Loader

The Certifications that Guarantee Sustainability

The Certifications that Guarantee Sustainability

Sustainability, as a concept of common agreement among international agents, emerged in 1987 with the Brundtland Inform, originally titled “Our Common Future”. This document presented the need to regulate all human activity in the present in order to preserve future generations’ integrity. Construction is one of the major industries in the world, which implies a huge need for clear and efficient sustainability parameters. This is why several certifications have been developed throughout the world. Here’s a selection of the most important ones:

  1. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

This certification was designed and approved by the United States Building Council in 1998. It is currently one of the most used ones throughout the world. It analyzes location, transportation, innovation, processes, resources, materials, internal environmental quality and space. There are four levels of certification that each project can obtain: Certificate, Silver, Gold and Platinum. New projects, remodelations and already built commercial premises are eligible for it.

  1. CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency)

This certification’s methodology was developed by the research committee of the Japanese Sustainable Building Consortium in collaboration with academics, industry workers and governmental institutions. This certification’s main purpose is to reduce the carbon footprint in construction, from a small house to a whole city’s development. One of the most iconic projects that has been developed under these parameters is the Shell House by Tono Mirai Architects.

  1. Active House 

Active House was developed in Denmark in 2017. It is a guarantee that certifies the reduction in the use of resources during the building process, as well as during the project’s useful building. In this sense, one of this certification’s main concerns is the development of comfortable constructions regarding visual and audible terms. AART architects is responsible for this certification.

  1. Green

This evaluation system was developed in 2007 by the Green Building Council Spain, an organization that is affiliated to the World Green Building Council. It reviews pre-design, design, construction, use and disposal of each project. This certification has a series of parameters that compare the buildings’ environmental impact. Also, this methodology includes a series of tools for the design of sustainable buildings.

  1. DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) 

This certification, which was designed in 2007 in Germany, stands out due to the importance that it gives to the commercial viability of each project, as well as the processes’ technical quality. Just as LEED, DGNB offers different categories: Gold, Silver and Platinum. The German Sustainable Building Council is behind this certification.

What do you think of all this movement around sustainability? Do you agree with these parameters? We would love to know your insight on this issue!

If you want to know more about these certifications, you can read more in the following links:

Value of LEED, USGBC, https://www.usgbc.org/leed/why-leed

Our Common Future, United Nations, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf

CASBEE, JSBC, https://www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/

Active House,  https://www.activehouse.info/cases/home-for-life/

GBCe, https://gbce.es/

DGNB, https://www.dgnb.de/en/index.php

 


Subscribe to our newsletter

No Comments

Post A Comment