Understanding Green Building Certifications: LEED vs BREEAM

The quest for sustainable and energy-efficient building practices has given rise to numerous green building certification programs. Among the most prominent are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). While both aim to promote environmentally friendly construction, they differ significantly in their approach, certification criteria, and emphasis.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

LEED, managed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), is a comprehensive green building rating system. It focuses on a wide range of environmental strategies, with points awarded for meeting specific prerequisites and credits. According to many architects and engineers, the LEED system is known for its detailed guidelines and extensive checklist that cover various aspects of sustainable building design.

Critical Aspects of LEED

Materials and Resources: LEED evaluates the environmental impact of building materials and encourages the use of sustainable materials. Energy Efficiency: While energy efficiency is a significant component, critics argue that the current standards are not stringent enough to ensure substantial energy savings. Environmental and Human Factors: LEED addresses a broad range of environmental and human factors, including indoor air quality, water efficiency, and site selection.

Criticisms and Limitations of LEED

Some major criticisms of LEED include:

The energy efficiency criteria are often seen as lacking in rigor and verification. The system focuses heavily on material requirements, potentially at the expense of actual energy savings. Many LEED-certified projects have been found to use as much, or even more, energy than conventionally built buildings.

As an energy engineer, I frequently found the energy efficiency lists in LEED to be neither strict nor based on good engineering. These lists are usually not verified and often not followed strictly, resulting in minimal energy savings in many LEED buildings.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)

BREEAM, developed by BRE (Building Research Establishment), is another well-known green building rating system. It is particularly popular in the United Kingdom and is used to assess the performance of buildings across various environmental factors.

Evaluation Criteria of BREEAM

BREEAM evaluates buildings across the following key areas:

Management: This includes overall management policies, commissioning, site management, and procedural issues. Energy Use: Operational energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) issues are assessed. Health and Well-Being: Indoor and external factors affecting health and well-being are evaluated. Pollution: Issues related to air and water pollution are considered. Transport: This covers transport-related CO2 emissions and location-related factors. Land Use: Greenfield and brownfield sites are examined to assess their environmental impact. Ecology: Ecological value, conservation, and enhancement of the site are evaluated. Materials: Environmental implications of building materials, including life-cycle impacts, are assessed. Water: Consumption and water efficiency are measured.

Strengths of BREEAM

BREEAM is appreciated for its comprehensive and detailed approach to evaluating a building's environmental performance. This assessment provides a clear roadmap for green building practices, offering verified and actionable insights. While it typically results in modest energy savings, the transparency and rigor of BREEAM often outweigh its limitations.

Conclusion: Results Over Methods

Despite their differences, both LEED and BREEAM aim to promote sustainable building practices. However, in practice, many argue that the true measure of success lies not in the methods but in the actual results. It is imperative to establish certification programs that not only adhere to best practices but also yield tangible energy savings. The ultimate goal should be to incentivize and reward buildings that achieve measurable energy efficiency and environmental performance.

In summary, while LEED and BREEAM are valuable tools in promoting green building, the focus should be on achieving meaningful energy savings, rather than just meeting checklists and criteria. A system that rewards actual energy performance would better meet the needs of green building initiatives.