Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green Office Building

*Fatma Handan Sarıgül and Semra Arslan Selçuk* 

#### **Abstract**

In the twentieth century, developments in technology and industry not only increased energy consumption, but also initiated a period of oil crisis and environmental pollution. "Construction sector" is one of the leading actors of environmental problems which consumes 40% of the primary energy over the world and naturally takes on the responsibility of energy efficiency problem. Therefore, many researches and implementations have been initiated and shared in many platforms at individual, organizational, and inter-state level. Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certificate is one of these studies. In this research, it is examined that "Via Green Office Building" with LEED Gold Certificate according to LEED 2009 Core&Shell Version-3. Our goal is to reveal the differences of design and construction process of LEED certificated buildings by comparing with the conventional buildings which have been only built according to legal compulsions in Turkey. With this scope, the office building have been examined according to LEED's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through project and LEED documents. Finally, it is suggested that in order to develop sustainable/green buildings in Turkey, it is necessary to add new articles into the national legislations and regulations and make it compulsory for buildings to have settlement certificate.

**Keywords:** energy, sustainability, certification, LEED, project management, office building

#### **1. Introduction**

 Each project in construction sector has unique attributes. Location, design, environment, situation, and people involved can be called as "key characteristics" which determines the project direction [1]. In addition, all projects have a significant scope. Project works have been mainly shaped to provide healthy environments and energy efficiency in built environments due to concerns of global warming and its threat for earth. Therefore, sustainable development concept was first launched in the 1970s and many other studies that are relevant to environment and energy issues had increased dramatically in following years. Sensitive approaches are required to build sustainable buildings even more within this century.

 In recent years, depending on service sector, a rapid increase in number of office building is observed. Especially, in metropolitan cities such as İstanbul and Ankara, these buildings rates are more than other cities. This event brings some requirements in addition to like renovation of physical conditions and efficiency at work for office buildings workers, also reducing environmental pollution from buildings. For sustainability in construction sector especially in buildings, many certificates and standards have been prepared. These standards which are in the subject area of building physics include air conditioning, acoustics, and lighting aim to develop energy efficiency solutions for new and existing buildings. One of the most important requirements in office building project design is to ensure indoor environmental quality [2]. In addition, to achieve comfortable working places to provide healthy living conditions for users, these places reduce absence of workers in working place. In this chapter, an office building from Ankara that is called Via Green Office Building Project, which had been assessed according to LEED 2009 Core&Shell Version-3 and received "Gold" certificate, have been examined to highlight innovative approaches which are different from the conventional project methods and construction processes. The comparison has been done between selected LEED certified office building which ensures some environmental criterias and related to Turkish legal compulsories in project and construction activities. Driving force in this research is considered that Turkish legislations, regulations, and standards are used instead of local green building guide in Turkish building manufacturing.

#### **2. Literature review**

In literature, there are many studies on sustainability in buildings, green buildings, certified buildings, etc. that were revealing the current situation in the field and researches for the future. The studies focusing on certificate systems are either examination of LEED certificated building examples, green buildings key performance indicators (KPIs), or comparisons of certifications systems with each other. Indoor environmental quality concept especially in office buildings has been a major research problem. Therefore, many researches specifically targets human comfort in indoor spaces. They are both useful to determine why and how a particular system is appropriate for a specific project. Other field of researches on this topic can be stated as the comparison of green building rating systems a like LEED, Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE), Germen Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), Green Star, and ITECA highlighting the effects of green building rating systems on green designing. For example, He et al. have studied that LEED and Assessment Standard for Green Buildings (ASGB) are design-guide schemes indicating that Green Star is a performance-based evaluation system [3]. Similarly, Chen and Lee [4] evaluated the office buildings according to LEED 2.2 and BEAM Plus 1.1 in China. In their study, three office buildings have been chosen and evaluated. Results regarding energy usage for air conditioning have indicated that if the same tariff system had been used for estimating the energy expenditure, it would have not been affecting assessment results [4]. Geng et al. [5] have focused on large-scale and long-term measuring of green office buildings in China from point of indoor environmental quality. In their research, 41 green office building have been examined from 3 different climatic zones (cold-zone, hot-summer-cold-winter, and hot-summer-warm-winter) from June 2017 to August 2018. Detected values of CO2, thermal comfort, and illuminance have been compared with common offices features and with the data in literature. Finally, the correlations between indoor and outdoor environment and all factors affecting indoor environment quality have been

#### *Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836*

determined in detail [5]. Occupant satisfaction that bases on indoor environmental quality in office buildings [2] is another field of this research. Some researchers aim to find occupants perception on green office buildings in regard to indoor health and comfort. For this purpose, a set of questionnaire have been implemented and green rated and non-green rated buildings have been compared [6]. Finally, conventional and green office buildings have been evaluated regarding rental depreciation. Survey based on gathering 27 buildings as case studies from Kuala Lumpur, statistical works, correlation, and regression techniques have been used [7].

