Green Certification as the Path to Sustainability? Douglas Crawford-Brown Professor Emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill Executive Director, Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research

Claim: Careful design and execution of a community can significantly reduce its energy use, energy costs and climate change impacts

Remember, sustainability must consider... Whether we build How we build How we provide power How we link to the grid How we travel Where we locate it How we live in it

So, is green certification by LEED, BREEAM, CSH, CEEQUAL the path to sustainability?

They organize your thinking about sustainability

BREEAM: 197 Questions…

BREEAM: 197 Questions… Management Energy Land Use and Ecology Pollution Materials Waste Water Health and Well-being Transport Each with weightings

Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Dwelling emission rate Fabric energy efficiency Energy display devices Drying space Energy labelled white goods External lighting Low and zero carbon (energy) technologies Cycle storage Home office

Code for Sustainable Homes Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Water Materials Surface Water Run-off Waste Pollution Health and Well-being Management Ecology

A challenge: quantifying sustainability metrics across project phases

Multiple solutions with one intervention Green Roofs Reducing urban heat island effect Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) Carbon capture (a bit) Social amenity Insulation (a bit) Habitat formation

Claims by BREEAM about green buildings Operating costs down 9% Building value up 8% Occupancy up 4% Rents up 3%

LEED, BREEAM, CSH, CEEQUAL certifications guarantee sustainability?

No: LEED, BREEAM, CSH, CEEQUAL certifications move towards sustainability

With these principles, we can… Reduce the environmental footprints of buildings Reduce the occupancy costs of buildings Satisfy planning authorities Satisfy clients interested in green credentials Optimize the chance of a building being green certified