and let’s build a better world together!
Comments