LEED designed projects cost-effective

zoom

Seneviratne: the application of sustainable building design methods such as LEED can result in commercial as well as environmental benefits.

The cost of constructing a building to international sustainable standards is no higher than creating a non-green building according to a leading industry professional.

Mario Seneviratne, director of Dubai-based Green Technologies and secretary to the board of the Emirates Green Building Council stated: "Green buildings do not cost more and I would challenge anyone to prove that they do. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system) makes business sense."

Speaking at a seminar hosted by manufacturer Trane entitled ‘Building a greener', Seneviratne stressed the low costs involved in applying a rating system such as LEED. "Studies done in the US and Australia show that LEED buildings don't cost more...even to achieve Platinum rating now only costs 6% more than for a normal building," he assured.

Significant business benefits can also be achieved by applying sustainable design techniques to buildings stated Seneviratne: "The savings [when LEED is applied] are immediate and measurable.

"Benefits of LEED include third-party validation of your achievements and marketing exposure...there is 10-30% more interest in LEED buildings that are advertised for rent or sale," he added.

Seneviratne stressed that LEED can be applied to most buildings and should be used as a tool by the entire design team, with MEP professionals key to its application. "Even if you don't use LEED for rating a building by using it as a design tool it will give a very good building...more than 50% of LEED points are to do with M&E engineers, you have a controlling share of the building design."

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM