Green building

As a green building (german green building ) is a building referred to, which was developed under the guiding principle of sustainability. The buildings are characterized among other things by a high level of resource efficiency in the areas of energy, water and material, while at the same adverse effects on health and the environment are reduced. The guiding principle is thereby ideally tracked through all phases of the building lifecycle, from project development, planning and construction to operation, maintenance and disassembly.

Survey

Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

  • Efficient use of energy, water and other resources,
  • Protect the health of building occupants and improve the productivity of employees,
  • Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

A similar approach is followed by the stage of construction, which transmits aspects of sustainability in the construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings and Instandsetzumgsmaßnahmen. Other synonymous terms used for the above-mentioned methods are sustainable design and "green" architecture.

The related concepts of sustainable development and sustainability are an integral part of practice for the construction of green buildings. The actual use of green buildings has several advantages:

Principle of sustainable construction

The classical approach to sustainability is based on three dimensions:

  • Ecology,
  • Economics and
  • Socio-cultural,

Which should be regarded as equivalent. In addition to these three dimensions mentioned in particular the planning and execution, the technical characteristics and site characteristics are their quality. Sustainable building is distinguished by the integral consideration of the qualities of sustainability. The aim is to optimize the building over its entire life cycle, to minimize energy and resource consumption and reduce environmental impact.

The environmental performance of buildings

Green buildings have the task of reducing the burden on the environment to a significant degree, because buildings are responsible, especially in the industrialized nations for a high consumption of land, energy and water, and thus the change of air and atmosphere. In the United States, more than 8,100 square kilometers of open spaces, wildlife habitats and wetlands are developed each year.

40 % of the citizens of the United States of America and the European Union as a whole consumed in 2006, the amount of energy consumed by buildings. Within this percentage, 54% of energy for residential buildings and 46 % for farm buildings were consumed in the United States. When consumption of electricity building came in 2002 to 68% of the total amount consumed in the U.S., where 51% of residential and commercial buildings consume 49%. Equally responsible for 38% of the ejected in the United States carbon dioxide building, of which 20.6% to 17.5 % on homes and buildings for commercial purposes. In addition, buildings are responsible for the consumption of 12.2 % of the total amount of water consumed in the United States.

These statistics illustrate, according to the EPA the need to reduce the consumption of natural resources by building and the amount of pollution caused by them, thereby the future to achieve a high degree of sustainability.

However, the possible environmental impact of buildings is often underestimated, while the cost of "green " building be overestimated. A recent survey by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development found that these rates are overestimated by up to 300%. Service providers in the real estate and construction estimate the additional cost is still at about 17 % higher than for conventional construction, but this is more than three times the actual cost difference of only 5%.

Measures for the construction of green buildings

The term green building is a large number of associated practices and techniques that will contribute to the reduction and elimination of influences of buildings on the environment and human health.

Often, the primary use of renewable resources is emphasized, such as the use of sunlight through passive, active and photovoltaic techniques and the use of plants and trees on green roofs, rain gardens and in the reduction of rainfall runoff. Many other techniques, such as the use of compressed gravel for parking lots instead of concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water, thereby also come to use. However Effective green buildings consist of more than just a random collection of eco- friendly technologies. Rather, they require careful and systematic planning with respect to the resources used in the construction - both in terms of the impact on the environment and the consumption - but also the emission of pollutants, through the entire life cycle of a building away.

At the same philosophy is based on "green" architecture and sustainable design on the intention to bring the design of a building from an aesthetic history points in harmony with the natural environment and resources of its environment. In this context, several key measures are necessary: ​​the locating of "green " materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and the development of renewable energy on site.

Materials for green building

The building materials typically " green " referred to as include rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, lumber from environmentally sustainable managed forests, natural stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that are non-toxic, recyclable, renewable and / or recyclable (eg B. tuff, linoleum, sheep wool, floor plates, of paper flakes, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax, sisal, seagrass, cork, expanded clay granular, coconut, wood fiber plates, calcium sand stone, etc.). Building materials should be obtained in the local environment of the site and prepared in order to minimize the energy that has to be applied for their transport.

