Building Performance for a Greener Tomorrow: Designing an Initial Assessment System for Green Building Certifications of Existing Buildings

Abstract: Overconsumption of fossil fuels and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions are causing a greenhouse effect, which lead to a rise in average temperatures globally and contribute to global climate change. The construction sector has been identified as responsible for some of the highest levels of resource use and waste emissions across the globe, compared with other sectors. Tackling the construction sector in Europe through the operations and renovations of existing buildings will contribute to a major shift in reducing the negative impacts of climate change. Green building certifications offer a way towards improving an existing building’s environmental performance. In Sweden, property owners of existing office buildings are interested in upgrading, maintaining, or achieving green building certifications to also increase their competitiveness on the market and improve their company’s overall environmental performance portfolio. Amidst literature on green building certifications for design and new construction, few studies have been done on green building certifications for existing buildings. By identifying systematic challenges in the certification process for those who assess existing buildings with BREEAM In-Use, LEED EBOM, and Miljöbyggnad for existing buildings, the concept of a strategic tool to mitigate the challenges of the assessment process has been recommended. With such a tool to precede the assessment stage, sustainability consultants can identify client motivations and key performance indicators that target the most appropriate credits within the three schemes under study.