Sustainability

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RP --- 4 point

ID--- 6 ( 5 innov.+1 AP)

 Impact of buildings and construction on environment:


36% of total energy use and 65% of electricity consumption
30% of greenhouse gas emissions
30% of raw materials use
30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
12% of potable water consumption

 Challenges of built environment:


1. Materials:
2. Energy
3. Water
4. Ecology
5. Eco-system:

 Triple bottom line:


The triple bottom profit, people and planet (Social, Environmental, Economic).

 Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that keep heat in the earth’s atmosphere. There are a great many
ways to reduce GHG emissions:

1. Energy Conservation and Efficiency


2. Appropriate Heating and Power Plant Fuel Choices
3. On-Site Renewable Energy Technologies
4. Buy Green Power and carbon offsets
5. Maximize Space Utilization to Minimize or Avoid New Construction
6. Design and Construct Only the Greenest, Most Energy Efficient New Buildings
7. Sustainable Transportation Solutions
8. Other GHG Mitigation Strategies (waste disposal, purchasing, food)
9. Carbon Offsets to Address Remaining Emissions

 Carbon footprint: is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event,
organization or product expressed as CO2e.

 LEED rating system breaks green design and construction practices down into six readily identifiable
categorizes which are:
1.Location and Transportation
2.Sustainable Sites
3.Water Efficiency
4.Energy and Atmosphere
5.Materials and Resources
6.Indoor environmental quality

 The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),


is a private membership-based organization that promotes sustainability in buildings design, construction,
and operation. USGBC’s programs have three distinguishing characteristics: Committee-based , Member-
driven, Consensus-focused
 Mission
The USGBC is committed to transforming the way our buildings and communities are designed, constructed
and operated through LEED — the top third-party verification system for sustainable structures around the
world. Enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that
improves the quality of life.

 Vision
Buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.

 GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1) PROMOTE THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
2) ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP
3) RECONCILE HUMANITY WITH NATURE
4) FOSTER SOCIAL EQUITY
5) MAINTAIN INTEGRITY
6) BE INCLUSIVE
7) EXHIBIT TRANSPARENCY

 GBCI ‘’ Green business certification incorporation’’ is the only certification and credentialing body
within the green business and sustainability industry to exclusively administer project certifications
and professional credentials and certificates of LEED, EDGE, PEER, WELL, SITES, GRESB and
ParkSmart.

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

 USGBC Trademarks
USGBC created some guidelines to help its members and the larger community to use their brand assets
consistently and correctly to maintain its remarkable position and to help protect their Name and brand in
the market.

 LEED Green Building Rating System is a program that provides third-party verification of green
buildings. The LEED rating system addresses both a wide variety of buildings types, including
commercial buildings, homes, neighborhoods, retail, healthcare, and schools, as well as every phase
of the building lifecycle including design, construction, operations and maintenance.

 WHY LEED
1) LEED is a comprehensive rating system
2) A true benchmark and verification system
3) It provides a clear environmental metric for the public

 You can take any of the following five specialties:


1) LEED AP Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C)
2) LEED AP Operations and Maintenance (LEED AP O+M)
3) LEED AP Interior Design and Construction (LEED AP ID+C)
4) LEED AP Homes
5) LEED AP Neighborhood and Development (LEED AP ND)

 LEED Certifications
a. Certified: 40–49 points.
b. Silver: 50–59 points.
c. Gold: 60–79 points.
d. Platinum: 80 points and above

 Recertification
Only for LEED O+M, in order for the building operations to be maintained and be functional LEED require
buildings to recertify within five years of the previous certification. The project is eligible for recertification
after 12 months and every 12 months thereafter.

 LEED ND has some different categories that are not the same as other rating systems, these
categories are:
a. Smart Location and Linkage.
b. Neighborhood pattern and Design.
c. Green infrastructure and buildings.

• LEED for ND contains 5 credit categories:


1. Smart Location & Linkage
2. Neighborhood Pattern & Design
3. Green Infrastructure & Buildings
4. Innovation & Design Process
5. Regional Priority Credits

Minimum Program Requirements (MPR)


