Developing a systemic framework for applying LEED system : managing energy and materials credits

LEED system is one of the mostly diffused Green Building Rating systems, yet there is no defined framework on how to apply LEED system along the building process- as a Mean Not as an End itself. Hence, the research defines and develops the scopes and limits of operation of the LEED system establishing a proposed systemic framework for practitioners to apply LEED through an integrated process as well as individual practices- focusing on environmental considerations. The proposed framework is based on differentiating between two interrelated mechanisms of operation of Green Building Rating systems; ‘Rating’ and ‘Certification’ mechanisms; the Rating Mechanism, which includes acting as a (Guideline and Decision making support tool) covers organizational and operational aspects to achieve sustainable building process and as a (Measurement and Benchmarking tool) to assess sustainable building performance. Then, it discusses LEED system’s verification and certification mechanism, which includes quality assurance methods provided by the system to verify sustainable building performance, e.g. Commissioning, Measurement and Verification, Post Occupancy Evaluation and Life Cycle Assessment- providing for the quality, which factors in the system’s certification and market performance, hence determines the value and sets the price of LEED certified projects. Each scope represents a distinct role played by LEED system in the building process, and the contribution of each scope is what constitutes the whole system thinking. All four scopes should be applied in a systemic iterative manner within the correct timeframe, to support the decision making process and reach optimized management process. The framework was applied on both energy and materials credits- which represent almost half the total weight assigned for LEED credits and main source of criticism for the system. The research applies the proposed systemic framework along different project stages, to present a ‘Know how’ for practitioners. Then the research tests and validates the proposed framework for some of the Materials and Resources and Energy and Atmosphere credits, using two case studies: one is a new construction project (Science Museum in Trento), and the other is a major renovation project (Palazzo Ricordi Berchet) to explore the effect of using the suggested framework on different building types and contexts, as well as using different LEED rating systems and versions on the management process. Then a final step of adjustments is presented for the proposed research framework based on findings from the testing step.

None