Green Building Certification Systems Research Articles

Land management criteria for green building certification systems in Turkey.

The issue of energy holds significant implications for nations heavily reliant on it, such as Turkey. In recent times, legislative measures, including the Energy Efficiency Law and the Energy Performance Regulation of Buildings, have been enacted in Turkey. Despite the implementation of the Energy Performance Certificate for buildings, the absence of a national green building certification system remains conspicuous. To address this gap, an examination of globally recognized certification systems and relevant components concerning land management, pertinent to Turkey's context, was undertaken. This involved a comprehensive literature review to establish the foundation for survey inquiries. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with subject matter experts in Turkey to glean valuable insights and perspectives. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology, the responses from these experts were collated and analyzed to delineate the criteria and sub-criteria germane to land management. This study delves into the discourse surrounding the establishment of a green building certification system within Turkey, specifically within the domain of land management, a sector of paramount importance, particularly within the purview of survey engineering. Through a structured survey, the criteria pertinent to land management were identified and subjected to rigorous analysis. Furthermore, the sub-criteria within the land management category were delineated, and their respective weights were computed, thereby providing a comprehensive framework for the envisioned green building certification system in Turkey.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF “LEED” CERTIFIED SCHOOLS WITH “YES-TR” IN THE CONTEXT OF “GREEN CERTIFICATION”

With the emergence of green building concept in the construction sector, the increase in green building production has resulted in green building certification systems. It is important to establish these certification systems on a national scale for reasons such as the compatibility of sustainable architecture with local conditions and differences in the legislation of countries. It is inevitable to change the criteria of the certification system in accordance with the function of the building. As the schools are directly related to learning as well as providing the health and comfort to the users, there are internationally specialized certification systems for green schools. In this study, some of the LEED-certified schools in Turkiye were compared; these buildings were evaluated within the framework of the “Green Certificate (YeS-TR)” introduced by the Turkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in 2022. The main categories of “LEED v2009 for Schools” and “Green Certificate” were compared; while “sustainable sites” and “regional priority” categories in “LEED v2009 for Schools” are not included in the “Green Certificate”, the main category of “integrated design, construction and management” and “life cycle assessment” were not met in “LEED v2009 for Schools”. As a result of the study, various suggestions were made for the development of certificates in this context.

Sustainable Energy Use in Buildings: A Leadership Opportunity for Gardens and Zoos

Cultural institutions hold a unique position of influence, serving as hubs of education and knowledge dissemination for the people they serve. Embracing sustainable energy use in buildings in zoos and botanical gardens is a commitment to environmental responsibility that reinforces these institutions as trusted sources of information and community leaders on climate change, one of the most vital issues of our time. Sustainable energy solutions can synergize operations with educational missions, allowing zoos and botanical gardens to lead by example and inspire visitors to adopt eco-friendly practices in their own lives. In this opinion paper, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens President and CEO Richard Piacentini discusses key elements in developing a sustainable building energy plan, reviews potential barriers to implementation, and makes a case for adopting regenerative thinking and new metrics for measuring success—citing example cases from Phipps’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) project. Additionally, the paper demonstrates how green building certification systems and peer-based resource networks like The Climate Toolkit can help guide institutions in the process.

BIM and Sustainable Design: A Review of Strategies and Tools for Green Building Practices

Building Information Modeling (BIM) provides a robust foundation for driving sustainability across architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) practices. This paper presents a systematic review of literature elucidating the confluence of BIM tools and processes with accelerated performance simulations and green building certification systems needed to guide environmentally sensitive design. Integrated Revit-Insight 360 is shown to enable 21% lower energy use intensity (EUI) and 8.5% reduced lifecycle costs over baseline for an office building through rapid multi-objective optimization spanning orientation, envelope and HVAC properties. Enhanced integrated platforms perform detailed thermal zoning analysis capturing realistic solar gains and heat storage effects, right-sizing heating equipment by 7.2% over conventional workflows. Further, BIM automation mitigates nearly 50-80% of manual calculations for BEAM Plus, LEED prerequisites and accelerates documentation for certification. However, interoperability issues inhibiting holistic sustainability evaluations persist due to lack of modeling standards. Emerging tools exemplify modular green assessment connecting multi-vendor engines to resolve underlying technical barriers. As BIM object definitions and seamless analytical integration matures, widespread mainstreaming for sustainability is foreseeable. While current measured metrics revolve around energy use, emissions and green certification, future work needs to address social and economic indicators also enabled by data-rich BIMs. Nevertheless, coupled with continuous monitoring for validation, BIM provides the foundation for the AEC industry to progress towards comprehensive sustainable building lifecycles.

