Energy saving and Green building Certification: Case study of commercial buildings in Warsaw, Poland

Abstract

Different certification systems are used in the construction market. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certification consists of many factors and criteria that have been developed by specialists from such as construction, architecture, ecology, energy, water, renewable energy management, and waste management. Both are criteria-based tools and are becoming increasingly popular in the global construction industry. The LEED provides building owners and managers with tools to identify and implement appropriate solutions for the ecological design, construction, and operation of buildings. BREEAM involves an assessment of the quality and direct impact of buildings on the natural environment. This paper presents a study of retail buildings: (i) Galeria Północna, (ii) Złote Tarasy, and (iii) Westfield Arkadia, located in Warsaw (Poland) certified using a multi-criteria rating system. All buildings were rated highly by the rating system. In this paper, the cases in terms of certification and issues related to the design and construction of these buildings are analyzed and discussed in detail. It was confirmed that the multi-criteria certification systems used made it possible to meet certification requirements while respecting the natural environment.