Building certification systems

Building certification systems have been developed as tools to measure the sustainability of buildings. They generally assess and certify that a building has been designed and built using, amongst others, methods to secure energy savings, improve water efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, enhance indoor air quality and ensure the sustainability of products and resources.

One of the first systems created was BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method). It was established in 1990 in the UK and has since been exported across the globe in various guises. Its equivalents include LEED in the USA, Green Star in Australia, DGNB in Germany and so on.

The costs for certification vary considerably and depend on the size and type of the building. A BREEAM certificate, for a new office building with a gross floor area of 5000 m², for example, costs just under 3000 Euro. According to professionals, approximately 0 – 8 % must be added to the construction costs for designing, building and certifying a green building. The cost and effort involved in obtaining certification, however, is more than worthwhile since certified projects have:

• a positive image
• over the lifetime of the structure, the green building practices required for certification can result in energy and cost saving
• occupants are more productive and have less days off sick which contributes towards company profits
• retail sales are higher and students reach higher grades in daylit buildings, which is a requirement of most certification systems

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