Analysis of the most widely used Building Environmental Assessment methods

Figures & data

Figure 1 LCA and BEA – different boundaries.

Table I. Indicators of the three most widely used BEA methods and their weighting, sourced from BRE, USGBC and iiSBE's official guidelines (BREEAM Office 2004a,b; USGBC 2005; iiSBE 2005b).

Indicators	EcoHomes	LEED	GBTool∗
Site and planning
Site selection		1.45%
Building density	3.33%	1.45%	1.90%
Building on land of inherently low ecological value	1.67%	1.45%
Protection of ecological features	1.67%	1.45%	2.30%
Ecological enhancement	1.67%		1.10%
Change of ecological value of site	6.67%	1.45%
Stormwater design	4.28%	2.90%	2.10%
Heat island effect		2.90%	1.50%
Wind conditions around tall buildings			0.80%
Daylight or solar energy			1.20%
Limit cumulative thermal changes to water			2.40%
Local cultural values			0.50%
Maintenance of heritage buildings			1.30%
Total	19.29%	13.05%	15.10%
Energy
Greenhouse gas emissions	10.71%		3.30%
On-site renewable energy	2.14%	4.35%	1.90%
Green power		1.45%	1.90%
Building energy performance	5.36%	14.49%	3.30%
Energy efficiency goods	2.14%	1.45%^†	1.10%
External lighting	2.14%
Drying space	1.07%
Enhanced commissioning		1.45%	2.10%
Measurement and verification		1.45%
Predicted electrical peak demand			1.00%
Total	23.56%	24.64%	14.60%
Transport
Public transport	2.14%	1.45%	2.50%
Green vehicles		1.45%
Parking capacity		1.45%
Bicycle storage	2.14%	1.45%
Local amenities	3.21%		1.50%
Home office	1.07%
Total	8.56%	5.80%	4.00%
Materials
Building reuse		4.35%	2.00%
Construction waste management		2.90%
Materials reuse	2.90%	2.90%
Recycled content		2.90%	1.60%
Regional materials		2.90%	1.10%
Rapidly renewable materials		1.45%
Timber	4.35%	1.45%	1.70%
Cement substitutes in concrete			1.50%
Environmental impact of materials	7.73%
Solid waste			3.20%
Total	14.98%	18.85%	11.10%
Water
External water use	1.67%	2.90%	1.30%
Wastewater technologies		1.45%
Internal water use	8.33%	2.90%	1.60%
Total	10.00%	7.25%	2.90%
Pollution
Light pollution reduction	2.14%	1.45%	0.80%
Atmospheric emissions	6.43%^‡		3.40%
Minimize danger of hazardous waste			1.20%
Stormwater and sewage pollution			1.20%
Total	8.57%	1.45%	6.60%
Indoor climate and functionality
Increased ventilation		1.45%	5.50%
Outdoor air delivery monitoring		1.45%
Air quality management		2.90%	3.80%
Low-emitting materials		5.80%
Indoor chemical pollutant		1.45%
Controllability of systems		2.90%	5.70%
Daylight and illumination	5.46%	2.90%	3.60%
Sound insulation	7.52%		2.90%
Thermal comfort		2.90%	2.30%
Space utilization	1.88%		1.90%
Maintenance of core functions			0.50%
Total	15.04%	21.75%	26.20%
Others
LEED-accredited professional		1.45%
Innovation in design		5.80%
Maintenance of performance			4.20%
Flexibility and adaptability			7.00%
Cost and economics			4.50%
Social aspects			3.80%
Total	0	7.25%	19.50%
∗The data weights of different projects should show slight changes.
^†Only includes refrigerant management, not other home appliances.
^‡Only includes NO x emissions.

Figure 2 Weight assignments of dominant BEA methods in six categories.

Table II. The BEA method weight assignments, in three levels.

Indicators	EcoHomes	LEED	GBTool
Direct ecological indicators	43.0%	27.4%	28.3%
Indirect ecological indicators	41.2%	55.1%	35.6%
Non-ecological indicators	15.8%	17.5%	36.1%

Figure 3 BEA's methodology and building life cycle.

Figure 4 Green building markets estimated by USGBC (Watson 2003).

Figure 5 Hard and soft systems stances (Checkland 1999).

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BREEAM Office . 2004b . EcoHomes 2005 – The environmental rating for homes, rating prediction checklist , Watford .

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USGBC News . 2005 . 18 November 2005. Available at: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmcop/is_200601/ai_n16032912

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iiSBE . 2005b . GBTool 2005 Demo , International Initiative for Sustainable Built Environment . Available at: http://www.iisbe.org/down/gbc2005/GBtool_2k5_Demo_unlocked/

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