No. Goal Requirements

1 Customer Guidance and Understanding Permanent location on existing land

2 Reinforce LEED’s integrity Must reasonable LEED boundaries

3 To minimize challenges throughout the Must Comply with project size


LEED certification Process

 The LEED projects should meet the size requirements set by LEED rating system.
a. For LEED BD+C & LEED O+M rating systems, minimum of 1,000 square feet
b. For LEED ID+C rating system, minimum of 250 square feet
c. For LEED ND rating system, least two habitable buildings and be no larger than 1500 acres.
d. For LEED Homes rating system.
 Prerequisites
It is the mandatory requirements for LEED rating system that must be achieved in order to be able to collect
points for your project and earn the certification. List
1. SS- Construction Activity Pollution Prevention
2. WE- Outdoor Water use Reduction
3. WE- Indoor water use Reduction
4. WE- Building Level water metering
5. EA- Fundamental Commissioning and Verification
6. EA- Minimum Energy Performance
7. EA- Building Level Energy metering
8. EA- Fundamental Refrigerant Management
9. MR- Storage and Collection of Recyclables
10. MR- Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning
11. IEQ- Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance
12. IEQ- Environment Tobacco Smoke Control
 Credits
Credits are what gives your project its points as the number of points the project earns determines its level of
LEED certification and it can be done by fulfilling credit requirements.
 Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) provide LEED technical advice; they assess and recommend
technical
solutions to the LEED Steering Committee (LSC) for review and approval

 Exemplary performance If you want to take the requirements threshold to the next level, you can do
this and earn 1 more point for the related credit and it’s described as exemplary performance as it’s
achieving more than what is required. There are only 6 innovation points that a project can achieve
by exemplary performance, including a LEED AP on the team or by offering an innovative credit.

 The seven impact categories and components purpose are:


1) Reverse Contribution to Global Climate Change
2) Enhance Individual Human Health and Well-Being
3) Protect and Restore Water Resources
4) Protect, Enhance and Restore Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
5) Promote Sustainable and Regenerative Material Resources Cycles
6) Build a Greener Economy
7) Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, and Community Quality of Life

 Project Administrator: The leader for the LEED process and acts like a project manager who assigns
roles and responsibilities and oversees the LEED project process.

 Owner: the person who owns the project and property land and he has ultimate control over the
whole LEED application and he is the one who accepts the certification agreement.

 LEED Campus
It’s a program for projects on a shared site that are under a single entity with multiple buildings willing to
receive LEED certification.

 LEED Master Site


A master site is the holding place for the documentation and review of campus credits. A master site
registration will never receive a LEED certification. The master site is used solely as a tool for streamlining
the documentation and review process associated with campus credits.

 LEED volume certification is designed to streamline the certification process and reduce its costs.It’s
based around the prototype buildings that can pursue a common set of credits in a single
certification.

 Certification Fees To get your building certified, you should pay a registration fees, certification fees
and to consider some other fees like appeals and expedited review (if pursued)

 Registration Fee: It’s calculated on a per-project basis that will be paid up front at the time of
registration and payment to be received within 60 days of the registration. Registration fees are 900
USD for members and 1,200 USD for non-members.

 Certification Fee: It’s calculated on a per-project basis based on the size of the project and the rating
system under which the project is registered.

 EED Online It’s an online platform created to administrate and manage the LEED certification
process.
1) Part 1: Preliminary review
2) Part 2: Final Review (Optional)
3) Part 3: Appeal review (optional with additional fees)
 Certification Review types
A) Standard review:
B) Split review:
C) Expedited review:
D) "Precertification review

 Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIR)


CIRs are questions that allows project teams to receive technical guidance on how LEED requirements
including Minimum Program Requirements (MPR), Prerequisites, and Credits pertain to their projects.

 CIR Process
Project teams can submit CIRs via LEED online with a fees around 220 USD for each CIR submitted.

 There are 4 main steps in to get your building certified while all projects must first comply with
MPRs to be eligible for certification. The 4 main steps are registration, applying, reviewing and
certification.
1- Registering project
2- Applying
3- Reviewing
4- Final LEED Certification

 The iterative process


is the core of the integrative process which is a process for calculating a desired result by means of a
repeated cycle of operations. Number of cycles will always depend on the outcome and how close it is to
the target result.

 Leverage points
An intervention point in which a small change in a complex system can produce a big change in everything,
it’s a places to intervene in a project process or system.

 Life cycle approaches


A comprehensive, life-cycle approach improves the ability to address potentially important environmental
and human health concerns

 Life cycle assessment (LCA)


Also, known as life cycle analysis and cradle to grave analysis. It’s a technique to assess environmental
impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life from cradle to grave.

 Phases of Life Cycle Assessment Energy, Emissions, Waste

There are 4 components of life cycle assessment as per the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards which are as
follows:
1. Goal and scope definition
2. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI
3. Life Cycle Impact assessment (LCA)
4. Interpretation
 Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs) Projects can comply with credits while not adhering to explicit
requirement documentation in the reference guide through ACPs.

