Green rating systems development and trend worldwide for sustainable built environment

What is it about?

Sustainability has been increasing its popularity in construction development and evaluating the sustainability of a project has become a necessity. The construction industry has a serious impact on the environment. Sustainability rating systems have been established and deployed across the construction industry over the last decade to tackle and mitigate the environmental implications of construction projects. However, during the last few years, several organizations have begun to establish sustainable rating systems for construction projects. Various rating tools, on the other hand, use varied methodologies for measuring sustainability and place different emphases on different sustainability issues. As a result, a review of existing rating tools is required so that industry participants are aware of their functionalities as well as their sustainability initiatives. In this paper, a comparison of the 52 most prominent emerging sustainability green rating systems worldwide from 1990 to 2019 has been reviewed. The analysis indicates that all systems have a lot in common. Each rating system considers elements relating to the use and management of water, energy, and materials in particular. The procedure and execution requirements, as well as how weights are assigned among grading criteria, are the main differences. The comparison shows the benefits and drawbacks, as well as the aspects, applications, and goals of various approaches, and encourages further study into green rating systems for developing sustainable construction projects worldwide.

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Photo by Bao Menglong on Unsplash

Photo by Bao Menglong on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Global warming is caused by "greenhouse gas (GHG)" emissions and the resultant climate change has become a threat to humanity's survival. Nevertheless, tremendous worldwide initiatives have been launched to address such concerns. It is well knowledge that carbon dioxide is the most significant contributor to the greenhouse effect among other greenhouse gases. As a result, carbon emissions reduction is at the forefront of legislation, initiatives, and technical advancements aimed at making the industry more environmentally friendly. Many countries are working hard to reduce the vast amount of carbon emitted during construction and operation. Buildings, roads, highways, and infrastructure in every country play significant roles where it provides the essentials of life and linkages for the nation's economic activities. These construction developments involve massive earthwork and the conversion of land used in their construction.

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