How can green building certification reduce carbon emissions?

Green building certification programs, like LEED, EDGE or BREEAM, reduce carbon emissions by emphasizing energy-efficient design and controls, incorporating demand-controlled ventilation systems, optimizing scheduling to minimize energy use, and promoting the use of low embodied carbon materials. These certifications encourage the adoption of sustainable practices that lower energy consumption, enhance indoor air quality, and prioritize the use of environmentally friendly materials, contributing to overall carbon emission reductions in the built environment.

Learning from the way our ancestors dealt with these matters of providing liveable spaces allows for development of sustainable solutions without much need for science and tech - solutions are centuries old and most craftsman builders from a heritage background tend to be intuitive in such matters -

Green building certification reduces carbon emissions through strategies like promoting energy efficiency, encouraging the use of renewable energy sources, selecting sustainable low embodied carbon materials, minimizing waste, These measures not only decrease a building's carbon footprint but also contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly construction and operation.

Green building certification, like LEED, plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions. By focusing on energy efficiency (using solar panels), water conservation (installing low-flow fixtures), and sustainable materials (choosing recycled resources), it sets a high standard for eco-friendly construction. This not only helps the environment but also leads to cost savings and healthier living spaces. Embracing these practices is a step towards a sustainable future.

Using less energy will pay back over and over again. And the best way to do this is invest in the enclosure. Pay attention to minimizing thermal bridging, air sealing, vapor rerarders, and good insulation. Oh and not too much glass (because solid walls are both better performing for ever, and less costly).

Irrigation and leaks are the two biggest areas to easily improve. Use weather based controllers for irrigation and monitor / correct leaks both indoors and out. Even though people don’t think about it in most markets, there’s a direct correlation between water consumption and carbon emissions.

Where I grew up water was brought from miles away, its value and importance is translated into respect for this resource and communities across the globe revere this commodity - it needs to become more central to our daily lives so that all the supply chain of its delivery and consumption is geared towards efficiency of use and respect of its importance in our lives ….

While we focus our efforts on reducing carbon emissions during the operational phase of the building, we must not forget the impact of embodied carbon in building materials at various stages, including extraction, production, transportation, and installation until the end of its life. By 2050, half of new buildings’ emissions could come from embodied carbon. Green building certification must evaluate the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of products and encourage the usage of products with fewer carbon footprints. Glass industry is moving in a direction where it is pushing to reduce the embodied carbon in glass, which forms the primary element of a building facade. Products like ORAE from Saint-Gobain Glass are a great example.

Good ventilation and filtration. Reasonable controls. Operable windows if you can swing it. Daylight and views of something significant. All this speaks to IEQ and rolls up to reduction in carbon emissions by increasing the health and satisfaction of occupants / building users. This in turn save time, resources, and sick days, all of which have inherent ties to CO2 emissions that we as an industry really haven’t gotten around to fully considering the implications of yet.

Green building rating systems and certifications should be seen as a menu of well researched options and source of knowledge that should be considered when aiming to make your project more sustainable. Choose the options wisely, and for the right reasons and they can make your building better, including reduced carbon emissions.

There should be a primary focus on implementing technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in particular of CO2, together with an effort to reduce other GHG emissions. We also want to reduce emissions in all aspects of a business, from offices and stores to businesses' operations as well as supply chains and service providers by switching to 100% renewable energy.