 Life cycle costing analysis (LCCA)


A method for assessing the cost-effective option among different alternatives.
1) Initial costs
2) Operation and maintenance costs: based on the consumption of water, energy and other utilities that
operate in the building. It’s often hard to predict it in design or planning phase, but assumptions must
be made based on occupancy rates, schedules and use profiles. There is also the replacement and
repair costs for any product that reaches its end life that requires changing.
3) Fuel costs: To provide electricity for the buildings.
4) Disposal costs: at the end life of products and materials.
5) Finance: it includes the finance charges, taxes, and any other associated costs.
6) Non-Monetary Benefits or Costs: achieved with no objective way of assigning a currency value like
increased productivity from improving light quality.

 Hard Costs: the actual physical construction of a development that includes grading, excavation of a
site, the materials used, landscaping, and products.

 Soft Costs: fees that are not physical, it includes architecture and engineering fees, permits and taxes,
LEED certification costs, and some maintenance and security costs.

 Conventional building process is usually a linear process that relies on the structure of the
organization, project or chart with its limited abilities to hear opinions and take decisions with other
people who should be involved in taking the decisions.

 Whole Building Design approach is a process that views the building as a system, rather than a set of
different and isolated components.

 There are four main components of a successful whole building design approach:
1) Establishing a vision for the project and setting design performance goals.
2) Forming a strong, collaborative and integrated project team.
3) To understand the requirements and the outcome of each and every phase.
4) Realizing sustainable design within the established design process.

 Integrative Process
An integrative process is a comprehensive approach to building systems and equipment. The Integrated
Process provides a means to explore, implement and operate sustainable design and construction principles
effectively on a project while staying within budgetary and scheduling constraints. The integrative process
has two main components which are the integrative design process (IDP) and integrated team process
(Stakeholders).

 REASONS FOR INTEGRATIVE PROCESS


1) High performance and sustainability expectations.
2) Spreading awareness to building developers and designers about the rapidly evolving market.
3) Adaptability and flexibility during entire life-cycle.
4) Increasing requirements caused by high complexity and to avoid discrepancies of different
trades.
5) To avoid excessive costs from misleading isolated decisions.

 As a summary, Integrative Process can be considered as:


1) An iterative process, not a linear process that is considered as a flexible method, not static or fixed;
2) changing over time, not pre-determined; and
3) It has ongoing learning and new sustainable features, not a pre-ordained sequence of steps.

 Design Objectives of Integrative Process:


1. Accessibility and Security
2. Economical.
3. Operational.
4. Preservation.
5. Productivity.
6. Sustainable.

 LEED rating system has identified 3 phases for integrative process which are:
1. Discovery,
2. Implementation.
3. Operations.

 To achieve the best result, all parties must adhere to the following principles:
a. Clear and continuous communication channels and meetings.
b. Attention to detail and an eye for synergies opportunities.
c. Active collaboration among all stakeholders throughout all phases of the project.

 Charrettes
A charrette is a kind of workshop that can be the power force that starts the communication process among
the project team members, it is important that all relevant decision makers attend. In a charrette, project team
should share their ideas towards the project and start setting goals and targets to achieve.

 The integrated Design Process through phases


Phase 1 – Pre-Design
Phase 2 – Schematic Design
Phase 3 – Design Development
Phase 4 – Construction and Contract Documents
Phase 5 – Bidding, Construction, and commissioning
Phase 6 – Building Operations (Start Up)
Phase 7 – Post Occupancy (Long-Term Building Operations)

 Location and Transportation (LT)


1. Location
2. Transportation
3. Neighborhood pattern and design
 LOCATION
1. Smart growth
2. Increased density through compact development
3. Choosing LEED certified neighborhood
4. Diversity of uses
5. Locate near public transit

 The five categories are:


1. Food Retail
2. Community-serving retail
3. Services
4. Civic and community facilities
5. Community anchor uses
 TRANSPORTATION
Main reason for air pollution is the transportation as it burns most of the world’s petroleum. Transportation
is affecting the environment greatly due to the major use of energy and this contributes to global warming
through emission of carbon dioxide.

 LEED relies on transportation demand management strategies that include:


1. Telecommuting
2. Shuttles
3. Shared parking between uses
4. Residential units rented or sold separately from parking
5. Transit subsidy
6. Compressed workweek schedule.

1. Public transportation
2. Reduce parking spaces 20% reduction from the baseline
3. Alternative fuel vehicles
4. Compressed work week
5. Telecommuting
6. Carpooling and parking fees
7. Encourage Bicycling
 Neighborhood Development and design
Neighborhood can be described as a place with a unique character and function where people can live,
work, shop, and interact with their neighbors. Sustainable neighborhoods tend to exhibit high levels of
walkability, a sense of place, social cohesion and stability, and neighborhood resiliency.