Reduced energy consumption

In green building measures to reduce energy consumption are often implemented. To increase the efficiency of the building envelope ( the barrier between conditioned and unklimatisierter zone), for example, high-performance windows and insulation in walls, roofs and floors can be used. Another strategy - the integration of passive solar energy - is often used in low-energy houses are used. The design of windows, walls, local awnings, canopies and trees is geared to the claim, windows and roofs to place for the summer months as possible in shaded areas, while in the winter months, a maximum gain of solar energy is to be achieved. In addition, the effective placing of windows allows the provision of more sunlight and thereby reduced use of electric lighting during the day. Solar water heaters can also reduce the energy load.

In addition, the production of renewable energy on site through solar power, wind power, water power, or biomass can have significant influence on the environmental impact of the building. Last but not least, finally, the power generation, the most expensive items in a building dar.

Reduced waste

"Green" architecture reduces the waste of energy, water and building materials. During the design phase, it should be a goal to reduce the amount of material, which ends up in landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by its residents by providing local solutions such as compost bucket.

In order to minimize the impact on resources or water treatment plants, there are several options: Grey water (waste water from dishwashers, washing machines, etc. ) can be used for underground irrigation or, if it has been treated, require for purposes that none of drinkable water, such as toilet flushing or washing the car be used. Rainwater tanks are in a similar use.

Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and consume a large amount of energy. An alternative to this process is the remaking of wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids unnecessary costs and also offers other advantages. By collecting human waste at the source and its transfer to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated in the late 1990s by a settlement in Lubeck. The transportation of biological waste is in the sanitary room with a vacuum toilet, since the sanitary flushing can be guaranteed with very little water. With practices like these, the soil is supplied with organic nutrients, thereby CO2 sinks arise CO2 drawn from the atmosphere and offset greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the production of artificial fertilizers often cost more energy than this process.

Rating systems for green buildings worldwide

Many countries have developed their own standards for energy efficient buildings. Here are some examples of current assessment methods:

  • Australia: Nabers, Green Star
  • Brazil: AQUA, LEED Brasil
  • China: GBAS
  • Germany: DGNB, NBB
  • Finland: PromisE
  • France: HQE
  • UK: BREEAM
  • Hong Kong: HK -BEAM
  • India: LEED India, TerriGriha
  • Italy: Protocollo Itaca
  • Canada: LEED Canada, Green Globes
  • Malaysia: GBI Malaysia
  • Mexico: Mexico LEED
  • Netherlands: Netherlands BREEAM
  • New Zealand: Green Star NZ
  • Austria: ÖGNB - TQB (since 1998 TQB; since 2009 ÖGNB ); klima: aktiv (since 2005, Ministry of Environment); DNGB, since 2009 - adapted by ÖGNI
  • Philippines: BERDE, PHILGBC
  • Portugal: A eyelids
  • Switzerland: Minergie
  • Singapore: Green Mark
  • Spain: VERDE
  • South Africa: Green Star SA
  • United States: LEED, Green Globes

International reference systems and assessment methods

IPCC Fourth Assessment Report Climate Change 2007, the Fourth Assessment Report ( Assessment Report - AR4 ) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in a number of other reports. The IPCC was established to assess the climate change relevant scientific, technical and socio-economic information as well as their potential impacts, and possible options for their adaptation and mitigation of the World Meteorological Organization ( WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

UNEP and Climate Change The United Nations Environment Programme is to facilitate the transition to low-carbon societies, support climate protection efforts to promote understanding of the climate change science, and raise public awareness in relation to this global challenge.

GHG Indicator With GHG Indicator is defined as the UNEP guidelines for the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions of commercial buildings and non-commercial organizations.

Agenda 21 Agenda 21 is a program of the United Nations ( UN), which is aimed at sustainable development. It involves a comprehensive plan, which proposes measures to be globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN, governments and large corporations, carried out in all areas in which people interact with the environment. The number 21 refers to the 21st century.

FIDIC 's PSM The rules of FIDIC 's Project Sustainability Management have been created for project engineers and other stakeholders. You should help them to formulate goals regarding sustainable development for their projects, which are representative understood and accepted as the interests of society as a whole. This process should also include the authorization on the approximation of the project objectives to local conditions and priorities and assist in managing projects involved in metering and verification their progress.

The PSM policies are among the three concerned the sustainability buzzwords, social ' ecology ' and 'economic' divided into more designs and Submotive. For each Submotiv a specific identifier has been defined, the stresses along with the guidelines, the relevance of the topic in the context of an individual project.