LEED and BREEAM Green Building Certification Systems as Possible Game Changers in Attaining Low-Cost Energy-Efficient Urban Housing Projects

LEED and BREEAM Green Building Certification Systems as Possible Game Changers in Attaining Low-Cost Energy-Efficient Urban Housing Projects

업무용 건축물 LCA 분석을 통한 녹색건축 인증제도 개선방안 연구

In this study, a study was conducted to identify problems with the "building LCA" evaluation items in a domestic green building certification system(G-SEED), and to prepare improvement plans. To this end, domestic and foreign green building certification systems were compared, and the evaluation items of G-SEED were analyzed and LCA case studies were conducted for Business facilities buildings, and the results were analyzed. As a result of the case analysis, it was analyzed that each environmental load impact category affects the environment in the order of 48.5% global warming, 37.3% resource depletion, 5.8% photochemical oxide production, 4.7% human toxicity, 2.0% acidification, 1.1% eutrophication, 0.4% ecotoxicity, and 0.3% ozone layer destruction. In addition, improvement plans were presented through the results of case analysis.

The Building Certification System - A Tool of Sustainable Development of University Campuses

Abstract The study is part of humanity's current concerns of tempering climate change for sustainable development, in the context where the construction sector is responsible for a significant percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. In the present work, through a rigorous documentation, the authors synthesize several existing green and sustainable building certification systems. Extending the study from buildings to green neighbourhoods, to university campuses and even to green cities, models of their sustainable development are highlighted. The authors summarize the results of the various "green" ratings, initiating "Top 10 Greenest Universities in the world", demonstrating the interest of certification and classification. The paper presents the case study of the University of Oradea. From this perspective, participation in a rating of green campuses, as well as certification of buildings, are stimulating elements for approaching a sustainable development strategy. Thus, with the registration in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, the University of Oradea is set to rise in the ranking, which actually led to the improvement of the green criteria and implicitly to an orientation towards a sustainable development of the university campus. At the same time, the paper demonstrates that the energy certification of old buildings engaged in the "wave of renovations" is a tool for the sustainable development of university campuses.

Assessing the Role of Sustainable Construction Practices in the One Belt One Road Initiative: A Comparative Analysis of China and Southeast Asian Countries

This conceptual paper examines the role of sustainable construction practices in the One Belt One Road Initiative, with a focus on the comparative analysis between China and Southeast Asian countries. The study explores policy frameworks, technological advancements, market trends, and institutional capacities in promoting sustainable construction within the context of the initiative. The analysis reveals that both China and Southeast Asian countries have demonstrated a commitment to sustainable development through the implementation of green building standards and certification systems. China has showcased advancements in integrating renewable energy technologies and adopting innovative construction techniques, while Southeast Asian countries are gradually adopting advanced technologies. The market trends indicate a growing demand for green buildings and sustainable infrastructure in both regions. Institutional capacities vary, with China establishing research institutions and certification bodies, while Southeast Asian countries are in the process of strengthening their institutional frameworks. The findings suggest opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing within the initiative. The implications highlight the potential for environmental protection, economic growth, and social development through sustainable construction practices. The paper concludes with recommendations, including fostering international cooperation, providing capacity building programs, and promoting policy incentives to maximize the potential of sustainable construction in the One Belt One Road Initiative.

