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

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

3. 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

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

5. They organize your thinking about sustainability

9. BREEAM: 197 Questions…

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

11. 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

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

14. A challenge: quantifying sustainability metrics across project phases

15. 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

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

17. LEED, BREEAM, CSH, CEEQUAL certifications guarantee sustainability?

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

19. 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