IiSBE 's SBTool

The SBTool, formerly known as GBTool, was created with the purpose to help to assess the environmental and sustainable performance of buildings. It is the software version of the method of valuation of the Green Building Challenge (GBC ), which has been developed since 1996 by a group of more than a dozen teams. It was founded GBC project of the Natural Resources Canada, however, the responsibility in 2002 was transferred to the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment ( iiSBE ).

Sustainable Building Alliance

The SBA is a non-profit, independent international network of universities, research centers and property assessment organizations, which has the purpose to accelerate the international adoption of practices of sustainable building through the promotion of the common techniques in structural inspection and evaluation. The initiative of the SBA is supported by the UNESCO Chair sor sustainable buildings and UNEP sustainable building in construction initiative.

Overview of assessment methods and reference systems

CEEQUAL

The Civil Engineering Environmental Quality and Award Scheme is an assessment and awards scheme for improving sustainability in civil quality construction projects and those in the public sector. Its goal is to promote environmental excellence in civil construction and thus promoting the improvement of ecological and social work services within the project specification, planning, and construction.

The system is based on a scoring system, which is applicable to any civil construction project or such of the public sector and social aspects, such as the consumption of water, energy and land, impacts on the ecology, the landscape, the environment, archeology, but also waste reduction and management, community relationships and their benefits taken into account. Awards are given to projects where clients, planners and designers have created over the legal and environmental minima away distinctive ecological performance standards.

Reviews are conducted by trained auditors, who are responsible for defining the pronounceable evaluation results ( in collaboration with the CEEQUAL verifier ).

EN 15804 (CEN TC350 )

Currently there is a large part of EN15804 Sustanability of construction works in development, some sections are still subject to the approval already. This standard is intended to provide a methodology for the valuation of Nachhaltikeit materials, buildings, and construction projects, in which the evaluation of the life cycle is taken into account.

  • Environmental Product Declaration - Product Category Rules
  • Environmental Product Declaration - communication formats
  • Environmental Product Declaration - Methodology and data for ordinary information
  • Description of the building's life cycle
  • Assessment of the environmental Effiezienz of buildings - computational methods
  • Integrated assessment of the performance of buildings - Part 1: General framework
  • Integrated assessment of the performance of buildings - Part 2: Framework for the assessment of ecological efficiency
  • Integrated assessment of the performance of buildings - Part 3: Framework for the assessment of social efficiency
  • Integrated assessment of the performance of buildings - Part 4: Framework for the assessment of the economic efficiency

The development of the standard is to be completed by the end of 2011.

Regulatory instruments, R & D, financial and political processes and examples in some countries

It is impossible to list the existing oversupply of public, private (or both) initiatives at national and international level. An existing draft document of the OECD / IEA and UNEP to the public conveys a precise idea of ​​the implemented policies in different countries.

A general conclusion, the results from the study of the literature is that there is a noticeable increase in the number of policies and instruments that either are in the planning process or are currently active.

The EU GreenBuilding Programme

Launched in January 2005, Green Building Program is a voluntary program of the European Commission, which owners and users of non-residential buildings ( private or public) should help in improving the energy efficiency of their housing stock. Participation is open to all companies, enterprises and organizations who wish to contribute through the use of renewable energy sources to achieve the green building goals. The GreenBuilding program works on the voluntary commitment of the participating companies and organizations. These obligations arise respectively from the energy inventory of the building and the resulting recommendations for improving energy efficiency and integration of renewable energies.

The participants will differ in " Partner" and " supporters ". The partner status can purchase all owners or long-term tenants of non-residential buildings. As a GreenBuilding Partner, they have to cut right to assistance in implementing an action plan with the aim of operating costs in the energy sector. In this action plan is considered that the use qualities of the building are maintained or improved. The supporters status is coupled to a five-step process.

Although there are no legal obligations to the supporters status are connected and supporters can also leave at any time without consequence from the program, but in order to acquire the right to be allowed to use the supporters status in its external communication, the participants first have to go through the 3rd stage.

Australia

In Australia, there is a First Rate described process which is designed to increase the energy efficiency of residential buildings. The ( GBCA ) Green Building Council of Australia has a standard for green buildings established, known as the Green Star.