Study on Certification Criteria of Building Energy and Environmental Performance in the Context of Achieving Climate Neutrality

Increased greenhouse gas emissions have led to a global warming threat. As a result, countries have tended to focus their decision-making attention on energy-saving strategies. Specifically, the concept of green building has been developed for the construction sector. It aims to create energy-efficient structural activities (new constructions, repairs, or renovated constructions) that will be carried out in line with the determined criteria. With the concept of green building and the need to establish criteria and standards to ensure energy efficiency, green building certification systems have come to the fore. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certification systems have been developed. This article investigates the achievements of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) category of LEED-certified projects in Türkiye and Europe. A comparison study of countries was carried out, based on the fourth version of the LEED BD+C framework that was developed for new green building projects. The study’s primary goal is to show the linear correlation between market value and IEQ. It was revealed that the gross domestic product does not affect IEQ applications. Although Türkiye was ranked first in applying for IEQ credits, its economic development level is lower than that of other European countries.

A Study on Indoor Environmental Quality

Günümüzde insanlar zamanlarının büyük bölümünü konut, ofis, okul gibi kapalı mekânda geçirmektedir. Son yıllarda yaygın olarak görülen hasta bina sendromu, bina kaynaklı hastalıklar, okullarda öğrenim performansının ve ofis ortamlarında çalışanların verimliliklerinin azalması gibi sağlık ve verimlilik sorunları iç ortam kalitesi ile ilişkilendirilmektedir. Bu çalışmada iç ortam kalitesi ve sürdürülebilir bina kavramları ilişkilendirilerek, insan sağlığı ve verimliliği konularında iç ortam kalitesinin (iok) önemine dikkat çekmek amaçlanmaktadır. Bu çalışma kapsamında iok’ni belirleyen parametrelerden aktif olarak ölçülebilen ve kontrol edilebilen ısıl konfor, iç hava kalitesi, aydınlatma ve görsel konfor, akustik konfor ele alınmıştır. İok ile ilgili standart ve literatür taraması ile elde edilen bulgular sonucunda bu parametrelerin tanımları, kullanıcı üzerindeki etkileri, ölçülme yöntemleri ve yeşil bina sertifikasyon sistemleri ile ilişkileri ele alınmıştır. Sonuçta, iok'nin çalışmada ele alınan temel parametrelerinin, bina kullanıcılarının sağlığı ve üretkenliği ile ilişkili olduğu; dikkate alınmasında önemli sağlık ve finansal yararlar olduğu; iç ortamdaki fiziksel koşulların, uygun tasarım ve bina işletim sistemleri ile karşılanabileceği, yeşil bina sertifika sistemlerinin binalarda iok’nin gelişimine katkı sağladığı sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır.

Computational LEED: computational thinking strategies and Visual Programming Languages to support environmental design and LEED credits achievement

Since environmental and energy issues and challenges continues to emerge as key global concerns, Green Building Certification Systems are becoming increasingly relevant in the construction industry.In this regard, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is considered one of the most widely recognized environmental assessment methods used globally in the construction industry today.However, due to the high level of complexity of the LEED system, the tools usually used to verify the achievement of the credits lack of “design friendliness” and hardly communicate effectively with the conventional tools used by architects and engineers (e.g. CAD, BIM). This makes difficult to fully take into account, especially at the early design stage, the many interconnected aspects that contribute to the green certification, with consequent issues often arising in the design validation and/or construction phases, resulting in time delays and cost increments.The application of innovative problem-solving methods, such as computational thinking, together with coding techniques, represents an effective way to deal with this issue. This kind of methodology, in fact, allows the requirements of a specific LEED credit to be digitally parametrised and flexibly incorporated into a “designer friendly” working environment.In particular, Visual Programming Languages (VPLs), due to their high simplicity of usage, allow architects and engineers to develop algorithms and thus implement their technical knowledge in the field of environmental design with computer programming skills, useful to improve their tools and keep them constantly updated.The aim of this paper is to illustrate a methodology through which, by merging computational thinking strategies with VPL tools, is possible to keep under control, in the same working environment, all the parameters required to verify in real time the achievement of LEED credits. To demonstrate the flexibility of the approach, dedicated tools developed for the verification of some specific credits at different scales – neighbourhood and building – are illustrated as operational examples of the proposed methodology.

