In today’s architecture industry, the growing emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility has placed a spotlight on green building certifications, which serve as benchmarks for sustainable building practices. The article by Niall Patrick Walsh provides an extensive examination of six major green building certification systems, shedding light on their unique attributes, evaluation criteria, and relevance in the architecture industry. The six certifications covered include LEED, BREEAM, WELL, NGBS, Passivhaus, and ILFI’s Living Building Challenge (LBC). The piece aims to inform architects and designers about these diverse systems, enabling them to make informed choices tailored to specific project needs.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
LEED, established by the U.S. Green Building Council, is touted as the most widely used green building rating system globally, encompassing 197,000 projects across 186 countries. It is a points-based system that evaluates buildings on carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality. Certifications are categorized from Certified, Silver, Gold, to Platinum based on the points accumulated, with notable examples being Renzo Piano’s Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (LEED Gold) and Foster + Partners’ Apple Flagship Store Mumbai (LEED Platinum).
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
Developed in 1990 by the UK’s Building Research Establishment, BREEAM offers a broader assessment framework, evaluating energy, water, health and well-being, pollution, transport, materials, waste, land use, and management. BREEAM’s grading ranges from Pass to Outstanding. It emphasizes evaluating ecological and pollution factors more inclusively than LEED. High-profile projects such as MVRDV’s Matrix ONE and Foster + Partners’ Bloomberg European HQ exemplify buildings rated BREEAM Excellent and Outstanding, respectively.
WELL
The WELL Building Standard, created by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), prioritizes the health and well-being of building occupants. It assesses buildings through ten concepts, including air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community. WELL certifications come in Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels. Buildings like SOM’s 800 Fulton Market (WELL Gold) showcase the application of WELL certification principles.
NGBS (National Green Building Standard)
Specifically designed for residential buildings in the U.S., NGBS was developed by the National Association of Home Builders and approved by ANSI. It assesses energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency, lot development, operation and maintenance, and indoor environmental quality. Certifications under NGBS range from Bronze to Emerald. An example provided is Stantec’s Solitair Brickell, which achieved NGBS Silver.
Passivhaus
Originating from Germany, Passivhaus focuses solely on energy efficiency, aiming to minimize the energy required for heating and cooling buildings. It requires adherence to criteria including space heating and cooling energy demand, renewable primary energy demand, airtightness limits, and thermal comfort levels. Passivhaus principles emphasize thermal bridge-free design, superior windows, ventilation with heat recovery, quality insulation, and airtight construction. Certified projects like Handel’s Winthrop Center demonstrate the standard’s effectiveness.
ILFI’s Living Building Challenge (LBC)
ILFI’s Living Building Challenge emphasizes creating regenerative and socially responsible spaces, assessing projects on seven performance categories or ‘Petals’: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. Certification levels include Living Certification, Core Certification, and Petal Certification. Examples include BIG and Heatherwick’s Bay View HQ, embodying the comprehensive sustainability ethos of LBC.
Conclusion
In the contemporary architecture industry, there is an increasing focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, which has highlighted the importance of green building certifications. These certifications serve as critical benchmarks for sustainable construction practices. Niall Patrick Walsh’s article delves into six prominent green building certification systems, detailing their distinct features, evaluation criteria, and their significance within the architecture field. The six certifications discussed are LEED, BREEAM, WELL, NGBS, Passivhaus, and the Living Building Challenge (LBC) by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). This comprehensive review aims to equip architects and designers with the knowledge needed to choose the most suitable certification system for their projects. Whether focusing on energy efficiency, health and wellness, or overall environmental impact, each system offers unique benefits that can cater to varying project requirements. Understanding these certifications can help professionals make informed decisions, ultimately promoting more sustainable building practices across the industry.
