When it comes to constructing a building that meets high environmental and eco-standards, architects have a number of accreditation systems at their disposal that both guide the design process and reward the results.
While some systems, such as LEED and BREEAM, focus on environmental and energy efficiency, others, such as WELL, focus primarily on the health of occupants. Programs such as ILFI’s Living Building Challenge cover typologies from schools to wineries, while others, such as Passive House and NGBS, have their origins in residential construction.
To help designers choose the right systems for their projects and to give readers more information about buildings that have already been certified, we have compiled six well-known eco-building labels from across the industry, including examples of certified buildings previously featured on Archinect.
LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a points system developed by the US Green Building Council. The USGBC describes LEED as “the world’s most widely used green building rating system” and counts 197,000 LEED projects in 186 countries and territories.
A project (whether new construction, interior build-out, operations and maintenance, or shell construction) achieves LEED certification by earning points based on compliance with carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality measures.
The USGBC describes LEED as the world’s most widely used rating system for green building.
The project’s points-based assessment is conducted by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), with final certification determined by the number of points achieved. Current LEED certification levels in ascending order are Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points), and Platinum (80+ points).
Examples of LEED-certified buildings featured on Archinect include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (LEED Gold) by Renzo Piano, the Apple Flagship Store Mumbai (LEED Platinum) by Foster + Partners, and AIRSIDE Hong Kong (LEED Platinum) by Snøhetta.
BREEAM
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a rating system for sustainable buildings developed in 1990 by the British Building Research Establishment (BRE). BREEAM assesses buildings in several categories, including energy, water, health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste, land use and ecology, and management processes.
While LEED’s scoring system focuses on energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the BREEAM system covers a broader range of rating categories, such as ecology and pollution.
Projects are assessed by a licensed BREEAM assessor and receive a score based on their performance in the above areas. Scores range from Pass (30%+), Good (45%+), Very Good (55%+), Excellent (70%+) to Outstanding (85%+). While LEED emphasizes energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction in its scoring system, the BREEAM system includes a broader range of scoring categories, such as ecology and pollution.
Examples of BREEAM certified buildings on Archinet are Matrix ONE (BREEAM Excellent) by MVRDV, Fellenoord 15 (BREEAM Excellent) by UNStudio and Bloomberg European HQ (BREEAM Outstanding) by Foster + Partners.
ALSO
The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). While LEED and BREEAM emphasize the energy and environmental performance of a building, WELL places more emphasis on the health and well-being of the building’s occupants.
The WELL certification assesses a building’s impact on occupants based on ten key concepts: air, water, nutrition, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, spirit and community. These concepts are designed to create environments that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being. For example, the air concept focuses on improving indoor air quality through ventilation and filtration, while the nutrition concept promotes access to healthy food options.
While LEED and BREEAM emphasize the energy efficiency and environmental impact of a building, WELL places a greater emphasis on the health and well-being of the building’s occupants.
The certification process includes testing and verification by third-party assessors. WELL offers three certification levels: Silver, Gold and Platinum, depending on the number of features a building has successfully implemented.
Examples of buildings pursuing or already holding WELL certification featured on Archinect include 800 Fulton Market (WELL Gold) by SOM and the Rotman Commerce Building by 3XN/Arcadis IBI.
NGBS
The National Green Building Standard (NGBS) is a certification system designed specifically for residential buildings in the United States. Developed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the NGBS is intended to provide a framework for the design and construction of sustainable residential buildings, from single-family homes to multi-family housing to remodeling projects.
The NGBS certification evaluates buildings in six main categories: energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency, site development, operations and maintenance, and indoor quality. Homes are rated within these categories using a points system, with certification levels ranging from bronze, silver, gold to emerald.
NGBS aims to provide a framework for the planning and construction of sustainable residential buildings, from single-family homes to multi-family housing and conversion projects.
NGBS certification is verified by two third-party inspections to ensure compliance with the standard. NGBS also notes that their system is the only residential certification program that “requires progressively higher score thresholds in ALL categories for a home to advance to the next level of certification.”
Examples of NGBS certified buildings on Archinect include Solitair Brickell (NGBS Silver) by Stantec.
Passive house
Passive House is a certification standard for energy efficiency in buildings that focuses on reducing energy requirements for heating and cooling. Developed in 1996 by the Passive House Institute in Germany, the standard applies to various building types, including residential, commercial and public buildings.
To achieve Passive House certification, a building must meet four specific criteria relating to energy demand limits for space heating/cooling, renewable primary energy requirements, airtightness and thermal comfort. “All of the above criteria are achieved through intelligent design and the implementation of the 5 Passive House principles: thermal bridge-free design, high-quality windows, ventilation with heat recovery, high-quality insulation and airtight construction,” states the Passive House Institute.
Passive House is a certification standard for energy efficiency in buildings that aims to reduce the energy required for heating and cooling.
In addition to Passive House certification, planners and designers, including architects, can also become “certified Passive House designers.” The Passive House Institute of the United States (Phius), the organization that oversees Passive House standards in the United States, has certified more than 7.4 million square feet of Passive House projects to date, as well as over 1,700 Passive House consultants.
Examples of Passive House certified buildings featured on Archinect include Handel’s Winthrop Center and HPZS’ Yannell PHIUS+ House, while the certification system also served as a storyline for the current Showtime series “The Curse” starring Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder.
ILFI
The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) offers a range of certifications focused on creating regenerative, sustainable and socially responsible buildings, products and communities. ILFI’s most well-known certification is the Living Building Challenge (LBC). The LBC examines buildings from a sustainability, resilience and health perspective and measures buildings against seven performance categories or “petals”: place, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity and beauty. The seven petals, in turn, consist of a total of 20 “imperatives” or sub-requirements.
There are three certification options under the LBC: Living Certification, Core Certification and Petal Certification. A Living Certification is achieved for a project that meets all 20 imperatives, while a Core Certification is achieved for a building that meets 10 “core” imperatives. A Petal Certification is achieved for projects that meet all 10 “core” imperatives and additionally meet all imperatives contained in one or more of the water, energy or material petals.
The LBC examines buildings from a sustainability, resilience and health perspective and measures them against seven performance categories or “petals”.
In addition to the LBC, ILFI oversees other sustainable/holistic certification schemes, such as the Living Product Challenge and the Living Community Challenge for product and community initiatives, as well as the Core Certification, Zero Energy Certification and Zero Carbon Certification schemes.
Examples of projects that either have or are pursuing Archinect LBC certification include Bay View HQ by BIG and Heatherwick, Silver Oaks Alexander Valley Winery by Piechota Architecture, and Janet Durgin Guild & Commons by WRNS Studio.
