Meeting standards

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BASEC chief executive Jeremy Hodge.

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PFPF Chairman David Sugden.

While several internationally recognised sets of standards and processes exist for green building practices, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has, to date, proven the most popular in the region. Originally developed by the US Green Building Council, the Emirates Green Building Council has since adapted LEED to meet local environmental issues and nuances.

“LEED certification is a buzzword in the construction industry,” states Above Green president Vincent Bataoel, LEED Accredited Professional (AP). “It is a standard used by construction professionals and project developers to guarantee the environmental quality of new construction or major renovation projects.”

There are six categories in the LEED system: sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovative design. An environmental designer or LEED AP uses these categories to determine what environmental features can best be incorporated into a project given its particular geography, goals and budget. Following construction, a LEED certification application listing proof of the methods taken to meet the standards will be submitted to the Green Building Council for third-party verification. If the building adequately complies with the standards, it will be listed certified, silver, gold, or platinum, depending on the number of environmental features that have been incorporated.

“Many of these options translate into saving money, improving the quality of life for the occupants and raising the overall quality of the building,” explains Bataoel. “The projects that we work on typically use at least 40% less water, 40% less energy, and generate 50% to 75% less waste than regular projects.

“Our LEED buildings have 5% to 10% higher occupancy rates and the property values themselves are one to three times higher than they would be without using these environmental standards. It is not only about saving resources and saving the ecosystem, it is also about improving the indoor environment for the occupants as well as the financial bottom-line for the building owners,” adds Bataoel.

Rental values of LEED-certified buildings are also generally higher and further long-term gains can be made from staff productivity. “Building owners can charge more for the spaces because they are premium spaces. Building occupants are more productive because the spaces are cleaner, brighter and promote well being,” reports Bataoel.

Preparing for the future

With a worldwide economic recession underway, it may be tempting for some to opt for the non-standards compliant options. But, the benefits of following best practice procedures are evident. They are law in some cases. “The Civil Defence Department requires the use of third-party certificated products and services where fire safety in buildings is concerned. This won’t change just because we have a recession,” concludes Sugden.

Standards bodies and organisations

ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (Ansi) oversees the creation and use of thousands of guidelines that directly impact businesses in nearly every industry sector. Ansi is the official US representative to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Ansi also accredits programmes that assess conformance to standards – including globally-recognised cross-sector programs such as ISO 9000 and ISO 14,000 quality and environmental management systems.
www.ansi.org

ASTM
ASTM International was formed more than a century ago as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). It provides technical standards for materials, products, systems and services for a range of industries. Standards developed at ASTM are the work of over 30,000 ASTM members, with technical experts representing producers, users, consumers, government and academia from over 120 countries.
www.astm.org

BASEC
The British Approvals Service for Cables (Basec) is a non-profit making UK Government-nominated body. Operating for more than 30 years, Basec provides product certification services for electrical cables, data and signal cables and ancillary products. All products are rigorously tested to meet necessary and appropriate British, European and international standards through detailed examination of manufacturers’ production processes and controls. Basec provides system assessment and certification for Quality (ISO 9001); Environmental (ISO 14,001) and Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS 18,001).
www.basec.org.uk

BSI
BSI British Standards is the UK’s National Standards Body and was the world’s first such body. A non-profit distributing organisation, it works with manufacturing and service industries, businesses, governments and consumers to facilitate the production of British, European and international standards.
www.bsi-global.com

Construction Products Certification (CPC)
Construction Products Certification is the division of the UK’s Quality Scheme for Ready Mixed Concrete (QSRMC) that provides a certification service for suppliers of a range of construction products. CPC offers certification for construction materials suppliers and can work in partnership with its clients to offer integrated audits at multi-product sites. As a Notified Body under the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC), CPC can provide certification of the factory production control system for products that require the involvement of a third-party certification body.
www.cpcert.co.uk

LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a standard used by construction professionals and project developers to guarantee the environmental quality of new construction or major renovation projects. An environmental designer or LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) uses these categories to determine what environmental features the project can incorporate given its particular geography, goals, and budget, with several firms now offering this service including Above Green (www.abovegreen.com).
www.usgbc.org; www.emiratesgbc.org

Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF)
The Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF) is dedicated to growing awareness and giving advice on fire protection and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO). The Federation brings together the collective expertise of the passive fire protection industry and provides a central forum so that the industry speaks with one voice to articulate the benefits and value of passive fire protection in the achievement of fire safe building design and construction. Passive fire protection is the primary measure integrated within the construction fabric of a building to provide inherent fire safety and protection by responding against flame, heat and smoke to maintain the fundamental requirements of building compartmentation, structural stability, fire separation and safe means of escape.
www.pfpf.org

UK CARES
UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (UK Cares) is an independent, not-for-profit certification body that was established in 1983 to provide confidence to the users, purchasers and specifiers of constructional steels through a regime of regulation, testing and inspection. Cares is an international operator, providing certification in over 40 countries worldwide. It is a Notified Certification Body and a European Technical Approval Body under the Construction Products Directive for reinforcing and prestressing steels; post-tensioning systems; structural steels; and precast concrete products. It offers certification schemes for firms that produce materials, components or offer services to the construction industry and endeavours to ensure that its certification is required by major companies operating in the construction supply chain in the UK, Europe, Middle East and the Far East in particular.
www.ukcares.co.uk

UKAS
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (Ukas) is the sole national accreditation body that is recognised by the UK Government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. Accreditation by Ukas demonstrates the competence and performance capability of these evaluators.
www.ukas.com

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