Green Building Initiatives and Certification Systems, such as LEED and BREEAM, assess the sustainable performance of building materials and the performance of the whole building (e.g., energy efficiency). Such initiatives are of growing importance and will consequently influence the market demands for construction products. Listed here are some of the most relevant Green Building Initiatives. Sika is actively participating in these initiatives and programs.
| Initiative | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
| LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) | LEED is the world’s best known green building certification system. It was developed in 2000 by the USGBC (US Green Building Council) and is most relevant for North America, but is also used in many other regions around the world, such as South America, Europe and Asia. It is based on a set of rating systems where specific topics are assessed, such as transportation, recycling content, etc. For further details, please contact Sika US or visit Website Sika Sarnafil USA | Website |
| BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) | BREEAM is an environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings, launched in 1990 by the British organisation BRE (Building Research Establishment). It is also used in other countries such as Netherlands and Spain. BREEAM assesses the overall performance of buildings using factors such as energy and water use, the internal environment (health and well-being), pollution, transport, materials etc., awarding credits in each area according to performance. The environmental impact is determined by using LCA. For further information, please contact Sika UK or visit: Website Sika UK | Website |
| DGNB Certification System (Deutsches Gütesiegel für Nachhaltiges Bauen) | The DGNB Certification System was developed by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the German Government in 2009 and several country adaptations are under preparation. It is based on several criteria within 6 topics, among which are Ecological Quality, Economical Quality and Technical Quality. For the Ecological Quality topic, LCA data is required. As a basis for data communication, Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) are used. For further information, please contact Sika Germany or visit Website Sika Germany | Website |
| HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale) | The HQE is the French environmental quality management approach for construction, developed in 1994 and controlled by the Association for High Environmental Quality (ASSOHQE). The HQE certification is based on 14 target areas grouped in 4 themes: environmental construction, environmental management, comfort and health. The choice of construction products and materials is based on Environmental Product Declaration (EPD’s) that include LCA data. For further details, please contact Sika France or visit Website Sika France | Website |
| CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency) | The CASBEE is the Japanese tool for assessing and rating the environmental performance of buildings. It was created in 2001 by the Japan Sustainable Building Consortium (JSBC) and measures the ratio between the Building Environmental Quality & Performance (e.g., thermal comfort) and the Building Environmental Loads (e.g. energy efficiency, global warming). LCA is used to determine quantitative assessment indicators for typical building environmental loads. For further details, please contact Sika Japan or visit Website Sika Japan | Website |
| Green Globes | The Green Globes system is based on BREEAM and was created in was in 1996. It is used in Canada, operated by the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA) and Energy and Environment Canada Ltd. (ECD), and in the USA, where it is operated by the Green Building Initiative (GBI). In the Green Globes system for the Design of New Buildings, points are given in the resource section for conducting a LCA of building assemblies and materials. For further details, please contact Sika Sarnafil US or visit Website Sika Sarnafil USA | Website |
| Green Star | The Green Star environmental rating system of buildings was developed in 2003 by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), based on LEED and BREEAM. It is leading in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Green Star assesses a project’s environmental performance against nine environmental impact categories. It encourages the use of materials that fulfil its environmental best practice, but does not have a real inclusion of LCA. For further details, please contact Sika Australia or visit Website Sika Australia | Website |