RAISE YOUR GOAL IN LEED CERTIFICATION
- Zeynep Çakır
- Jan 14
- 4 min read
Faced with a growing climate crisis, the growing building stock needs to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the 2053 net zero carbon target. Recently released data has shown that green buildings are an important element of the climate change mitigation approach. Data from Arc, USGBC's building benchmarking platform, shows that achieving higher levels of LEED certification has significant GHG reduction benefits.
With buildings and the construction sector accounting for 37 percent of all CO2 emissions in 2022, building performance improvements as defined in LEED and other green building standards are critical to reducing the carbon footprint of the building stock.
BENEFITS OF HIGHER LEVEL CERTIFICATION
Within the scope of LEED certification, projects implement strategies to reduce energy performance and carbon emissions through rigorous studies such as advanced testing & commissioning and detailed energy modeling.
To reach LEED's higher certification levels (Gold and Platinum), projects must achieve higher levels of energy and water savings. The table below shows results based on data from 4,508 LEED certified projects in the Arc database up to March 2020, compared to projects certified at the LEED Certified level.
Overall, the data shows significant differences in performance between LEED Certified and LEED Platinum certified projects. LEED Platinum certified projects;
57% reduction in carbon emissions per person;
A 50% reduction in transportation-related carbon emissions;
11% increase in occupant satisfaction
It should be noted that this comparison is made against LEED Certified buildings. LEED Certified certification reflects requirements beyond most local codes and standards.
DECREASE IN CARBON EMISSIONS
Achieving higher LEED certification levels, such as Gold and Platinum, significantly reduces building greenhouse gas emissions from energy and transportation. LEED's Advanced Energy Metering credit encourages building operators to track energy efficiency performance.
The Optimum Energy Performance credit improves building energy efficiency and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy savings and energy efficiency in the building's mechanical equipment (HVAC systems), lighting systems, automation systems and the use of renewable energy systems in the building.
Projects that achieve high certification levels such as LEED Platinum reduce carbon emissions and operational energy costs by implementing practices such as energy and resource efficiency, renewable energy use, carbon offsetting on a larger scale. According to Arc data, LEED Platinum certified buildings have reduced greenhouse gas emissions per person by 57 percent compared to LEED Certified buildings.
TRANSPORTATION RELATED BENEFITS
Achieving high certification levels in LEED also requires building owners to support sustainable transportation.
LEED Platinum certified projects are generally located close to the city center where transportation infrastructure is dense. In addition, LEED Platinum certified projects often encourage the reduction of individual car use by supporting low-emission means of transportation (bicycles, electric vehicles, etc.).
Access to Quality Transportation, Green Vehicles, Cycling Facilities and Reducing Car Parking Areas, which help to minimize carbon emissions from transportation.
In existing buildings, the Transportation Performance credit tracks the carbon emissions released into the atmosphere according to the commuting distances of building users and the type of vehicle used.
LEED Platinum certified buildings reduce transportation emissions by 50 percent compared to LEED Certified buildings.
OCCUPANT SATISFACTION
Practices that improve Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) should also be supported to achieve LEED's higher certification levels. LEED v4.1 BD+C credits such as Advanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies, Acoustic Performance, Quality Views and Daylighting all significantly improve the health and satisfaction of building occupants. Thanks to these core credits, LEED Platinum certified buildings improve occupant satisfaction scores by 11 percent over LEED Certified certified buildings, which already have high performance criteria.
UNMEASURED BENEFITS
Meeting the rigorous demands of the LEED Platinum certification level has easily measurable benefits, as noted above, but also reduces the building's environmental footprint through benefits that cannot be directly measured while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
LEED v4.1 BD+C Credits such as Stormwater Management and Heat Island Reduction encourage low impact development (LID). Adopt these strategies, as LEED projects that have achieved high certification targets have done,
protects groundwater resources,
increases the flood resilience of cities and
relieves pressure on the storm water network.
LEED credits for Materials and Resource Utilization enable the reduction of carbon emissions from raw material extraction and production, as well as the transportation of materials to the project site. The Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction credit promotes the reuse of buildings and building materials and the reduction of a building's embedded and operational carbon emissions throughout its life cycle through whole building life cycle assessment (LCA).
Reducing landfill and incineration through waste management is another way to reduce a building's greenhouse gas emissions. LEED credits such as Construction and Demolition Waste Management encourage lower emissions, while the Recyclable Waste Collection and Storage credit supports waste reduction and recycling during the operational phase of a building.
Other credits, such as Basic and Advanced Refrigerant Management, help reduce ozone layer damage and greenhouse gas emissions with a high global warming impact. Refrigerant management strategies are one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the Low Emission Materials credit helps to improve indoor air quality and reduce overall building emissions by choosing materials with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
When the LEED Platinum certification target is set early in the project, the cost increase associated with high certification targets is minimized. With strategies such as passive energy efficiency measures, an integrated design approach, selecting systems with optimum capacity, and considering the lifetime cost approach, it is possible to achieve the LEED Platinum certification target without imposing high costs on the project budget.
For your LEED v4/v4.1 and LEED v5 certification-targeted projects, we offer turnkey green building consultancy and engineering services, covering design, construction, and operation phases with over 10 years of experience. As the Alarnova family, we are here to shape your sustainable future together!
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