In Adelaide at least three different projects are busy trying to grasp the principles of green buildings. The "Eco -City" project is located in Adelaide's city center, the " Aldinga Arts Eco" village was established in Aldinga and the " Lochiel Park " is located in Campbelltown. Guidelines for the development of the project plots are summarized in statutes. These include the recycling of gray water and rain water, collecting rain water, the use of solar panels for production of energy and hot water, the design of passive solar buildings and community gardens and landscape architecture. Other projects, such as " Mawson Lakes " and the "Light View " project near Northgate, both located in the north of Adelaide's central business district, also satisfy the guidelines for green building.

Melbourne has developed a rapidly growing awareness of the environment, there are many government grants and rebates for water tanks, water efficient products ( such as shower heads) and hot water systems provided. The city is home to many green building and supports numerous sustainable developments, such as the CERES Environmental Park. Another project of this kind is EcoLinc in Bacchus Marsh. In addition, two of the most famous are "green" commercial buildings in Melbourne Australia based: 60L and Council House 2 (also known as CH2).

In Perth at least three different projects are located, which follow the principles of Green buidling. The office building, which is located in the Murray Street in West Perth and was designed by Eco Design Consultant in collaboration with Troppo Architects, is one of them. The other two are mixed construction projects along Wellington Street in the city center. Guidelines for the building plans of the projects are summarized in the statues and confirmed by the Green Building Council Australia. The services for the conquest of the certificate, Green Star ' concern

  • The quality of the indoor climate,
  • Energy,
  • Transport,
  • The water,
  • Materials,
  • The consumption of land and environmental protection
  • Emissions and
  • Innovations.

The newest building, which has received the six-star award, is in Canberra, where the Australian Ethical Investment Ltd Ment. has refurbished an existing office complex in Trevor Pearcey House. The total value amounted to 1.7 million U.S. dollars, with the renovation of one parte estimated 75 % of carbon dioxide emissions and 75 % of water consumption and consumed over 80 % recycled material. The architects were Collard Clarke Jackson Canberra, the architectural planning was carried out by Kevin Miller, the interior design took Katy Mutton.

In New South Wales the online Bertungs system BASIX ( Building Sustainability Index ) requires that with all newly constructed residential areas, water consumption and CO2 emission of detached accommodations by 40 % and compared to that of contiguous buildings by 20 to 30 % is limited to the average consumption in the country. The online system offers planners on a mathematical model of the construction project, which takes into account the interaction between the total energy and water system by climatic and normalized Precipitation values ​​for individual sites will be published.

Canada

Canada has the " R -2000" adopted guidelines for built after 2000 building. So they follow the R -2000 standard in its efforts to increase the efficiency of energy and promoting sustainability, the builders will offer multiple incentives.

Due to the R-2000 - residence program, the Service EnerGuide for New Houses was established. This is available across Canada and was planned to allow homebuilders and buyers to build homes that consume significantly less energy than regular houses. Some Canadian provinces write this service as mandatory for all new houses.

In December 2002, was founded in Canada, the Canada Green Building Council, which was given in July 2003 by the U.S. Green Building Council, the exclusive license for the adaptation of the LEED rating system to Canadian standards. The path for the collection of LEED in Canada was already prepared by the BREEAM -Canada, one introduced by the Canadian Standards Association in June 1996 standard for environmental impact evaluation. The American authors of the LEED -NC 1.0 had taken over many of its determination of BREEAM Canada for the guidance of the assessment process and the allocation of credit points according to performance criteria.

In March 2006, Canada's first service location for green building, Light House Sustainable Building Centre, opened on Granville Iceland in the heart of Vancouver. At the same planned as a place for public and professional visitors, the Lighthouse Resource Centre of Canadian ministries and companies was established to assist in the implementation of "green" practices and the recognition of the economic necessity of green buildings for the new regional economy to help.

  • The Beamish - Munro Hall at Queen 's University has been equipped with environmentally friendly construction products, such as fly ash concrete, triple glazed windows, dimmable fluorescent lights and a grid-connected photovoltaic array.
  • For Gene H. Kruger Pavilion Laval University eco-friendly, non-toxic, recycled and renewable materials were used extensively, further come sophisticated biomechanical concepts used, the energy consumption compared to a concrete building of the same size by 25 % lower. The structure of the building was made ​​entirely of wood products, which also reduce the environmental impact of the pavilion.
  • The Water Centre in Calgary was officially opened on 4 June 2008 and awarded the Goldzertifikatikat the Canadian LEED. The 17,000 square meter office building costs per day 95 cents ( CAD), conserves energy and water, and provides a productive, healthy environment for both visitors and employees.
  • For her two Lassonde Building the École polytechnique de Montréal in 2005 was awarded a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The buildings are characterized by their example BACnet control systems which enable the constant monitoring of energy and water requirements, and automatically turn off sensors, air-conditioners and lighting.

