Interested in learning about some of the planet’s most cutting-edge sustainable buildings? The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has launched a new digital case study library showcasing examples of the world’s most cutting-edge sustainable buildings. Each case study demonstrates enhanced performance in relation to health benefits or achieve net zero operational carbon, as verified by established certification schemes, rating tools or other third-party verification.
According to WorldGBC, buildings and construction together account for 36 percent of global final energy use and 39 percent of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions when upstream power generation is included. Additionally, people spend 90 percent of their time in buildings, and there is a consistent association between unhealthy indoor environments and negative human health impacts, for example exposure to damp and mold is recognized to raise likelihood of asthma attacks by 40 percent. Building operations, therefore, represent a significant opportunity to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, improve air quality and create healthier places for people and communities.
WorldGBC launched the case study library in recognition of growing market demand to highlight the “best in class” buildings that excel in key areas of sustainability, and the role of certification schemes to provide third party assurance of performance.
Spaces Must Demonstrate Performance
Net zero carbon case studies are existing buildings or spaces that can demonstrate they have achieved high levels of energy efficiency and either generate or procure sufficient renewable energy to meet the building’s demand over 12 consecutive months. This can be demonstrated either through the use of Green Building Council or other market rating tools that certify net zero carbon performance, or by providing third party verified data to support the net zero claim.
Healthy case studies are existing buildings or spaces that can demonstrate they excel in the provision of features that enhance human health, as verified and certified using rating schemes demonstrating outstanding achievement of health elements of a holistic green building certification scheme, or achieve specific health-based certification, or demonstrate equivalent levels of performance using verified data.
The library also features industry “game changer” projects—those that have achieved the criteria for both healthy and net zero performance criteria—and information from the case studies about their specific features, lessons learned and additional useful project information. It is therefore a useful resource for sharing and learning about best practice approaches to achieving pioneering levels of sustainable performance.
Be sure to check out this new, valuable resource.
