Assessing Sustainability: An Overview of Criteria Used in Green Building Rating Systems
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As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, sustainable building practices and green building rating systems have become increasingly popular in recent years. The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and energy, and its impact on the environment cannot be ignored.
Individuals and organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of sustainable building practices. Buildings that are designed and constructed with sustainability in mind can significantly reduce energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation. This, in turn, can result in lower operating costs and a reduced environmental impact. Many companies are also using sustainable building practices as a way to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and to attract environmentally conscious customers and employees.
Governments are also playing a significant role in promoting sustainable building practices. Many governments are offering incentives, such as tax credits or grants, to encourage the construction of green buildings. In addition, some governments are requiring that new buildings meet certain sustainability standards. By doing so, governments are helping to create a market for sustainable building practices and encouraging the construction industry to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.
In this blog, we will explore the various sections of different green building rating systems in India and around the world.
Green Building Rating System - An Overview
Green building rating systems are sets of guidelines, and benchmarks to measure and verify the sustainability of a building by evaluating various aspects of sustainable design and construction practices. The objective of green building rating systems is to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, enhance occupant health and well-being, promote sustainable development and increase economic benefits. By encouraging building owners and developers to incorporate sustainable features and practices into their projects, green building rating systems can help to reduce the environmental impact of buildings and promote a healthier and more sustainable built environment.
The most popular green building rating systems in India include Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), and the ASSOCHAM Green and Eco-friendly Movement (GEM). Similarly, around the world, there are several commonly used green building rating systems, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Green Star, and Living Building Challenge (LBC). Buildings that meet the criteria set by these rating systems are awarded certification, which can be used to market the building's sustainability to tenants and investors.
Despite their differences in name, criteria, and evaluation methods, all these rating systems share a common goal of promoting sustainable, healthy, and resource-efficient buildings. There are several important criteria that are evaluated during the green building certification process. Let's take a closer look at some of them:
1. Sustainable Site Planning
Sustainable site planning is the process of designing and managing the physical environment of a building in a way that maximizes the use of natural resources and minimizes the negative impact on the environment. Sustainable site planning strategies include site selection, proximity to public transport, eco-friendly mode of transportation, preserving natural habitats, minimizing land disturbance, and reducing the heat island effect, that minimize the impact on the environment and maximize the site's natural features.
2. Construction Management
Construction management is an important aspect of green building certification, as it serves to mitigate adverse environmental impacts that may arise during the construction process. By emphasizing practices that minimize pollution and waste generation, and prioritizing the welfare and safety of construction workers, environmentally responsible construction management can ensure that the building is constructed in a manner that is both sustainable and socially responsible.
3. Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is a critical aspect of green building rating systems. Energy-efficient buildings consume less energy than traditional buildings, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs. Energy-efficient building design strategies include use of BMS system, efficient lighting, equipment and HVAC systems. It also includes reducing energy consumption through efficient building design and incorporating renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaics and geothermal heating and cooling techniques.
4. Occupant Comfort
Occupant comfort is another important criterion that evaluates the indoor environmental quality of a building. This involves designing buildings that maximize natural light, ventilation, and temperature control to ensure a comfortable living and working environment. Additionally, ensuring acoustic insulation and access to outdoor spaces are also significant considerations to be taken into account. The design of the building should promote the occupant health and well-being by implementing measures that mitigate exposure to harmful pollutants and by ensuring a comfortable indoor environment.
5. Water Management
Water management is an essential aspect of green building certification, as it involves reducing the consumption of water and promoting the use of sustainable water management practices. By reducing the demand for potable water, use of low-flow fixtures, treating and reusing wastewater, use of water meters, efficient irrigation systems, use of drought tolerant/ native plants and installation of onsite rainwater harvesting can significantly reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable development.
6. Solid Waste Management
Solid waste management is another important aspect of green building, as it helps to reduce the amount of waste generated during the construction and operation of a building that ends up in landfills. This component evaluates the building's waste management practices such as waste segregation at source, composting of organic waste and encourages the use of sustainable waste management practices and recycling programs.
7. Sustainable Building Materials
Sustainable building materials are an important criterion that evaluates the use of environmentally friendly materials during the construction of a building. This includes the use of environment friendly materials, such as use of recycled materials, locally sourced materials, rapidly renewable materials, low-emitting materials, and materials that have a low impact on the environment during their lifecycle.
8. Life Cycle Costing
The life cycle costing section evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the building over its entire life cycle, including construction, operation, and maintenance. Life cycle costing is an important aspect of green building certification, as it ensures that the building is designed and constructed in a way that maximizes long-term value. This includes considerations such as energy efficiency, durability, and maintenance requirements. This helps to ensure that the building is not only environmentally sustainable but also economically sustainable.
9. Performance Metering and Monitoring:
Performance metering and monitoring involve the measurement and monitoring of the performance of a building's systems and equipment. Sustainable buildings often incorporate building automation systems and monitoring tools to optimize building performance. This involves monitoring the building's performance in terms of energy and water usage, indoor air quality, and other key metrics. This information can then be used to identify areas where further improvements can be made.
10. Socio-Economic Strategies
Socio-economic strategies are an essential consideration during green building certification, as they ensure that the building is designed and constructed in a way that promotes social equity, safety, and well-being. This criterion evaluates the inclusion of strategies to promote social and economic equity, such as providing safe and sanitary working conditions for construction workers, ensuring universal accessibility, and providing dedicated facilities for service staff.
Conclusion
In conclusion, green building certification is an important step towards promoting sustainable, healthy, and resource-efficient buildings. The criteria assessed during the certification process ensure that the building is constructed and operated in an environmentally responsible manner, and is safe and accessible to all users. As we continue to push towards a more sustainable future, green building certification will play a vital role in promoting sustainable development and reducing the impact of buildings on the environment. It is therefore essential for all stakeholders involved in the building industry to embrace green building certification as a necessary step towards achieving a more sustainable future.
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