France

In July 2007, the French government set up six working groups, which should define new ways for France's environmental policies. The proposed recommendations were then subjected to a public consultation, which led to the proposal package, which was released in late October 2007. The proposals contained therein were submitted to the French Parliament early in 2008.

The name of the process, " Le Grenelle de l' Environnement " is similar to one held in 1968 conference, in which the government negotiated with the unions to end this weeks ongoing social unrest.

The six working groups deal with the following topics: climate change, biodiversity and natural resources, health and environment, production and consumption, democracy and governance, as well as competitiveness and employment.

The proposals are as follows:

  • The investment of one billion euros spread over the next four years in clean energy as part of a far-reaching environmental plan to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, which also includes the proposal for environmental taxes; thee reduction of France's energy consumption by 20 % and by 2020 increased by 20 % use of renewable energy, such as wind power and biofuels;
  • The transport of freight on new high-speed railway lines and waterways instead of highways;
  • A number of " green" taxes, including a tax on the most polluting vehicles, as well as a tax on transport trucks that cross the French border.

Bauetiketten

The French regulation (FR) for new building designs estimated for the urgent need to improve the level regularly ( every five years ) increasing elevation, reaching in 2020 (RT 2020), the 40 % reduction in energy consumption (compared to RT 2000) should have. Current labels are:

  • THPE 2005 = 20 % better than RT 2005
  • THPE EnR 2005 = 30 % better than RT 2005 (renewable energy production for the majority of heating systems)

Within the framework of " Grenelle de l' Environnement " it is expected that a performance acceleration for the following objects occurs for tertiary buildings:

I. buildings with low consumption ( BBC ) by 2010, with minimal need for the levels of renewable energy and CO2 - absorbing materials concerning.

II new passive houses ( BEPAS ) or positive houses ( BEPOS ) 2020.

III. Labels for the refurbishment of existing buildings BBC

All of these projects are compatible with European and international regulatory systems and frameworks.

Germany

The project of the German Energy Agency " low-energy homes" makes an important contribution to the energy renovation of buildings in Germany. The so-called " low energy buildings " fall below the requirements of the Energy Saving Ordinance ( Energy Saving Ordinance ) on comparable new buildings by an average of around 50 percent. When renovating both methods from the field of energy-efficient construction and knowledge of urban planning, sustainable renovation of residential buildings play a major role. Here, in each state at least one pilot project is being implemented. In particular, corporations benefit from the new sustainable buildings, as their energy efficiency can contribute to significant savings in operating costs.

For the following construction projects in Germany for green building techniques are applied:

  • Solarsiedlung be promoted in Freiburg im Breisgau, in the construction projects in energy-plus construction;
  • Vauban project, in the same district located in Freiburg;
  • Planned by Baufritz houses; they connect the recording of passive solar energy with highly insulated walls, triple glazed doors and windows, non-toxic paints and lacquers, Sommerabschattung, heat recovery ventilation and gray water treatment systems.;
  • The rebuilt Reichstag building in Berlin, which produces its own energy.

India

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII ) is actively engaged in the promotion of sustainability in the Indian construction industry, and is the central pillar of the Indian Green Building Council ( IGBC ) dar. This has the LEED Green Bulding standard of the U.S. Green Building Council licensed and is currently responsible for the certification of Indian new and under construction in accordance with its standards, while this Green Building Council accepts for all other projects, U.S.. In the different climatic zones of India, many energy-efficient buildings were built. More and more Indian architects are the Green- bulding techniques to ..

The CII - IGBC has recently announced that the construction company Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure will attempt to gain the LEED Platinum certification, making this project not only in India but also all over the world would be the first such status receives. The proposed building, which will bear the title Palais Royale is, in Worli, Mumbai, arise and expected to be over 300 meters high.