 In Turkey, there is a gap regarding the differences between Turkish building, energy and environment regulations, and LEED BD + C (New Construction) Credits except one research. This research is about a public project which has been prepared by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality as a Family Living Center [8]. This project was not designed for LEED certificate yet it was designed in accordance with all energy, environment and building standards, legislations and regulations in Turkey. In this study, a similar point of view was adopted to examine through a selected certificated office buildings in Turkey.

#### **3. Methodology**

 In this study, qualitative research approach is adopted and sources relating to Via Green Office Building Project are obtained from related construction firm. The project that has been evaluated in accordance with LEED certificate prerequirements and credits by green building consultant firm has been examined. In this research, some points corresponding to credits have been evaluated. Therefore, total grade which have already been found before in accordance with LEED certificate have been evaluated. Current-related legislation and regulation clauses (Turkey legal compulsions) have been compared with LEED certificate pre-requirements and credits. The topics of the tables are provided on sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and regional priority. Final chart has been generated through gained grades according to LEED and legislations and regulations in Turkey.

 While evaluating buildings to understand their green properties, there are many different certificate systems in Europe, Asia, and America. LEED is one of the most common green building rating/evaluating systems in the world. This rating system offers highly efficient, healthy, and cost-saving green building design. In many phases of building from designing to construction and operation, this system ensures enhancing occupant productivity and health. Moreover, this system aims to decrease the use of resources, life cycle costs of building, and negative impacts caused from wastes to living environment [9]. According to USGBC data, Turkey takes place in the 6th line due to its green building gross square meter size degree [10]. In late 2018, LEED V 4.1 has been launched. Latest version ensures that green building evaluating studies are being done with new enhanced content.

#### **4. Case study: Via Green Office Project**

Via Green Office Building Project takes place on a 10,000 m2 site and it has 45,000 m<sup>2</sup> total construction area. It is located on Eskişehir Road which is one of the most rapidly developing districts in Ankara. There are 122 offices and their size changes from 90 to 340 m<sup>2</sup> , 3 stores and 9 shops in the project which is examined.

#### *ISBS 2019 - 4th International Sustainable Buildings Symposium*

Designing two horizontal blocks were the design approach of architectural team. This project received "Gold" certificate in "Core&Shell" category of Leadership Energy and Environmental Design and verified by the Green Building Certification Inc. (GBCI). This office building fulfills LEED certificate credits for building performance and environmental requirements. The office building project ensures LEED certificate minimum program requirements. After the first evaluation, pre-requirements and credits were done by green building consultancy firm. This pre-requirements and credits are listed in this research. Via Green Office Project's assessment according to V3 LEED 2009 KPIs, and compulsions in Turkish legislations and regulations are shown in **Table 1**. The signs which have indicated as


**Table 1.**  *Sustainable sites assessment.* 

#### *Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836*

a negative mean not compulsory clause in Turkish legislations/regulations for settlement certificate yet. But lots of LEED credit titles similar examples have been mentioned Turkey's standards and legislations currently. Positive sign means the LEED credits have been achieved with conventional design methods or regulations/ legislations.

 To evaluate **Table 1**, it is noticed that some requirements have been satisfied in accordance with Turkish regulations and legislations. But, credits related to alternative transport have not been satisfied due to the lack of integrated master plans for transportation in the country. Credits which are open space, storm water, heat island and roof relationship, light pollution and guidelines for occupant design are not compulsory for settlement certificate in Turkey. Via Green Office Project has gained points from credits which were located sustainable sites title. When the project had started, contractors from project design team worked to adopt environmental design approach in accordance with LEED Certification requirements in project phase. Thus, architectural, mechanical, electric, and landscape architecture projects had been affected directly and static project had been indirectly affected from this sustainable building design approach.

 In **Table 2**, precautions on water efficiency have been taken on low water consuming plants selection and some water armatures selection which have ultra-flow. The points have been gained from the credits which were located water efficiency title in Via Green Office Building Project. For these credits, landscape projects and mechanical projects have been required additional sustainable building design approach in comparison with Turkey's conventional building method. **Table 2**  shows that there are not compulsory clauses about these credits in Turkey.


#### **Table 2.**

*Water efficiency assessment.* 

 **Table 3** shows that some credits have been provided regarding energy performance optimization, using renewable energy, green power whereas commissioning issues, and measurement and verification-tenant sub metering credits have been not provided in projects in accordance with Turkish regulations and legislations. On the other hand, Via Green Office Building Project gained points from credits which were located in energy and atmosphere title. In project phase, these credits have been ensured through suitable mechanical project design since mechanical design team prepared the projects in accordance with international standards (ASHRAE, etc.).