1. Smart Location and Linkage


2. Neighborhood Pattern and Design
3. Green infrastructure and Buildings

 Sustainable Sites
1. Sustainable sites: design and construction
2. Sustainable Sites: operations and maintenance
3. Heat island effect reduction
4. Rainwater management
5. Light pollution reduction
• Sustainable Sites: design and construction
1. Site Assessment
2. Site design
3. Landscaping
4. Maximize open space
5. Minimize construction Activity pollution
6. Restore and conserve sensitive areas
7. Brownfield and infill Developments
8. Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) ASTM E1527-05 for phase 1 and if contamination is suspected,
a second assessment is required under ASTM E1903-11.

• Heat island effect


It is the thermal absorption that causes high temperatures in urban areas and make it warmer than the
surrounding rural or undeveloped areas.

 There are several strategies that can reduce heat island effects:
1. providing shade from existing plants, trees, or vegetation.
2. Providing shade from structures covered with Solar panels, vegetation, or materials with high SRI
values.
3. Placing parking spaces underground.
4. Placing parking spaces undercover that has roof with a high SRI value.
5. Using pervious materials for pavement or materials with high SRI values.
6. Install green roofs or use materials with high SRI values.
7. Minimize development footprint.

 Solar reflectance index (SRI)


The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) is used to determine the effect of the reflectance and emittance on the
surface temperature, and varies from 100 for a standard white surface to zero for a standard black surface.
The SRI is calculated using ASTM E1980,

 solar reflectance (SR)


Solar reflectivity is the ability of a material to reflect solar energy from its surface back into the atmosphere.
The SR value is a number that ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. A value of zero indicates that the material absorbs all
solar energy and a value of 1.0 indicates total reflectance.

 Emittance
The emissivity of a surface, is a measure of how well a surface emits or releases heat. It is a value between 0
and 1. Highly polished aluminum has an emittance less than 0.1. A black non-metallic surface, on the other
hand, has an emittance greater than 0.9.
Reference to ENERGY STAR, emissivity can contribute to a cool roof.

 Green roofs are livable areas on top of the building structure that is covered with vegetation and
other associated layers that includes waterproofing membrane, filtration layer and irrigation system.

 On the other hand, LEED encourages project teams to install green roof due to its wide benefits that
include:
1. Reduced heat island effects by reflecting heat that might be better than high SRI materials.
2. Reduced storm water runoff by infiltrating and absorbing rain water. It can filter the water
from any pollutants and it can store it for later use.
3. provides habitable area for birds and wildlife.
4. A good insulation barrier for the interior spaces.
5. Lower Energy consumption that leads to reduced energy costs.
6. it can contribute to open spaces areas that is required for specific LEED credits.

• Rainwater management
Conventional approach in dealing with rainwater can harm watersheds and pollute water streams. The
conventional approach relies on the ability to collect as much water as possible and convey it to the drainage
system.

 Water runoff:
usually it happens during storms or excessive rainfall events, it requires strategies to mitigate the effects and
infiltrate the water into soil. The increase of impervious surfaces leads to more water runoff and it carries all
the pollutants that exists in the surface like oil, grease, bacteria, nutrients, and sediments.

1. Low impact development (LID)


 Applying LID strategies allows project teams to achieve:
a. Storm water Volume reduction
b. Water quality improvement
c. Water conservation for various on-site uses
d. Peak flow controls
 sustainable LID strategies include:
1) Bio retention cell
2) Vegetated swale
3) Permeable pavement

2. reuse rainwater
Harvesting rain water can reduce the amount of water that goes to water streams and can be used for
irrigation to reduce the associated watering costs. The water can be collected and stored in rain barrel or
cistern, it can be used in irrigation or flushing, and if purified in can be used as a potable water.

• Light pollution reduction


1. Lighting pollution
Glare
Light trespass
Sky glow

 All these problems can be mitigated by applying the following strategies:


1. Using interior window shading or blinds that can be controlled by occupants.
2. Installing full-controlled shading systems.
3. Placing interior light shelves to reflect sunlight towards the ceiling.
4. Selecting light fixtures which limit the amount of light emitted more than 80° above the nadir.
5. Lighting power densities must not exceed ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 for the
classified zone. IESNA (Illuminating Energy Society of North America)

2. Lighting Design
Starting from the design, selecting energy efficient lighting fixtures can reduce a huge energy consumption.
One of the best choices is to select a fully shielded fixture that will not send light directly at or above the
horizontal limits of the fixture.

