BS 716- Principles of Green Building Design and Delivery

Green, Sustainable and High

Performance Buildings
Definitions, Similarities and Differences
Zeynep akr

13.11.2012

It is obvious that as human beings we are overpopulated in our habitat, planet Earth. This
overpopulation has only been possible due to the technological advances taking its roots from the
industrial revolution. These technological advances the history has ever witnessed enabled us to use
the natural resources to an extent at which the nature can hardly sustain itself and also it made us
the most powerful and destructive species on Earth. Since weve already dominated the use of
natural resources and most of the habitat on the Earth, we have to act responsibly and sensitively to
help the nature sustain itself so that it can support the life as we know it in the coming centuries as
well.
Human beings are mostly populated in urban areas around the world where the use of resources is
most extensive. Green, sustainable, eco-friendly, etc urban settlement stresses the idea that since we
have already destructed parts of the nature to build large cities, we should stop or reduce the urban
sprawl to prevent further damage to the nature. Instead, we should use the already destroyed areas
and construct buildings which lives in harmony with its surroundings and has little environmental
footprint within a compact city form. Therefore, it is a must more than some eco-sensitivity that we
construct more green or sustainable or high performance buildings not only for the sake of nature
itself but also for the sake of us and the coming generations. Clearifying the need for
green/sustainable/high performance buildings, we need to define the specifications and differences
of these buildings from conventional architecture.
Although the definitions of green, sustainable and high performance buildings overlap, there are still
some slight differences between them. In fact, there is not an exact definition for any of these terms.
Mostly used definitions of green building can be summarized as follows:
Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are
environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from
siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This
practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility,
durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance
building. US Environmental Protection Agency
US EPA continues as Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built
environment on human health and the natural environment by:

Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources

Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

According the definition of US EPA, green, sustainable and high performance buildings literaly mean
the same as it is clearly stated in the definition given above.
evre Dostu Yeil Binalar Dernei (EDBK)- an established member of World Green Building Councildefines green buildings as;
Buildings that are named as sustainable, ecological, green, environment-friendly, etc are the
buildings that are considered throughout its life-cyle starting from siting to demolition; are
designed with a holistic approach considering social and environmental responsibility; fit in
the local environment and climatic conditions; consume as much as it needs; employing
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renewable energy sources as much as possible; encouraging the use of natural materials and
are sensitive to the ecosystems. (translated from [1])
Green buildings has other definitions based on green building certification systems. Green building
certification systems basically assess the greenness of a building based on some categorized criteria
and the related standards. These systems mainly assess site selection, energy use and efficiency,
water use and efficieny, material use and indoor environmental quality for user comfort and health.
LEED system developed by US Green Bulding Council- is one of these certification systems. For
example, a building that is called green in the sense of LEED should consider the following five
factors [2]:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Promote selection of appropriate sites and environmentally sustainable site development

Promote efficient use of water resources
Conserve energy, use renewable energy and protect atmospheric resources
Conserve building materials, reduce construction waste and sensibly use natural resources
Protect and enhance indoor environmental quality

Many countries have their own green building rating systems or codes. Some of them have
developed their own systems while others modified the existing ones. The list of these countries and
the systems they use are listed in the following table [4].

Australia Nabers / Green Star

Brazil: AQUA / LEED Brasil
Canada: LEED Canada / Green Globes / Built Green Canada
China: GBAS
Finland: PromisE
France: HQE
Germany: DGNB / CEPHEUS
Hong Kong: HKBEAM
India: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)/ GBCIndia (Green Building Construction India)/
GRIHA
Indonesia: Green Building Council Indonesia (GBCI) / Greenship
Italy: Protocollo Itaca / Green Building Council Italia
Japan: CASBEE
Korea, Republic of: Green Building Certification Criteria / Korea Green Building Council
Malaysia: GBI Malaysia
Mexico: LEED Mexico
Netherlands: BREEAM Netherlands
New Zealand: Green Star NZ
Pakistan: Pakistan Green Building Council
Philippines: BERDE / Philippine Green Building Council
Portugal: Lider A / SBToolPT
Republic of China (Taiwan): Green Building Label
Singapore: Green Mark
South Africa: Green Star SA
Spain: VERDE
Switzerland: Minergie
United States: LEED / Living Building Challenge / Green Globes / Build it Green / NAHB NGBS
/ International Green Construction Code (IGCC) / ENERGY STAR
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United Kingdom: BREEAM

United Arab Emirates: Estidama
Thailand : TREES
Vietnam: LOTUS Rating Tools
Czech Republic: SBToolCZ
Australia: Green Building Architecture

Therefore, it can be said that there exist as many green building descriptions as the number of
certification systems.
High performance buildings incorporate efficient use of energy and resources. In the US Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (Section 914), a high performance building is defined as;
A building that integrates and optimizes all major high-performance building attributes,
including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity
Also the Act defines High-Performance Buildings as the integration and optimization on a life cycle
basis all major high-performance attributes, including energy conservation, environment, safety,
security, durability, accessibility, cost-benefit, productivity, sustainability, functionality, and
operational considerations [3].

(from US National Institute of Building Science)

It is evident in the US EPA that high performance buildings cover both green and sustainable building
definitions and further considers additional attributes such as safety, functionality, aesthetics,
durability and cost effectiveness.
Considering all the above definitions, it is quite clear that green and sustainable buildings definitions
are generally used interchangibly while high performance building has a more distinctive definition.
In my opinion, green and sustainable building definitions can be differentiated based on the literal
meanings of the words green and sustainable. Green building definition might consider buildings
with properties related to being green, metaphorically, which means environmentally friendly.
While sustainable building definition might cover all three pillars of sustainability definition.
Sustainability is first mentioned in the sustainable development context in the Brundtlandt Report of
World Commision on Environment and Development in 1987 as:
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
It contains within it two key concepts:
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the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds poor, to which
overriding priority should be given; and

the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the
environments ability to meet present and future needs. [5]
According to the report and the definition of sustainable development, the three pillars of
sustainability- or sustainable development- are social well-being of all the people of this and the
coming generations, protection of the environment and achieving economic growth. Considering
these three issues I can conclude that a sustainable building should help realize the sustainable
development. If we were to make a distinction between the definitions of green and sustainable
buildings, it would not be wrong to say that green building definition should focus more on the
sustainability of natural resources and the protection of the environment (one pillar of sustainability
definition) whereas sustainable building definition focuses on all the three aspects mentioned above.
It is also worth noting that sustainable development is like a utopia or is a hardly realizable
development scheme according to most of the authorities since considering the current technology,
consumption patterns and economic models it is really difficult to protect the nature, provide interand intra-generational social equity while promoting economic growth at this pace. Therefore,
sustainable building defined in this way might also become a somehow vague concept.

References:
[1] Yeil Bina Nedir ?. Retrieved 10.11.12 <http://www.cedbik.org/sayfalar.asp?KatID=3&ID=24>
[2] Yudelson, J., Green Building A to Z, New Society Publishers, 2008
[3] High Performance Building Council - National Institute of Building Sciences. Retrieved 10.11.12
<http://www.nibs.org/?page=hpbc>
[4] Green building - Wikipedia, the
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building>

free

encyclopedia.

Retrieved

09.11.12.

[5] What is Sustainable Development? Retrieved 12.11.12. <http://www.iisd.org/sd/>