LEED® Systems
The LEED® – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification – certification scheme is a rating system for the design, construction and management of buildings and land areas with high sustainability performance.
LEED® certification, which originated in the U.S. through the efforts of the U.S. Green Building Council and is now increasingly present internationally, is divided into specific protocols for different types of works-new construction, existing buildings, small dwellings, urban areas-and is based on the assignment of a score to indicate the building’s degree of sustainability.
There are four levels of certification, which can be traced back to the score obtained by the building during verification:
With reference to the LEED® protocol, in accordance with U.S. standards, ASACERT can offer the following services:
PRE-ASSESSMENT
The feasibility study for preliminary verification of the correspondence between the performance expected by the client and the project assumptions. The LEED® Pre-assessment activity offered by ASACERT consists of a pre-assessment of the degree of sustainability of the project, carried out on the basis of the information contained in the design documents. This service makes it possible to assess the level of certification achievable by the project and the buildings’ compliance with the mandatory Minimum Requirements for LEED® certifiability
LEED Pre-Certification
Preparation of documentation for LEED® pre-certification. Pre-certification is a useful tool for properties that decide to sell or rent their property; in fact, the service, which is carried out during the design phase, allows the building to be promoted using the LEED® brand already during the construction phase of the work.
LEED AP
The LEED® AP verifies that OPR (Owner’s Project Requirements or Requirements of the Client) and BOD (Basis of Design or Bases of Design) are produced by the Owner/Contractor and the design team, respectively, in accordance with the LEED® Standard. During the construction phase, the LEED® AP verifies the activities of the Construction Management and the proper development of the works, in compliance with what is necessary to achieve the requirements of LEED® certification, and coordinates the document collection by verifying its content and adequacy. The LEED® AP performs supervision and control of all documentation required for the purposes of Design Reviews and Construction Reviews.
ASACERT ensures the presence, during all phases of design and construction, of a LEED AP – a professional certified with USGBC – who will ensure the process meets the requirements of the certification and pass on LEED® skills to the actors involved. The role of the LEED® AP in the design or design review phase is to support the design team and suggest strategies necessary for the purposes of achieving the coveted level of certification. Implementation of changes and adaptations will be the responsibility of and the responsibility of the design team.
LEED® MANAGEMENT – COACHING AND SUPPORT
The LEED® process suggests active integration of all professionalism in the various stages of processing, with detailed management of credits in order for them to be properly met to obtain the chosen level of certification. ASACERT coordinates the certification process through contract management focused on LEED® requirements and credits.
DESIGN PHASE OR DESIGN REVIEW
For the purpose of certification, ASACERT supports professionals in the certification process by targeting compliance and optimization of requirements. Through technical meetings and informational moments, support is provided to all members of the design team in implementing requirements and identifying the best sustainability strategies. The design phase concludes with the Design Review.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
ASACERT provides support during the construction phases regarding the planning and control of activities for the purpose of acquiring LEED® certification, assuming the conduct of site visits throughout the duration of the work. Support is provided to the Construction Management with regard to document archiving of work performed and constant monitoring of requirements as defined in the LEED® protocol. Verification of documentation in the implementation stages as required by certification is ensured. The construction phase concludes with the Construction Review and Project Award.
PROJECT REGISTRATION
ASACERT assists the developer with online project registration and ensures the interface with GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.).
LEED COMMISSIONING
The Quality Control service is a verification process that certifies that the building and all related systems and subsystems are planned, designed, installed, tested, commissioned, and operated in accordance with the objectives proposed at the preliminary stage. Commissioning activities are modular and vary according to the required level and stage of the project. Following the ideal lifecycle line of a building system, the stages of Quality Control can be summarized as follows:
DESIGN PHASE
Verification and control of performance requirements and design data, drafting reference comments, Commissioning plan
STAGE OF IMPLEMENTATION
Final drafting of Commissioning Plan, monitoring of work and performance testing, drafting of Commissioning report
MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PHASE
Review of Operation & Maintenance Manual, development of Performance Audit Manual, review and reporting of training activities.
LEED® evaluation criteria include certain mandatory prerequisites, to which other environmental characteristics can be added that help determine the final rating of the work.Credits are awarded based on the analysis of the following categories:
- Integrated process
- Location and transportation
- Sustainability of the site
- Efficient water management
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality Innovation
- Regional priorities
POST CERTIFICATION
Collection of building consumption data for updating on GBC’s ARC platform for the purpose of maintaining the level (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) obtained during LEED® certification.
LEED CAMPUS
LEED Campus and Multiple Building Certification is available for multiple buildings on a single site and offers several options to help designers and developers determine the best and most cost-effective way to achieve their goals. A campus can be any shared site, meaning two or more buildings located on a single site, controlled by a single entity; it need not be a traditional university or corporate campus: hospitals, commercial properties, and even zoos.
LEED TRANSIT
Public transportation is a rapidly growing sector and a critical component of physical infrastructure around the world. It has enormous potential for positive global impact through energy and water savings, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing a low-emission alternative while minimizing the carbon footprint of transit operations and construction. The LEED Transit rating systems were developed with input from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. in India (DMRC), Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co. Ltd. in China (Shentong) and Shanghai Green City Architectural Technology Co.