3. Lighting control
A viable strategy for indoor lighting is the controllability of lighting fixtures that must be turned off
automatically in unused rooms within buildings to prevent light from spilling out of buildings.

 For exterior lighting, the project should be classified under the appropriate lighting zone as defined
in IESNA RP-33 and follow all the requirements for that zone.
 The four zones are:
LZ1: Dark (for developed areas within national parks, state parks forest land, and rural areas)
LZ2: Low (Primarily residential zones, neighborhood business
LZ3: Medium (Commercial/Industrial, high-density residential)
LZ4: High (major city centers, entertainment districts)

 CRI – color rendering index – Lighting Quality – Lighting Design and Control

 Water Efficiency
The WE category sustainable measures that promote the triple bottom line are addressed through the
following topics:
1. Indoor Water Use
2. Outdoor Water Use
 Indoor Water Use
Strategies for Indoor water use efficiency
1. Installing efficient plumbing fixtures WaterSense label and by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992.
LEED requires a reduction percentage of at least 20%
2. Reduce potable water use
3. Track water consumption

WaterSense label can be found for fixtures in the following product categories:
- Tank-type toilets (Water Closets)
- Water-using urinals
- Private lavatory faucets
- Showerheads
While these types are not labeled by WaterSense:
- Tank-less urinals
- Compositing toilets
- Water-less urinals
- Public lavatory faucets

The Baseline water consumption of fixtures and fittings is as follows:

For appliances and process water use, the requirements are as follows:

 Reduce potable water use


a- Water system Design
b- Process water
c- use graywater
d- Use rainwater
e- Track water consumption

 Strategies for outdoor water use efficiency:


1. Water-efficient landscape design.
2. Apply efficient irrigation strategies.
3. Reduce potable water consumption.
4. Track water consumption.
 Landscape design
1. Choose appropriate plants
2. Use Xeriscaping
3. Mulching
4. Reduce turf grass

 Mulching can lead to the following benefits:


- Keeps plant roots cool.
- Prevents soil from crusting.
- Minimizes evaporation and reduces weed growth.
- Reduces weed growth.
- Enhance the visual appearance of the landscape.

 Use efficient irrigation strategies


1- drip irrigation
2- weather based irrigation controllers (WBICs)
3- landscape efficient operations & maintenance

Some measures can be taken during operations and maintenance that include:
1.If turf is placed, water deeply to moisten the entire root zone to reduce water
consumption and maintain turf sustainably.
2.Use smart watering techniques to avoid over-watering and under-watering.
3.Schedule irrigation as per the minimum needed for plant health.
4.Adjust scheduling based on seasonal changes.
5.Inspect irrigation systems periodically.
6.Involve maintenance staff and users in training and awareness sessions on how to
properly maintain landscape.
 Track water consumption
1. Install meters
2. water audits

 Energy and Atmosphere


The EA category sustainable measures that promote the triple bottom line are addressed through the
following topics:
1. Energy Demand
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Refrigerant management
4. Renewable Energy
5. Ongoing Performance

 Strategies for reducing energy demand:


1- Reducing Peak Energy Demand
2- Project location
3- Building Design
4- Demand response

 As a conclusion, project teams can consider these strategies in their design:


1.Proper orientation and adequate sizing.
2.Minimize glazing which faces direct sun light.
3.Shade exterior glazing.
4.Use insulating low-e glass.
5.Make all glazing as small as possible.
6.Design and construct the exterior enclosure to be as airtight as possible.
7.Minimize solar gains ‘’In hotter climates’’
8.Maximize solar gains ‘’In colder climates’’
9.Consider using solar energy.

 Demand response (DR)


Demand response is a set of technologies and programs that aim to achieve more energy efficiency, reduce
energy demand, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reduce electricity use or shift the usage to another
time. The concept behind demand response is to encourage building occupants to reduce their usage during
peak hours to help utility providers optimize their electricity distribution.

Strategies for energy efficiency includes:


1- Building Envelope design
2- Thermal mass
3- Energy modelling simulation
4- Heating and Cooling loads
5- Natural Ventilation
6- Lighting Design and controls
7- Appliances (energy star)

 Lighting Design and controls strategies


Achieving high energy efficiency in lighting design requires balancing between visual outcomes and energy
consumption. These are some strategies to increase energy efficiency in buildings:
5.1 Indoor Lighting Quantity and Quality
5.2 Outdoor artificial lighting
5.3 Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
5.4 LED Lamps
5.5 Daylighting
5.6 Lighting Controls

 The conventional switches are the most common lighting controls ever been used that allows the
occupants to control lighting by switching on and off.
1. Dimmed Lighting
2. Occupancy Sensors
3. Motion Sensors
4. Time scheduling
5. Daylight Harvesting
6. Energy Star- Environmental protection agency (EPA) in 1992
 ASHRAE 90.1
It is the energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings that sets a minimum requirement
for energy efficiency.