Concept for combining LCA and hazardous building material assessment for decision support using BIM

The construction and building sector is responsible for a large part of the world’s resource and energy consumption and is considered the largest global emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Hazardous and toxic substances in building materials affect indoor air quality as well as the environment and thus have a high impact on human health, as we spend around 90 percent of our lives in buildings. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and hazardous building material requirements of green building certification systems allow to reduce the environmental and health impacts of building products and materials. However, they are usually very complex and time-consuming to perform and require expert knowledge to use the results for decision support. Digital approaches to support the simplified application of these methods and intuitive visualization of results are becoming increasingly important. Especially Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers a high potential for this purpose, as the integration and linking of geometric and semantic information in 3D-models for LCA and hazardous building material assessment can be done much more efficiently and intuitively. Within the scope of this work, the following three objectives were pursued (1) development of a method for combining LCA and hazardous building material assessment, (2) simplification of the results by converting them into comprehensible indicators for decision support, and (3) implementation of the method in a BIM-based digital assistant for intuitive visualization and communication. The preliminary results show a concept for combined use of LCA and hazardous building material assessment in Germany with differentiation in six use cases. A prototypical implementation as BIM-integrated digital assistant was developed for one of these use cases. For the first time, this prototype provides understandable feedback in real time of LCA and hazardous building material requirements. This research project contributes to the awareness in the context of embodied impacts and low emitting materials in buildings and advances the current digitalization potentials.

Assessing contextual factors for sustainable development: a case study of LEED-certified projects in Jordan

PurposeThe researchers analyzed factors affecting the adoption of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building certification system in Jordan, including financial performance of certified projects along with broader barriers that may impact developers’ interest in LEED.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first reviewed online data for all LEED registered and certified projects in Jordan, recruited LEED-certified project stakeholders, collected documents related to LEED projects and conducted LEED category credit summaries, financial cost-benefit analyses and spot-checking reported values in local markets. The authors then visited projects sites and interviewed various project stakeholders to understand better stakeholders' decision-making processes concerning LEED and relevant factors (financial, branding, cultural, political, etc.).FindingsObtaining LEED certification in Jordan was financially feasible as evinced in both the quantitative analysis and interviews. However, the authors found that there was very limited interest in LEED among Jordanian developers. Barriers included widespread cynicism toward green building concepts as well as a lack of local expertise in installing and maintaining green technologies. To overcome these barriers, the authors recommend that green building initiatives place a greater emphasis on education and public-promotion activities.Research limitations/implicationsThe research data were limited to projects that had successfully achieved LEED certification. Broader qualitative research conducted across the Jordanian building community could provide additional insights, but such an investigation is beyond the scope of the current study.Originality/valueThe complexity of adapting a Western green building standard (LEED) to a non-Western context is discussed in detail. The findings suggest that understanding regional development challenges, local markets and cultural differences is vital for successfully implementing green building certification systems.

Building information modelling and green building certification systems: A systematic literature review and gap spotting

There has been an increasing focus on using Building Information Modelling (BIM) for sustainability assessment. Especially in the aspect of applying BIM-based tools to provide documentation for Green Building Certification Systems (GBCS) credits in sustainability assessment. Despite the huge potential of BIM for GBCS, there is limited literature that has established this link. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to explore the synergies between BIM and GBCS to achieve a deeper understanding of the GBCS currently BIM-enabled, level of BIM implementation in GBCS sustainability areas, challenges and gaps in integrating BIM and GBCS, BIM and GB tools currently in use and areas for further research in the BIM-GBCS domain. The research methodology includes a combination of systematic literature review (SLR) and gap spotting. The SLR includes a total of 84 papers from highly ranked journals between 2009 and 2020. In terms of sustainability areas, energy (71%) has the highest amount of literature in the environmental sustainability dimension while social and economic dimensions had a representation of 15% and 11%, respectively. The knowledge gaps and areas for proposed future research directions are critical to developing work in the BIM-GBCS domain.

