By CAD Architects
As there is mounting awareness of the environmental impact of construction, green building certifications have emerged as a benchmark for sustainable and eco-friendly design. These certifications not only enhance the value of a project but also ensure that it meets environmental and performance standards.
At CAD Architects in Truro, our clients often express interest in knowing more about what commonly used acronyms such as BREEAM mean and whether green building certifications would be appropriate for their own project.
Indeed, in Cornwall Council’s Climate Emergency Development Plan (February 2023), it is stipulated that all non-residential developments with a floorspace above 1000 m2 must demonstrate how they will achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent.
The Climate Emergency Development Plan also requires that all new developments comply with stringent criteria regarding heating demand, energy consumption and use of renewable energy technologies on site. You can find out more about these specific requirements in our blog on ‘Planning for a Net Zero Future.’ News – CAD Architects, Cornwall
So to shine some light on the topic of green certifications, today’s blog article provides a brief overview of the main green building certifications.
The green certifications BREEAM, LEED and the WELL Building standard are the trio you are most likely to come across in the UK but you will also find some insight below into other fast-growing green certifications available worldwide.
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
Originating in the UK, BREEAM is a pioneer in green building standards and has become especially popular in Europe as well as the UK. Established in 1990, BREEAM boasts the title of the oldest and most prolific green building certification in use today.
BREEAM focuses on a building’s lifecycle environmental performance, taking into account the entire process of a build from concept to completion. Sustainability is evaluated across multiple metrics, including materials, energy, transport and waste management. At various stages, assessments are completed by a qualified and licensed BREEAM Assessor to ensure the build is meeting its required standards.
The BREEAM certification covers all building types, including offices, schools, hospitals, industrial facilities, and more.
To acquire a BREEAM International New Construction certification, buildings and spaces need to meet specific requirements in the following key areas: Energy, Management, Health and Well-Being, Transport, Water Consumption and Efficiency, Materials, Waste, Pollution, Resilience, and Land Use and Ecology.
BREEAM certification has five rating levels above Unclassified: Pass; Good; Very Good; Excellent; Outstanding.
For more information, visit https://breeam.com/
LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
First piloted in 1998, LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and it is now one of the most widely recognized green building certification programs globally.
It has a rating system to suit any style of build. LEED certification is awarded through a credit based system. The more credits a build gains, the higher the certification. These credits can be awarded for a multitude of things such as rainwater management, light pollution reduction, thermal comfort and the level of recycled content. The certification criteria address metrics on carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality.
The specific LEED performance criteria vary depending on whether the project is commercial or residential, a new construction or a renovation, as well as various other contextual factors. The credit based system allow builds to customise their certification, while a list of general base level prerequisites form the minimum criteria a build must meet.
LEED offers tiered certifications (Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum) to accommodate diverse project scales and goals. The current version of LEED is v4.1. The next one, v5 will be available for use in 2025.
See more information at https://www.usgbc.org/leed
WELL Building Standard
The WELL Building Standard focuses on the health and wellbeing of building occupants.
Launched in October 2014 by the New York-based International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the WELL Building Standard is one of the leading international certifications for buildings, interior spaces, and communities seeking to support occupant health and well-being. So It is particularly appropriate for offices and healthcare facilities.
WELL mainly focuses on human-centric elements and building criteria and it is less occupied with environmental building performance than the other building certifications focused on sustainability. Nevertheless, the schemes complement each other in working towards a diverse set of sustainable development goals. In fact, WELL grants points in their own certification system when a project also achieves other green building ratings such as BREEAM and LEED.
The current WELL Building Standard version is v2, which replaced v1 in 2018. To acquire a WELL certification (v2), buildings and spaces need to gain points within 7 themes – or what WELL refers to as ‘concepts’. These are Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort, Mind, and Community.
The WELL concepts are further subdivided into some 108 ‘features’ which target specific well-being and health goals which are used to evaluate the overall score of a building or space. These features include excellent air quality, abundant natural light, and reduced noise pollution. Each feature is designed to contribute holistic occupant well-being.
WELL Certification Levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
See https://www.wellcertified.com/
As mentioned above, these three green certifications are the ones you are most likely to come across in the UK.
However, there are many other interesting green certifications globally which you may come across, so here is a brief explanation of some of these.
DGNB Green Building Certification
The DGNB certification is issued by the non-profit organisation German Sustainable Building Council, based in Stuttgart, Germany.
For DGNB certification, the contractor needs to begin a contract with an official DGNB auditor who would supervise the entire process from registration to certification. The DGNB certification can be applied to both new and existing buildings. The latest version for new constructions is DGNB Version 6.
High occupant quality of life and well-being is a central tenet in the DGNB System, as is the lifecycle of a building and its operational costs. The certification focuses on life cycle assessment, holistic approaches, and emphasising performance as three fundamental aspects, which makes its system unique.
The DGNB certification areas depend on the project type. For new constructions, over 30 criteria address six topics: Ecology, Economy, Sociocultural and Functional Aspects, Technology, Processes, and Site.
See https://www.dgnb.de/en
Living Building Challenge (LBC)
This is the most ambitious green building certification, focusing on regenerative design principles. A project must achieve net-positive energy, waste, and water usage to qualify. LBC evaluates performance over a 12-month occupancy period before awarding certification. It is most suitable for organizations with long-term sustainability commitments and projects pushing innovation boundaries.
See https://living-future.org/lbc/
Edge (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies)
Developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDGE is a global certification tailored for emerging markets. It is an affordable and accessible certification for projects focusing on resource efficiency, suited for residential and commercial projects in developing economies.
See https://edge.gbci.org/
Green Star
Green Star is an Australian certification system assessing sustainability across nine key categories, including water efficiency, energy, and indoor environment quality. It is known for its stringent environmental criteria tailored to the local Australian context.
For more information, visit https://www.gbca.au/
Investing in a green building certification is a significant commitment to sustainability, occupant health, and long-term cost savings.
These certifications help builders and occupants reduce carbon footprints, comply with environmental regulations, and enhance property value.
By understanding the different certifications, you can choose the one that best aligns with your project’s goals.
Are you considering whether to aim for a green building certification for your project?
Contact studio@cadarchitects.co.uk for more information and guidance.