 Refrigerant Management
Refrigerant management is becoming more important due to the great impact refrigerants have on the
environment, the following topics will cover the refrigerant management strategies and application:
1- Refrigerants Impacts
2- CFCs and HFCs
3- Montreal protocol – ozone depletion
4- Refrigeration design
5- Refrigerant properties
6- ODP and GWP of common refrigerants
6- Phase-out plans
7- Strategies and steps
8- U.S. EPA’s GreenChill
9- Halons

 Environmental impact of refrigerants


1. Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of a chemical compound is the relative amount of degradation it
can cause to the ozone layer
2. Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a measure of how much a given mass of a gas contributes to
global warming.



 Minimizing Refrigerant leakage
1. Replacement cost of lost refrigerant.
2. Increased energy cost due to loss of efficiency.
3. Increased maintenance cost.
Project team should follow U.S. EPA Clean air act, Title VI, Section 608 to minimize

 U.S. EPA’s GreenChill


GreenChill is an EPA Partnership with food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their
impact on the ozone layer and climate change.

 GreenChill works to help food retailers:


1. Transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants;
2. Lower refrigerant charge sizes and eliminate leaks; and
3. Adopt green refrigeration technologies and best environmental practices.
4. The GreenChill Partnership has three main programs that help food retailers reduce their refrigerant
emissions:
5. The Food Retailer Corporate Emissions Reduction Program
6. The Store Certification Program for Advanced Refrigeration
7. The Advanced Refrigeration Promotion Program

• Renewable Energy
1. Solar power systems
2. Photo-voltaic cells
3. Wind power
4. Geothermal heating and electric
5. Biomass
6. Bio-gas
7. Low-Impact Hydro Electric
• LEED NON-ELIGIBLE TYPES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY:
1. Architectural features
2. Passive solar
3. Daylighting
4. geo-exchange (ground source heat pumps)
5. Green-power from off site

 Green-e is a certification program for renewable energy. LEED typically recognizes renewable
energy if it’s been certified by the Center for Resource Solution or meets Green-e’s requirements.
Purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) or tradable renewable certificates (TRCs) which
represent the 1 MWh of electricity was generated from a renewable source. Renewable Energy
Certificates, or Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs), represent electricity produced from
renewable energy sources sold separately from commodity.
 Green e Climate = Carbon offset

 The following topics will be discussed related to renewable energy includes:

1- Passive Solar Energy


2- Active solar energy
3- Solar thermal systems
4- Wind energy
5- Hydro energy
6- Biofuel
7- Wave and Tidal power systems
8- Geothermal heat pumps/Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP)
9- Green Power
10- Carbon offsets
11- Common types of off-site renewable energy

1. Passive Solar Energy


Renewable energy starts with passive solar energy design that does not involve any mechanical devices.
Examples of passive solar applications are greenhouses, sunrooms and solariums -- as the sun's rays pass
through the glass windows, the interior absorbs and retains the heat required to warm up the spaces.

2. Active solar energy


The idea behind Active solar energy is to use mechanical devices to collect, store, and distribute of solar
energy.

3. Solar thermal systems (STE)


The collector is the main component of a solar thermal system and can be installed on the roof of the
building. The collector contains copper coated reinforced glass pipes to capture the solar radiation emitted
from the sun, which can then be transferred into heat and used in homes or other commercial buildings. The
container is insulated to prevent heat energy from being lost.

4. Wind energy
Wind power captures the natural wind and converts it into mechanical energy then electricity.

5. Hydro energy
Hydroelectricity is electrical energy generated from falling water.

6. Biofuel
Biofuels are produced from living organisms through contemporary biological processes rather than the
conventional geological processes that are involved in the formation of fossil fuel such as coal and
petroleum.

• LEED recognizes biofuel that produces both electricity and heat as renewable energy excluding the
following biofuels:
i. Combustion of municipal solid waste.
ii. Forest biomass waste other than mill residue.
iii. Wood coated with paints, plastics, or laminate.
iv. Wood treated for preservation with materials containing halogens, chlorine
compounds, halide compounds, chromated copper arsenate, or arsenic; if more than
1% of the wood fuel has been treated with these compounds, the energy system is
ineligible.
7. Wave and Tidal power systems
Wave Power is created from the transport of energy by ocean waves.