Evaluation of occupants’ satisfaction in green and non-green office buildings in Dar es Salaam-Tanzania

In recent years, sustainability practices in Africa have been promoted as the relatively most effective means of reducing adverse environmental impacts associated with buildings and occupants. Occupants' perception within buildings, whether green or non-green, is crucial for the understanding of building sustainability (energy performance) and comfort conditions. However, there has been a scanty research-based knowledge from empirical studies, particularly in Dar es Salaam. This study endeavoured to bridge that knowledge gap. The study evaluated the occupants' satisfaction rate of 2 certified green office buildings and 15 non-green office buildings and the extent to which they control indoor environmental performance. The study deployed a PoE questionnaire based on two types of scales, a bipolar and unipolar scale to measure the occupants' perception of the indoor environmental performance: temperature comfort, temperature sensation, noise, air movement, air freshness, air quality and satisfaction with the amount of natural light. A total of 532 occupants from the buildings set provided valid responses. The results show that overall occupants were quite satisfied in all buildings set. However, there are some differences regarding air movement, air quality, glare from artificial light, noise levels, and lighting control. Occupants of green buildings were more satisfied with lighting control; nonetheless, improved lighting control alone is insufficient to enhance occupants’ satisfaction in green buildings to a superior level than that of non-green buildings. This study can provide feedback to building owners, property managers, green building certification systems and can aid architects in designing climate-responsive buildings that encourage long-term occupant satisfaction.

Application of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) as the basis of the evaluation of the green building certification systems

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the green building certification systems. In doing so, a validation process, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), was undertaken.Design/methodology/approachAn extensive literature review was conducted to highlight the paramount aspects of green building certification systems. Then, using a grounded theory, key findings of the initial literature review were explored. This was necessary to form a broad theoretical framework. Finally, CFA was performed to evaluate various green building certification systems.FindingsInitially, it was noted that accreditation process was the central key for effective building certification systems, particularly at the international level. Further, using CFA, it was also determined that to increase the sustainable performance of the green building certification, meeting the increasing expectation of the system user is paramount.Practical implicationsWhen evaluating the green building certification systems, it is recommended to focus on a specific aspect of the programmes holistically. This needs to be done particularly towards delivering a clear message to the stakeholders globally; doing so may alleviate the many challenges of green building certifications.Originality/valueCurrently, various green building certification systems have been developed for local purposes. This raises the question of the adaptability of these systems across varying climates and geography in differing regions. Using CFA, this research will examine various green building certification systems to evaluate their applicability at a global level.

How can green building certification systems cope with the era of climate emergency and pandemics?

According to the second law of thermodynamics, all human activities cause exergy destructions, adding to additional root causes for carbon dioxide emissions responsibility. It means that current carbon dioxide concentrations are accurately observed, but the root causes and their potential solutions against global warming fall short of achieving the goals of the Paris agreement by almost 45% in terms of decarbonization efforts, as shown in this paper. This result applies to all activities, including the green facility concept. In this respect, the primary aim of this paper is to raise awareness about the essence of the Second Law of Thermodynamics in expanding the green facility concept to reach more effective and sustainable rating methodologies concerning the climate crisis. A new evaluating and rating model with a set of exergy-based green building metrics that relate additional carbon dioxide emissions to irreversible exergy destructions has been developed. Examples about apparently green buildings according to the First Law of Thermodynamics are given by showing that these buildings are not green due to additional carbon dioxide emissions responsibility due to exergy destructions. An airport terminal building case is elaborated. It has been shown that although part of the electricity comes from a third-party wind energy provider, it ends up with carbon dioxide emissions responsibility because it is not entirely used in exergy-rational demand points and compares less favorably with an on-site cogeneration system using natural gas by about 30% more emissions responsibility. The results and derivations of new metrics are discussed, which shed light on adding new criteria to existing green building certification programs.

