LEED v4 Practices, Certification, and Accreditation Handbook

Sam Kubba

• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9780128039007
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Construction & Architectural Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

LEED v4 Practices, Certification, and Accreditation Handbook, Second Edition, provides users with a practical user-friendly roadmap that presents the guidelines for selecting the LEED v4 rating system to better fit a particular project (e.g. LEED for Building Design and Construction, LEED for Operations and Maintenance, LEED for Interior Design and Construction, LEED for Building Design and Construction, or LEED for Neighborhood Development).

In addition, this comprehensive handbook carefully explains the modifications in the credentialing process, including the new 3-Tier system requiring applicants to first take the LEED™ Green Associate exam, followed by the LEED™ Professional Accreditation exam.

• Practical strategies and guidelines for applying LEED v4 project certification
• Annotated tables, checklists, charts, and references to "quantum leap, " LEED v4
• Includes case studies with special focus is put on key areas where most errors occur
• Demystifies LEED v4 requirements for project as well as personal/professional LEED Certification
• Appendixes including sample exam questions, acronyms and abbreviations and a glossary

Chapter 1

The Meaning of “Green Design” and “Sustainability”

Abstract

Chapter 1 essentially consists of an introduction to what the handbook is mainly about. It discusses why green building and sustainability are important to building construction, and why the environmental impacts of LEED™ have dramatically impacted the way many contractors and their subcontractors operate.

Sustainable development and green construction have become part of the convention in the construction industry. This chapter outlines many of the incentives and benefits that can be acquired through the application of green principles. Various aspects of environmental, social, and economic benefits are also discussed. Likewise, tax incentives and liability issues are also briefly discussed in this chapter.

In addition, the main economic benefits of fostering social equity, improving indoor environment, and producing healthier places to work are discussed. These include increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and reduced employee turnover.

Finally, the emerging directions, and the question where do we go from here, are discussed.

Keywords

recycling

sustainability

certification

LEED™

liability

ecosystem

microclimate

stewardship

1.1. Defining green (sustainable) building

Architectural/engineering professionals, people in the construction industry, and students often ask for a precise definition of green building and sustainable development. Although we know that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment, a precise definition is not easy since there are several definitions and concepts. For example, the EPA defines Green Building as “the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building.” There are a number of reasons to build green, including potential environmental, economic, and social benefits, listed as follows (Source: EPA).

Environmental benefits

• Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems

• Improve air and water quality

• Reduce waste streams

• Conserve and restore natural resources

Economic benefits

• Reduce operating costs

• Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services

• Improve occupant productivity

• Optimize life-cycle economic performance

Social benefits

• Enhance occupant comfort and health

• Heighten aesthetic qualities

• Minimize strain on local infrastructure

• Improve overall quality of life

Wikipedia describes Green Building as “the practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and their use of energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal of the structure at the end of use, the complete building life cycle” (wikipedia.org, “Green Building”).

However, although sustainable or green building is a strategy for creating healthier and more resource-efficient models for construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition in which energy remains a pivotal component, green design needs to consider other environmental impacts. Recent research and experience have clearly shown that when buildings are designed and operated with their life-cycle impacts in mind, they usually provide substantially greater environmental, economic, and social benefits. And it is now apparent from the growing body of evidence that the most significant benefits can be achieved when the design and construction team adopts an integrated holistic approach from the earliest stages of a building project. Sustainable buildings use valuable resources more efficiently than buildings that are simply built to code. These green buildings are also kinder to the environment and provide indoor spaces that are generally more healthy, comfortable, and productive. It is inspiring to see the many changes that have taken place in the construction industry and the architectural/engineering professions over the last two decades in the promotion of environmentally responsible buildings.

Once the benefits of sustainable development were understood, architects, designers, builders, and building owners have become increasingly interested and involved in green building. Likewise, national and local programs encouraging green building are flourishing throughout the nation as well as globally. Thousands of projects have been built over the last two decades, providing tangible evidence of what green building can accomplish in terms of improved comfort levels, aesthetics, and energy and resource efficiency.

One of the major contributing factors to the rapid development of building efficiency is the demand from occupants and tenants who have to live and work inside these structures. There is a substantial body of evidence linking more efficient buildings with improved working conditions, leading to increased productivity, reduced turnover and absenteeism, and other benefits. The reason for these results is that in many cases building operating expenses represent less than 10% of an organization’s cost structure, whereas the cost of personnel comprises the remaining 90%. This is a strong indicator that even small improvements in worker comfort can result in substantial dividends in performance and productivity.