8. Geothermal heat pumps/Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP)


a central heating and/or cooling system, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and renewable heating and cooling
system that transfers heat to or from the ground.

9. Green Power
Green power is another option for projects that won’t be able to include renewable energy systems in their
designs due to financial initial costs or a late design decision. Green power is also renewable energy but
won’t be generated on-site as it is supplied from an off-site renewable energy source such as wind, solar,
geothermal, hydropower, or biomass.

 Green-e Energy: is the USA leading voluntary certification program for renewable energy.

The following topics will be investigated further to ensure optimal performance during occupancy:
1- Commissioning
2- Enhanced commissioning
3- Measuring and verification
4- Metering
5- Building Automation system BAS
6- Energy star portfolio manager
7- Energy audit
8- Flush out

 Materials and resources


1. Conservation of Building Materials and Products.
2. Selecting Environmental Materials.
3. Waste Management.
 Conservation of building materials
1- Design for adaptability and flexibility
2- Reuse building structure elements
3- Reuse building materials
4- Maintain occupancy rates – commitment from tenant to stay 10 years

 Selecting Environmental Materials


Life cycle assessment (LCA) can be used to select environmental materials as it determines the
environmental impacts of products, processes or services, through production, usage, and disposal. Some
other products have ISO 14000 environmental labels that are considered as an assurance that the material is
sustainable.

 Generally, to be able to select proper environmental material, the process should include the
following steps:
A) Research
B) Evaluation
C) Selection

 Cradle to Cradle Certified™ C2C Certified


Cradle to Cradle is a beneficial design approach integrating multiple attributes, including safe materials,
continuous reclamation and re-use of materials, clean water, renewable energy, and social fairness. There are
5 levels of certifications which are; Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

 Environmental product declaration (EPD)


Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified and registered document that
communicates transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of
products associated with raw material extraction, energy use, chemical makeup, waste generation, and
emission to air, soil, and water. It reports environmental data of products based on Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA), in accordance with the international standard ISO 14025 (Type III Environmental Declarations).

 A product category rule (PCR) defines the rules and requirements for EPDs according to ISO 14025

 EPD Process:
A) Product Category Rule (PCR)
B) Life Cycle Assessment
C) Create, Verify, & Publish EPD, according to ISO 14025

 Corporate Sustainability Reports


Corporate sustainability reports (CSR) are third-party verified reports which include environmental impacts
of extraction, activities associated with the manufacturer’s product, and the product’s supply chain. It
describes practices that are focused on social and environmental characteristics.
 LEED Acceptable CSR frameworks include the following:
- Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Report
- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational
Enterprises
- U.N. Global Compact: Communication of Progress
- ISO 26000: 2010 Guidance on Social Responsibility

 Health Public Declaration (HPD)


Health Public Declaration (HPD) is an ISO standardized and LCA based tool for publically reporting
product ingredients and their associated health hazards.

 Locally produced materials 100 miles (160 kilometers) radius of the project measured.

 Certified wood Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Established in 1993, is an independent, non-profit
organization, FSC certification is called Chain of Custody (CoC)

 Wood-based materials include, but are not limited to, the following materials when made from wood,
engineered wood products, or wood-based panel products:
a. Rough, Finish and miscellaneous carpentry.
b. Timber construction.
c. Wood decking.
d. Architectural woodwork.
e. Wood paneling, Veneering and covering.
f. Wood flooring.
g. Wood lockers and cabinets.
i. Furniture.

 "Post-consumer" material is defined as waste material generated by households or by commercial,


industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end users of the product, which can no longer be
used for its intended purpose.
 "Pre-consumer" material is defined as material diverted from the waste stream during the
manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind, or scrap
generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.
 Recycled content shall be defined in accordance with the International Organization of Standards
document, ISO 14021 — Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental
claims (Type II environmental labeling).

 PBTs Source Reduction


PTBs are persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic chemicals associated with the life cycle of building
materials. Selecting materials that contain lower PTBs will reduce hazardous waste and lower waste disposal
costs
 Bio-based materials- ASTM test method D6866.
Waste Management
Waste management strategies and practices are essential to reduce the negative impacts towards the
environment during construction and after occupancy. The strategies during the following phases will be
discussed in more detail:
1- Design and Planning Stage.
2- Construction waste management.
3- Operations and maintenance waste management.
 Waste management plan
A- Recycling waste
B- Commingled recycling
C- Waste-to-energy
D- Composting
Composting wasn’t part of LEED V2009 but LEED V4 is including composting as a strategy to recycle
organic waste.

