Buildings Sustainability Certifications and the Common European Framework Level(s)

Abstract

Climate change, which is already having consequences today, requires changes in humanity’s lifestyle. This necessarily involves the way we inhabit the planet and exploit its natural resources. The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector, due to its importance in the economy, must contribute effectively so that the results have an impact in solving problems such as CO2 emissions and in reducing the consumption of environmental resources, inserting circular economy concepts in the current economic model. One important tool is building certification systems such as LEED and BREEAM. These systems help professionals identify, implement, and measure sustainable practices in buildings during their life cycles. With their own methodologies, the certifications aim to mitigate the impacts generated on the environment, reducing waste production, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions. On the other hand, to achieve the goals set by the European Union for the sector, the European Commission developed the Common Framework for Sustainable Buildings - Level(s), which seeks, through a simple and common language for all Member States, to provide support in the development of “greener” buildings. This framework aims to facilitate the introduction of circular economy concepts in buildings, through a series of indicators that can complement and facilitate the implementation of certification systems. This article aims to analyze these certifications and compare them to the common Level(s) framework to demonstrate how the application of the approach suggested by the EU can contribute to the implementation of certifications. At the end, the correlation found between the indicators of Level(s) and the assessment criteria of both certifications is presented.