Over the years, it seems as though certifications for buildings have exploded. It can be challenging to keep track of all of the green building ratings systems, let alone know which certification is best for your existing building or new construction project. We’re hoping the following rundown will help make a bit more sense of green building rating systems.  First, the “why”:

Why should I certify my building?

According to a study of LEED-certified buildings, the USGBC has found that energy, carbon, water, and waste can be reduced, resulting in costs savings of at least 30% in each category (up to 97% for waste).  Many sustainable buildings report seeing up to 6.6% increase to their return on investment, through benefits such as a reported 3.5% increases in occupancy, and rent increases of at least 3% on average. According to the report, overall operating costs of LEED certified green buildings can also be reduced by 8-9%, and increase property value up to 7.5%. Contributing to these end stats are other benefits such as public recognition, increased tenant engagement, and the feeling of your building operating responsibly.

Additional benefits outside of the statistics above are increased tenant engagement, improved air quality, reduced absenteeism, higher test scores in students, and public recognition of green building accomplishments.

The new(er) certifications you should know about…

The newest certifications, such as WELL, Fitwel and RESET are taking certifications into the realm of tenant comfort. These certs ask what attracts tenants, what keeps them, and what’s being done to improve the quality of life through the built environment. These standards give potential tenants the transparency that allows them to make occupancy decisions (at least in-part) based upon superior air quality, water quality, and even lighting quality. In addition, these modern certifications consider built-out amenities in the interest of health and wellness of the occupants such as exercise rooms. (Look for more information on these new certifications in an upcoming blog).

“The WELL Building Standard marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based health and wellness interventions. It harnesses the built environment as a vehicle to support human health, well-being and comfort.” – International Well Building Institute

Taking the certification process past mere energy consumption, building owners and facility managers now have an opportunity to focus on additional categories like water, and tenant health and wellness. In exchange for their transparency (and obvious prioritization), building owners can command higher rents, be recognized for their commitment to keeping buildings healthy, and contribute to their LEED programs. For comparison, we’ve borrowed this awesome infographic from BuildingGreen.com outlining the various health and wellness related ratings that might affect you. 

SINGLE-ATTRIBUTE GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS

Singe attribute green building rating systems are generally focused on one aspect of sustainability, i.e. energy reduction and savings.

Energy Star Rating System—is a rating system created by the U.S. EPA and DOE that uses a benchmarking method to assess a building’s energy and water use. To receive an Energy Star rating, you have to track your project’s energy use with the online Portfolio Manager and receive a score of 75 or more.

MULTI-ATTRIBUTE GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS

Multi-attribute green building rating systems generally take a holistic look at how a building impacts the environment and the well-being of its occupants

Below are the building rating systems most commonly in use within the U.S. in both the private and public sectors.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)—was created in 2000 by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), to define a “green building” in the U.S. based upon design ratings and construction practices. LEED is now used throughout North America as well as in more than 30 countries with over 92,000 projects registered.  LEED has become of the most recognizable green building certifications available.  The certification is based on mandatory prerequisite credits and voluntary credits to achieve various levels of certification, Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.  The strength and credibility of the LEED certification lies in part with the third-party review and commissioning aspects the buildings are required to follow. 

 

 Green Globes—originated in Canada and was brought to the U.S. by the Green Building Initiative (GBI) in 2004. Buildings are rated on a 1,000-point scale spread across seven categories: Energy, Indoor Environment, Site, Water, Resources, Emissions, and Project/Environmental Management. Green Globes is now cited in many Federal, State, and Municipal mandates.

 Living Building Challenge (LBC)—is a performance-based system initially launched by the Cascadia Green Building Council. The LBC makes stringent demands such as 100% net zero energy, 100% net zero water, on-site renewable energy, and 100% recycling or diversion of construction waste.  There are very few LBC certified buildings and this program is considered by many as the pinnacle of green building certification.  The buildings that have endured this rigorous program are considered some of the greenest buildings in the world.

Cost-effective green building solutions

The most cost-effective method to implement a green building certification project is to start early and engage all of the design and construction professionals together in a holistic design process.  When everyone is working together from the beginning, the goals of the stakeholders are defined, and each member can weigh in on cost and benefit before it is too late to make changes without drastic cost implications. 

Still have more questions? Need a plan?

Let us help! Whether it’s a new construction project or existing building, we can help you navigate every aspect of your certification processes. We truly love buildings, and would love to help you get the most out of yours!