Israel

Recently, Israel has a voluntary standard for " building with reduced environmental impact," 5281 entered into force. This standard is based on a scoring method ( 55 = certified, 75 = excellent) and provides, together with the complementary standards 5282-1 5282-2 for the energy analysis for sustainable products and in 1738 a system for evaluating the environmental performance of buildings. The LEED rating process of the U.S. Green Building Council has been applied to a number of buildings in Israel, including the new Intel Development Center in Haifa. However, the local industry urges already on the timely introduction of an Israeli version of LEED.

Malaysia

The Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia ( SIRIM ) promotes Green bulding techniques. A prominent representative in the field of ecological construction is the architect Ken Yeang Malaysian.

Mexico

The Mexican town of San Felipe, Baja California, is home to the largest solar powered community in North America: In El Dorado Ranch, a construction project in San Felipe, a fully independent from the power supply residential area with more than 3000 properties is created.

Due to the arid climate in this town on the Sea of ​​Cortez numerous initiatives for green buildings have been launched, including:

  • Straw bale construction, allows insulation factors of R -35 to R - 50, as verified by the U.S. Department of Energy;
  • Predominant use of Xeriscape landscaping, a method in which the water and energy consumption and the use of chemical pollutants is reduced;
  • Using the special paspalum grass variety " SeaDwarf ", a salt- water tolerant grass with the ability of sustained irrigation with a salt content of more than 20,000 ppm TDS withstand the golf course construction.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Green Building Council was founded in July 2005. That same year, an institutional committee was formed and eventually provided on February 1, 2006 with the formal organizational status. In the same month, Jane Henley was appointed CEO, began under the activities for attaining membership in the World GBC. In July 2006, the first full committee with 12 members was formed, which exchanged words on the possibilities of the industry of New Zealand in the organization. Some of their main concerns were still enforced in 2006/2007, such as membership in the World GBC, the introduction of the Green Star NZ - Office Design tool and the integration of other companies.

South Africa

The Africa Green Building Council of South ( founded in 2008 ) has developed the Green Star SA an assessment tool, which is based on the requirements of the Green Building Council Of Australia to give the real estate industry as an objective measure for green building and the ecological management in the recognize and reward real estate industry. Each Green Star SA - rating instrument represents a different market sector (eg office, retail, multi-unit residential area, etc.).

The first instrument that was developed by the Green Star SA Office, was published in draft version for public notes in July 2008. A final publication in final form takes place on the Green Building Council of South Africa Convention & Exhibition '08 on 2 - 4th November 2008.

The process of incorporation of an energy standard, which aims to promote energy-saving practices as standard in the South African context, is located in South Africa in full swing.

Green Building Media ( founded in 2007 ) has also exerted a decisive influence on the establishment of green buildings in South Africa. This happened not only about information portal, but also on the monthly e-journal of South Africa, which will be sent to experts in the construction industry. Every year there are two events that have sustainability on the topic: the Green Building Conference and a seminar for conversion.

Great Britain

The Association for Environment Conscious Building ( AECB ) promotes sustainable construction in the UK since 1989.

The British Building Regulations stipulates requirements for insulation levels and other aspects of sustainability in construction.

In Wales have information about and access to sustainable buildings possible through a nonprofit organization called the Rounded Developments Enterprises. From them a center for sustainable building in Cardiff is run.

One of the best known green building in the United Kingdom, the Friendly Street Building of Media Centre.

United States of America

Parallel to the LEED numerous other organizations and programs have been established to promote sustainable construction in the United States:

The National Association of Home Builders, a home builders, renovators and suppliers companies representing trade association, has established a voluntary local program for green buildings under the name NAHBGreen to life. The program includes an online rating system, national certification, educating the industry and the training of local inspectors. The on-line evaluation system can be used free of contractors and homeowners.

The Green Building Initiative is a non-profit association of leading companies in the construction industry with the aim to establish building designs that are progressive and environmentally oriented, but can also be performed practically and cost of planners. The GBI has developed a web-based evaluation method with the name Green Globes, which will be extended in accordance with ANSI procedures.

The Energy Star program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated farm buildings according to their energy efficiency and provides Energy Star qualifications for new dwellings provided that meet their standard for energy efficient construction.

Washington was the first state of the United States, which has adopted in 2005 a law for green buildings. According to that all state institutions with a floor area of ​​more than 465 m² including school buildings funded by the state must meet or exceed the LEED standards in the construction or renovation. The accompanying this Act benefits are expected as follows: the saving of water and energy costs by 20%, the reduction of waste production by 38 % and reducing construction waste by 22%.