 Operations and maintenance waste management.


A- Waste stream audit
B- Ongoing Purchasing

 Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction – New Construction (3 points)

Model a baseline building (ISO 14044) and compare design case

10% reduction of 3 of the following impact categories:

1 .Global warming potential (greenhouse gases), in CO2e;

2 .Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, in kg CFC-11;

3 .Acidification of land and water sources, in moles H+ or kg SO2;

4 .Eutrophication, in kg nitrogen or kg phosphate;

5 .Formation of tropospheric ozone, in kg NOx or kg ethene; and

6. Depletion of non-renewable energy resources, in MJ.

 INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY


There are also densely occupied spaces which is based on the concentration of occupants in the space with
25 people or more per 1,000 square feet (93 square meters).


The IEQ category sustainable measures that promote the triple bottom line are addressed through the
following topics:
1. Indoor Air Quality.
2. Lighting.
3. Occupant Comfort
 Green Seal – GS-11 from IEQ

 INDOOR AIR QUALITY
1. Emissions Source Control
2. Ventilation Improvements
3. Construction IAQ management plan

 Emissions Source Control


1. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) volatile organic compounds, find MSDS, SCAQMD D1168
2. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)- 1000 ppm
3. CO2 sensors
4. Biological Contaminants
5. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
6. Formaldehyde
7. Radon
8. Ozone
9. Particulate matter (PM2.5 – PM10)

 Improving indoor air quality


LEED requires project teams to design the ventilation system as per ASHRAE 62.1-2010, Section 6 for
determining the minimum required ventilation rates. For naturally occupied spaces, projects should also
comply with ASHRAE 62.1-2010 section 5.

 Interior paints and coatings applied on site – CPDH and SCAQMD 1113
 Interior adhesives and sealants applied on site – CPDH and SCAQMD 1168
 Flooring - CPDH
 Composite wood – California Air Resources Board (CARB) + No added
 Formaldehyde resins
 Ceilings, walls, thermal, and acoustic insulation - CPDH
 Furniture (include in calculations if part of scope of work) – ANSI/BIFMA
 Healthcare and Schools Projects only: Exterior applied products – CARB 2007 + SCAQMD 1168

 Enhanced Air quality


1. Entryway Systems
2. Air filtration media
LEED projects are required to install media filter that meets MERV 13 or higher. The equivalent F7 or
higher is acceptable too.
3. Increased Ventilation levels
at least 30 percent above the minimum rates required by ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 as determined by
IEQp1.
4. Air Quality Monitoring Devices

 Construction IAQ management plan- Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors
Association (SMACNA)

 SMACNA Strategies
HVAC Protection
The HVAC might be operational during construction, then temporary filters MERV 8 as determined by
ASHRAE Standard 52.2 should be installed and removed after construction ends and prior to occupancy.
Source Control
Pathway Interruption
Housekeeping
Scheduling
Flush-out

 Green cleaning -
Green cleaning starts with a green cleaning policy for the building and site addressing the purchasing of
materials and cleaning equipment, strategies for promotion of cleaning measures, training, guidelines for
safe handling, and occupant feedback. Green cleaning is common in existing buildings to ensure appropriate
materials are used indoor.
 Lighting
1- Daylighting
2- Interior Lighting
3- Lighting Control

 Daylighting
1. Massing and Orientation
2. Skylights and Solar tubes
3. Light shelves
4. Daylighting Simulation

 Interior Lighting
a) Occupant Comfort
a) Thermal Comfort

 There are six factors to take into consideration when designing for thermal comfort. Its determining
factors include the following:
1. Metabolic rate (met): The energy generated from the human body
2. Clothing insulation (clo): The amount of thermal insulation the person is wearing
3. Air temperature: Temperature of the air surrounding the occupant
4. Radiant temperature: The weighted average of all the temperatures from surfaces surrounding an
occupant
5. Air velocity: Rate of air movement given distance over time
6. Relative humidity: Percentage of water vapor in the air

 ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55 (Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy) is a


standard that provides minimum requirements for acceptable thermal indoor environments. It
establishes the ranges of indoor environmental conditions that are acceptable to achieve thermal
comfort for occupants. ASHRAE Thermal Comfort Tool
b) Temperature control
c) Acoustic comfort
d) Visual Comfort.

 Occupant comfort surveys


A great way to ensure occupants are satisfied with their surrounding indoor environment. Answers to these
survey questions will help indicate the performance of the building’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning,
acoustical, lighting and cleaning systems, while also providing direction for improving systems and
facilitating a comfortable environment for building occupants.

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