Benchmark Study on Green Buildings - Royal Architectural Institute ...

The material requirements of green buildings are such that locally produced materials,
sustainable products, sustainably-produced products, reused or reuseable materials, or
combinations of these materials need to be readily and easily obtainable by developers.
Governments need to support the development of firms supplying green materials, as the
number of these companies and their proximity to building sites affects the extent to
which these products are used in construction projects.
8.2.4 Business Case for Green Buildings:
Buildings with green features, whether residential or commercial, have been shown to
become occupied faster than conventional buildings, as well as lead to higher lease rates
and lower tenant turnover. Green buildings also reduce energy and water consumption
levels, which are sometimes covered by the landlord in tenancy agreements. The
recommendation here is to strengthen the link between green buildings and the cost
savings and other benefits, to make them more appealing to landowners. Additionally,
developers should be aware of the benefits they can receive for building green, and
tenants should be told about the occupancy benefits of a sustainable building over a
conventional one. The business case for green development is very important, and should
be pushed at all levels if the industry is going to take off.
Along the same lines, because green buildings offer considerable benefits that
conventional buildings can not provide, valuers must learn to differentiate between green
and non-green buildings. Valuers and appraisers’ present reliance upon capital and
operating costs is no longer an adequate description of a building’s worth. If the green
building industry is expected to mature, appraisers must develop a more rigorous
evaluation method for buildings that takes into account the numerous benefits of green
features when coming up with the final value of a structure.
Obtaining official certification through a green building rating system such as LEED,
BREEAM, CASBEE, or Green Star adds credibility to a building’s ‘green claim.’ These
rating systems exist to determine the extent to which a building is in fact green, and also
act as an advertising method for the buildings themselves. Green building owners should
apply to obtain official third party green building certification from their nation’s
respective certifying bodies, as there are numerous benefits for doing so.
8.2.5 Building Industry:
The Canadian construction industry is structured so that the flow of knowledge about
green practices and products is severely hindered. Firms often choose not to share new
design techniques and technologies because they feel these are the things that set them
apart from rival firms and make them more of a unique and desirable company. Efforts
should be made to increase general knowledge of green practices between firms and with
the general public, as this will increase the number of firms capable of doing the work
and also increase the demand for the services themselves.
Finally, people involved in green building need to be encouraged and feel like they are
making a difference through their actions and choices. It is essential for these people to
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