The future of IEQ in green building certifications

Although indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and human health have been on the agenda of the green building industry, a new emphasis is being placed on building features that explicitly promote the experience of occupants. However, evidence of the performance of green-certified buildings from the occupant perspective remains inconsistent, with numerous questions on how to effectively design, assess and promote ‘healthy buildings’. Focusing on the key IEQ categories of indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics, this paper synthesises emerging knowledge related to IEQ and health; identifies research and practical challenges that may impede the performance of green-rated buildings; sets the foundations for researchers and green rating system developers to capture immediate and long-term opportunities; and proposes a new framework for green-certified buildings. The envisioned future of green buildings will need to be based on a thorough knowledge of the building and its users, their inter- and intra-individual variability, their spatiotemporal localisation, their activities, their history of exposures, together with a capacity of anticipation of the likelihood of future events and preparedness for them. A balanced, integrated, consideration of these factors can provide the basis for more effective green building certification systems. <em><strong>Practice relevance</strong></em> The Covid-19 pandemic has focused attention on the importance of IEQ and highlighted the limitations of prevailing practice for promoting human experience, health and wellbeing. Most critically, the good intentions of project planning are often not reflected in real-world conditions, and establishedbest practiceshave not kept pace with advances in research. This paper provides a critical synthesis of the literature on the effectiveness of green building ratings systems for human experience. It identifies limitations and practical opportunities for improvement in the design and application of rating tools. These observations present specific, actionable, opportunities to improve the design and operation of green building rating systems. Rating system developers and practitioners can use this information to better align design intentions with outcomes. Explicit consideration is needed for differences in individual preferences, spatial and temporal variabilities of IEQ factors, occupant exposure history, and other factors impacting IEQ.

Readiness Assessment of Green Building Certification Systems for Residential Buildings during Pandemics

One of the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic is the momentum it has created for global changes affecting various aspects of daily lives. Among these, green building certification systems (GBCSs) should not be left behind as significant potential modifications may be required to ensure their versatility for residential buildings due to the new pandemic reality. The present study aims to evaluate the readiness of chosen GBCSs for a proper assessment of existing residential housing sustainability in a post-pandemic world. Based on a literature review of the state-of-the-art data sources and round table discussions, the present study proposes a particular set of sustainability indicators covering special sustainability requirements under pandemic conditions. Then, those indicators are used to evaluate the readiness of selected GBCSs (BREEAM, LEED, WELL, CASBEE) to meet new pandemic-resilient requirements based on their responses to the indicators. The assessment shows that none of the reviewed GBCSs are fully ready to cover all the proposed indicators. GBCSs have differing focuses on particular sustainability pillars, which also affected their responses to pandemic-resilient categories. For instance, WELL rating system successfully responded to the health and safety category, whereas LEED showed better preparedness in terms of environmental efficiency. BREEAM and CASBEE systems have a more evenly distributed attention to all three pandemic-resilient categories (Health &amp; Safety, Environmental Resources Consumption, and Comfort) with an accent on the Comfort category. On a specific note, all GBCSs are insufficiently prepared for waste and wastewater management. In the future, GBCSs should be modified to better adapt to pandemic conditions, for which the current work may provide a basis. As an alternative, brand new standards can be created to face newly arising and evolving post-pandemic requirements.

Assessment method for new sustainability indicators providing pandemic resilience for residential buildings

The method presented in this paper aims to support the sustainability assessment methods of residential buildings under pandemic conditions. The main purpose of the study is to review existing criteria of the well-known assessment tools and then to suggest a set of assessment measures for the emerging pandemic-resilient indicators. Current sustainability assessment methodologies mostly focus on the conventional sustainability pillars (Environmental, Social, Economic), whereas the proposed emerging sustainability assessment indicators include changes in sustainability requirements brought by the current pandemic. Firstly, a set of indicators with possible measures was identified; then, we reviewed several existing green building certification systems to identify their gaps and developed a foundation for each indicator. Finally, several round table discussions involving various stakeholders (e.g., engineers, designers, health care experts, academics) were conducted to consolidate the identified measures. The findings of the present study indicate that certain pandemic-resilient indicators are not fully addressed by existing assessment tools, pointing out the importance of the development of new measures to make them more suitable to use under pandemic conditions. Thus, the present study contributes to the building assessment methods by proposing a set of emerging assessment indicators with measures, which can be used by various professionals that would contribute to more sustainable buildings in upcoming pandemics.•A 5-point scale was used to assess the indicators, and various stakeholders in a previous study identified their weights.•The methodology introduces new pandemic-related indicators into the conventional sustainability concept.•The assessment measures are rapid and economically efficient to apply for any residential building.