Building standard
A set of predefined criteria, guidelines, or principles that focus on promoting environmentally responsible and resource-efficient construction and operations. These standards provide guidelines and benchmarks for sustainable building practices, promoting resource conservation, energy efficiency, and the reduction of environmental impacts in the construction and operation of buildings. Different standards may focus on various aspects of sustainability, but they all share the goal of creating more environmentally responsible and circular buildings.
Examples of building standards that promote sustainability and building circularity:
• WELL Building Standard: This standard focuses on improving the health and well-being of building occupants by addressing factors like air quality, water quality, nutrition, and fitness amenities.
• LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): LEED is a widely recognized green building certification system that evaluates the environmental performance of buildings and encourages sustainable design and construction practices.
• BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method): BREEAM is a similar certification system to LEED, primarily used in the United Kingdom and Europe, which assesses the environmental performance of buildings and infrastructure.
• Cradle to Cradle (C2C): C2C is a design framework that promotes the idea that products and buildings should be designed to have a positive impact on the environment. It emphasizes the use of materials that can be endlessly recycled or biodegraded.
• Passive House: This standard focuses on designing ultra-energy-efficient buildings that require very little energy for heating or cooling, emphasizing insulation, airtightness, and efficient ventilation.
• The Living Building Challenge: This standard is one of the most rigorous in terms of sustainability. It requires buildings to meet strict criteria in seven performance areas, including energy, water, and materials.
• ISO 14001: While not exclusively a building standard, ISO 14001 is an international standard for environmental management systems that can be applied to the construction industry to help organizations manage their environmental impact.