Main environmental certifications

Occupying, renovating, changing use of and demolishing buildings consume energy, water and raw materials, in addition to generating waste and emitting potentially harmful atmospheric emissions.

The various green building certifications assess or reward the level of compliance or performance of housing projects according to specific environmental goals and requirements. Some of these programs focus solely on the consumption of a few resources, while others assess a wider range of factors to establish the overall performance of a building to reduce its impact on the environment and human health.

Obligations of real estate brokers

Although environmental certifications can be important marketing tools in promoting a building, the complexity of their methodology and the diversity of their approach can sometimes be confusing.  The fact remains that brokers must inform their clients objectively and be able to demonstrate the accuracy of the information provided by means of relevant documents. Before promoting the environmental certification of a building, usual verifications should also be carried out to ensure that the certification has been issued by the competent authority and is still in force.

Although their philosophy, approach and method vary, environmental certifications have the common goal of recognizing efforts to mitigate their impact on the environment through sustainable design. Here is an overview of the most relevant certifications.

LEED^TM

LEED^TM (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a certification program that is internationally recognized as the industry standard. It can be applied to new constructions (including major renovations),the fitting out of an existing building and the operation and maintenance of various types of buildings.

Its rating system, based on 100 points, assesses the environmental performance of buildings in several categories, including:

• Integration process
• Location and transportation
• Sustainable site development
• Water savings, energy efficiency
• Materials selection and indoor environmental quality
•  Innovation and regional priority

In addition to these performance areas, there are mandatory prerequisites, such as minimum reduction in energy and water consumption, recyclable materials collection and tobacco smoke control.      

Documentation showing compliance with LEED^TM requirements must be posted online, and no on-site visit is required. Once construction is complete, if all the prerequisites and a sufficient number of credits are obtained, a building can be awarded one of four levels of LEED certification:

• Certified(40-49 points)
• Silver(50-59 points)
• Gold(60–79 points)
• Platinum(80+ points)

LEED^TM certification is known for having significant registration and certification fees that justify their inclusion in the project budget, and for having detailed and specific documentation requirements that necessitate a significant human resources contribution.

GREEN GLOBES^TM

Green Globes^TM is a Canadian certification used to assess the environmental performance of new constructions (including major renovations), indoor commercial spaces and existing buildings.

Buildings are rated on a 1,000-point scale divided into 7 categories: energy, indoor environment, site, emissions and impacts, water efficiency, materials and project management. Applicants may exclude certain aspects that are not applicable to their project and there are no prerequisites.

The first step towards Green Globes^TM certification is to complete an online self-declaration, which is required at various steps of the design and construction process. It consists of almost 150 multiple-choice questions. Once completed, Green Globes^TM automatically and instantly issues an assessment report with recommendations for design improvements and the resources to carry them out. The certification process is completed with a site inspection after substantial completion at the end of the project to validate the information submitted online.

Once the verifications are done, buildings receive certification based on their score:

1. Green Globe (35-54%)
2. Green Globes (55-69%)
3. Green Globes (70-84%)
4. Green Globe (85-100%)

BOMA BEST®

BOMA BEST® (Building Environmental Standards) certification for sustainable buildings recognizes excellence in energy and sustainability management and performance in commercial real estate. It is a certification program and building management tool that facilitates ongoing improvement in building operation and maintenance to decarbonize, reduce water and waste consumption, modernize for accessibility and equity, and navigate climate risks.

Through the use of questionnaires or survey-based assessments, BOMA BEST® rates six areas of performance: energy and carbon, water, indoor air quality and risk, accessibility and well-being, maintenance and residual materials, as well as resilience and site.

WELL Building Standard®

WELL Building Standard® is a certification process that combines best practice in design and construction with medical and scientific research that explores the link between buildings and their impact on the health and well-being of occupants. WELL Building Standard® certified spaces can help improve the nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep patterns and performance of their occupants.

It measures, certifies and monitors over 100 features grouped into 10 factors: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, community and innovation. Each feature includes prerequisites as well as optional features, called optimizations, which each project can choose to implement to gain the points needed to achieve certification.

WELL Building Standard® takes into account the specific set of considerations that are unique to a particular building type and can be applied to a wide range of property sectors, project types or areas of activity.

Fitwel®

This certification system is committed to building health for all by addressing 55 design and operational strategies to enhance buildings, divided into seven assessed health impact categories: impacts on community health, reducing morbidity and absenteeism, supporting social equity for vulnerable populations, instilling feelings of well-being, enhancing access to healthy foods, promoting occupant safety and increasing physical activity.

Certification is available for new and existing buildings, based on a 1-3 star rating, and is valid for 3 years, after which the project can be re-certified.

Living Building Challenge^TM

Living Building Challenge^TM recognizes various types of certifications rating 7 performance areas: site, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity and beauty. Each performance area is subdivided into a total of 20 requirements.

Certification is based on actual performance. After online registration, certification takes place 12 months after the start of the project, during which project performance data is measured. At the end of this period, the collected documentation is verified as part of an audit process carried out by an independent third party.