Comparison of BEST and LEED green building rating systems through cost based optimization

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2020-1-25
Uğurlu, Bengisu
Buildings have significant effects on climate change due to vast resource consumption and pollution generation. Improving the effective use of limited resources and constructing environmentally friendly buildings are important in the realm of mitigations for climate change. Several countries have their green building rating systems tailored towards their regulations, distinctive climatic conditions, unique cultures and traditions, diverse building types and ages, or wide-ranging environmental, economic, and social priorities. Today in the world, the most popular green building rating system is based on the LEED system of USA. Turkey has developed its own rating system, BEST, in August 2019. This study aims to compare LEED and BEST rating systems using a cost-based optimization. The study also aims to propose a guideline to stakeholders while choosing the green building features to obtain green building certificates in Turkey at the least cost. In the study, an optimization model is developed in which cost-related data, electricity consumption, and water usage analyses are integrated. The model is solved using LINGO. The optimization model is run for case studies involving 4-, 5-, 7-, and 12-storey buildings in Ankara for a total of 16 scenarios. Results show that Good and Excellent certification levels of BEST are feasible choices considering water and electricity savings of residents over a period of 10 years. The Good certification level is the most feasible choice with its significantly cheaper initial cost with respect to Excellent level and considerably high savings. Moreover, the only certification level that compensates the investment cost after 10 years is the Good level. The least feasible choice is the Very Good level with the highest initial cost and considerably low savings. Furthermore, building systems/materials/equipment selected for any of BEST certification levels are not sufficient to achieve the Platinum level of LEED, but Certified, Silver, and Gold levels are achievable.

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Citation Formats
B. Uğurlu, “Comparison of BEST and LEED green building rating systems through cost based optimization,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2020.