This integrated whole-building approach is pivotal to a project’s success and means that all aspects of a project, from site selection to structure to floor finish, are carefully considered. And focusing on a single component of a building can profoundly impact the project negatively, with unforeseen and unintended environmental, social, and/or economic consequences. For example, designing a building envelope that is not energy efficient can have a significantly adverse impact on indoor environmental quality. Likewise, exposure to materials such as asbestos, lead, and formaldehydes, which can have high volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in a building, can precipitate significant health problems due to poor indoor-air quality, creating what is known as “sick building syndrome.” An interdisciplinary team is thus considered a prerequisite to building green.

Although the related concepts of sustainable development and sustainability have become an integral feature of green building, it nevertheless is critical to consider any and all green options during the early design programming and planning phases. Furthermore, incorporating green strategies and materials during the early design phase is a great way to increase a project’s potential market value. Continuing research has shown that sustainable developments can help lower operating costs over the life of the building by increasing productivity and utilizing less energy and water; green developments can also provide tenants and occupants with a healthier and more productive working environment. They can also significantly reduce environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm-water runoff and the heat-island effect. Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment. The outward appearance and style of green buildings are not always immediately distinguishable from their less sustainable counterparts that are built to code.

History shows us that buildings have an enormous impact on the environment – both during the construction phase and throughout their operation. Building operation typically requires expending substantial amounts of energy, water, and materials while leaving behind large amounts of waste. Rob Watson, author of the Green Building Impact Report, issued in November 2008, states: “The construction and operation of buildings require more energy than any other human activity. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated in 2006 that buildings used 40% of primary energy consumed globally, accounting for roughly a quarter of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions. Commercial buildings comprise one-third of this total. Urbanization trends in developing countries are accelerating the growth of this sector relative to residential buildings, according to the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD).”

The federal government is the nation’s largest single landlord and has become one of the leaders in building green. In this respect, the General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced that it was applying stringent green building standards to its $12billion-construction portfolio of courthouses, post offices, border stations, and other buildings. In September 2014, a GSA task group recommended that at least 50% of the GSA’s and the entire federal government’s building area achieve net-zero energy (NZE) status by 2030 (GSA – RMIOUTLET). An NZE building is a one that produces as much energy through renewable resources as it consumes annually.

This role is echoed by Richard Fedrizzi, CEO and Founding Chairman of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), who comments: “The federal government has been at the forefront of the sustainable building movement since its inception, providing resources, pioneering best practices, and engaging multiple federal agencies in the mission of transforming the built environment.” And on January 24 and 25, 2006, the first-ever conference took place; more than 150 federal facility managers and decision makers attended. In addition, 21 government agencies participated in formulating and witnessed the signing of the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). With this MOU, signatory agencies committed to federal leadership in the design, construction, and operation of high-performance and sustainable buildings. The MOU represents a significant achievement by the federal government through its cumulative efforts to define common strategies and guiding principles of green building. The signatory agencies will also coordinate their efforts with others in the private and public sectors to achieve these goals.

Leah B. Garris, senior associate editor at Buildings magazine, says that “myth and misinformation surround the topic of sustainability, clouding its definition and purpose, and blurring the lines between green fact and fiction.” But once you set aside the myths and misinformation relating to sustainability and green design, a number of pertinent strategies will become apparent that will help you achieve your green building objectives. Alan Scott, principal, Green Building Services, Portland, OR, says, “You can have a green building that doesn’t really ‘look’ any different than any other building.” Thus, a level of sustainability can easily be achieved by designing a green building that looks “normal.” Ralph DiNola, principal at Green Building Services, says, “People don’t really talk about the value of aesthetics in terms of the longevity of a building. A beautiful building will be preserved by a culture for a greater length of time than an ugly building.” And, to be sustainable, it is important for a building to have a long-term, useful life. Aesthetics is a pivotal ingredient for longevity, and longevity is pivotal for sustainability.

In reality, sustainability is about conscious choices and not abo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Foreword
• Preface to Second Edition
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction – The Green Movement Yesterday and Today
• Chapter 1: The Meaning of “Green Design” and “Sustainability”
• Chapter 2: Basic LEED™ Concepts
• Chapter 3: LEED™ Documentation Process and Technical Requirements
• Chapter 4: LEED™ Professional Accreditation, Standards, and Codes
• Chapter 5: Design Strategies and the Green Design Process
• Chapter 6: Green Building Materials and Products
• Chapter 7: Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
• Chapter 8: Water Efficiency and Sanitary Waste
• Chapter 9: Impact of Energy and Atmosphere
• Chapter 10: Economics of Green Design
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Glossary
• Sample Exam Questions
• Bibliography
• Subject Index