One of the first towns in the United States, which has a law for green building into force, Charlottesville was in Virginia. This represents a significant shift within the engineering and architectural understanding, because after the LEED guidelines were originally designed for farm buildings. However, if the interest of U.S. homeowners in the " green" housing is growing, the companies that are involved in the production and manufacture of LEED building materials, likely candidates for the next round in private equity and the Börseninvestierung will be.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

When LEED is a progressive part of the U.S. Green Building Council, which currently is seeking a national standard for green building. The Green Buidling rating system is a mediating Zertifikations program, which was established with the intention of "green" construction of buildings on the basis of certain criteria to be monitored. Under the LEED various Subgesellschaften be summarized as the LEED for New Construction (new construction ) for Core and Shell ( shell ) for Commercial Interiors ( commercial interiors ) for Existing Buildings (existing building), for schools, retail and healthcare facilities ( schools, retail and healthcare facilities ) and for Homes ( homes ). The LEED has detailed checklists, processes and criteria developed initially to be followed in the construction of buildings so that they can be certified by the company. This certification has the purpose of making the building a healthy and safe zone for the peoples living and working people.

The LEED has Zertifikationsmodelle developed with different levels based on different criteria and may be counted in both credits and in points. The credits are distributed in six categories:

  • Environmentally friendly location,
  • Water efficiency,
  • Energy and atmosphere,
  • Materials and resources,
  • Environmental quality of the interior space,
  • Innovation and design process.

The various certification level based on the amount of points received by a building to meet the demands in all six categories. They range from " Certified " to " platinum ", which is the best to be achieved in the LEED certification level and refers to the highest environmental and health impact.

In addition, the LEED awards numerous other certifications, such as:

  • LEED for New Construction: new construction and major renovations ( the most commonly claimed LEED certification )
  • LEED for Existing Buildings: LEED certifications for existing buildings
  • LEED for Commercial Interiors: From the farmers for commercial purposes equipped rooms
  • LEED for Core and Shell: Structural Projects (Total buildings without interiors )
  • LEED for Homes: homes
  • LEED for Neighborhood Development: environment development
  • LEED for Schools: Appreciates the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools
  • LEED for Retail: Consists of two rating systems; one based on New Construction and Major Renovations, Version 2.2, the other on LEED for Commercial Interior, Version 2.0

For existing buildings LEED has developed LEED -EB system (EB = existing building ). Recent studies have shown that buildings that achieve LEED -EB values ​​, can generate an enormous amount of ROI. According to a report issued by the Leonardo Academy White Paper, are compared in the LEED -EB Building with data from the Expirience Exchange Report BOMA from the year 2007, the studied LEED -EB certified building an above-average operating cost savings in 63 % of the assessed building on. These moves per square meter between $ 4.94 and $ 15.59 and has an average value of $ 6.68 and a mean of $ 6.07.

The total cost of implementing LEED - EB projects and their certification vary between $ 0.00 and $ 6.46 per square meter. Average results in a value of $ 2.43. This demonstrates that the implementation of such practices is not expensive, especially when compared to the potential cost savings. These costs are again significantly reduced if automation ( building automation and room automation ) and technology are integrated in the implementation.

The LEED and carbon trading

It is expected that the LEED -NC 3.0 includes the requirement for a verification of carbon emissions and the significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below a certain base level. The reduction of carbon dioxide to be captured on the basis of direct and indirect carbon dioxide and similar reductions. These include emissions which are associated with grid-connected electricity, the local combustion of fossil fuels and volatile coolant emissions.

The effort, which is operated for the measurement of emissions and emission reduction will in future be an endeavor to transform the impact of climate change in the same way in money as it does the Kyoto Clean Development Project. There worldwide so far only a single " green" building project, which monetized the reductions, which is why it is used as a precedent for this type of buildings. It is at the ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers Kolkata in India.

Urban heat island Cork (material) Sandstone Domestic energy consumption Block heater Greywater Design engineer Personal commitment Efficient energy use Granville Island Desert climate Straw-bale construction Empire State Building Washington (state) Charlottesville, Virginia Shareholders' equity Holcim Sustainable architecture
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