Green building rating systems

As part of Agenda 21, which was established at the Earth Summit(1992), green building rating systems and practices were mainly developed to reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts through high performance in aspects of design, construction,

operation and demolition; this was to be achieved through

covering the main system categories, namely site selection (SS), energy efficiency and (WE) water efficiency, operation and management, materials. The main categories and indicators vary between the existing rating systems, which also provide an evaluation of sustainability or the greenness level of any development, in addition to opportunities provided to stakeholders to enhance or upgrade development performance towards a greener attitude or higher levels of sustainability. Furthermore, each rating system can be an ideal practice guide for sustainable design, operation and management,fllowings are the main points which should be considered by each green building certificates:

•Reduce energy costs.

•Improve air quality.

•Improve the use of materials and resources used in the buildings production.

•Water Efficiency.

•Recycling wastes and re-using them.

COUNTRY

RATING SYSTEM

USA

LEED/ LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGES/ GREEN GLOBES/ NAHB/ BUILD IT GREEN

AUSTRALIA

NABARS/ GREEN STAR

CANADA

LEED CANADA/ GREEN GLOBES

SWITZERLAND

MINERGIE

UK

BREEAM

UAE

ESTIDMA

FINLAND

PROMISE

ITALY

PROTOCOLLO ITACA/ GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL ITALIA

BRAZIL

AQUA/ LEED BRASIL

INDIA

LEED INDIA/ TERI GRIHA