**Table 4** shows that only construction waste management credit has been provided according to Turkish legal compulsions in conventional projects. Other credits related to select of certified wood and regional, recycled, reusable of


#### **Table 3.**

*Energy and atmosphere assessment.* 

 materials just have not been compulsion in Turkey. On the other hand, Via Green Office Building Project gained points from credits which were located in materials and resources title. In design phase, waste management plan was prepared and recyclable waste regions were determined on project. Reuse of materials, recycled content, and regional materials credits were ensured. In construction phase, waste management plan was implemented.

**Table 5** shows that innovation and regional priority credits have not been compulsory in Turkey. On the other hand, when Via Green Office Project is examined, LEED accredited professional participated in certificate process. LEED certificate had been gotten through guidance of the person who is from consultancy firm.

**Table 6** shows that low-emitting materials credits, daylight and views, construction IAQ plan, and outdoor air delivery monitoring have not been provided in Turkey's projects. These credits/topics are not compulsory but some ASHRAE *Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 


#### **Table 4.**

*Materials and resources assessment.* 


#### **Table 5.**

*Innovation and regional priority assessment.* 



#### **Table 6.**

*Indoor environmental quality assessment.* 

standards are used in mechanical projects for indoor thermal comfort. On the other hand, Via Green Office Building Project gained points from indoor environmental quality title. In mechanical projects and electric projects, credits have been achieved by ensuring ASHRAE and SMACNA standards along with suitable material selection.

On this research, following graphic is achieved which is shown in **Figure 1**. This graphic is a comparison between LEED certificate credit points and Turkish legislations/regulations clauses intersection points.

*Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

**Figure 1.**  *Relationship between LEED certificate credits and convenience of Turkish regulations and legislations.* 

#### **5. Conclusion**

Several new and sustainable approaches have been adopted in public institutions especially over the last 10 years along with new standards and regulations related with green/sustainable buildings, energy, and environment have been launched. However these standards and regulations have not been implemented completely yet. Via Green Office Building has its certificate through LEED certificate. The building is a sustainable building yet not every building in Turkey accomplishes the sustainable building properties sufficiently.

 It is shown that Turkey's construction manner compatibility is low according to LEED credits (**Figure 1**). However, sustainable sites and water efficiency have been achieved better compared to the other topics. One of the main reasons is the lack of integrated master plan and insufficient infrastructure. Therefore, Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) is very crucial requirement in Turkey for the sustainable sites. Through this plan, alternative transportation is ensured; resulting in improvements in safety and security in transportation. Moreover, integrated public transportation plan and implementation (especially bicycle, subway, and bus integration) provides low greenhouse emissions, low energy consumption, and reduction in noise pollution and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, office building workers would reach their workplace via healthier transportation methods with benefits for both themselves and environment.

Encouragements given by municipality or government on using green/renewable energy in buildings is another key sustainable architecture approach especially when energy topic is considered. Low tax rates and possibilities of sales extra energy which is generated by building occupants enhance the tendency of green energy. However, Turkey needs more specific approaches to address the problem on this field. Based on the credits of LEED certificate, these approaches should be specific to different project type. In addition, projects should be adopted to these approaches compulsorily to obtain settlement certificate.

Based on all findings, implementing greener office building will ensure a more responsive attitude for human health and a positive effect on environment in Ankara. New projects can be implemented as green building and office buildings on Eskişehir Road can be transform to green building with a comprehensive retrofit.

So, office buildings employees will be healthier and his/her work efficiencies will increase. Moreover, low carbon emission to nature, clean energy, and economic benefits of sustainable architecture and construction approaches should be noted as well.

#### **Acknowledgements**

Thanks to Bayraktar Kardeşler Construction Firm and Altensis Green Building Consultancy Firm for providing all Via Green Office Building Projects documents and their kindly approach for this research.

#### **Author details**

Fatma Handan Sarıgül1 \* and Semra Arslan Selçuk<sup>2</sup>

1 Department of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University, İstanbul, Turkey

2 Department of Architecture, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

\*Address all correspondence to: mim.handan@gmail.com

© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

*Certification for Sustainability: An Assessment on Design and Construction Process of Via Green… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87836* 

#### **References**

[1] Wilson R. Mastering Risk and Procurement in Project Management, a Guide to Planning, Controlling, and Resolving Unexpected Problems. USA: FT Press Project Management Series; 2015

[2] Liang HH, Chen CP, Hwang RL, Shih WM, Lo SC, Liao HY. Satisfaction of occupants toward indoor environment quality of certified green office buildings in Taiwan. Building and Environment. 2014;**72**:232-242

 [3] He Y, Kvan T, Liu M, Li B. How green building rating systems affect designing green. Building and Environment. 2018;**133**:19-31

[4] Chen H, Lee WL. Energy assessment of office buildings in China using LEED 2.2 and BEAM plus 1.1. Energy and Buildings. 2013;**63**:129-137

[5] Geng Y, Lin B, Yu J, Zhou H, Ji W, Chen H, et al. Indoor environmental quality of green office buildings in China: Large-scaleand long-term measurement. Build and Environment. 2019;**150**:266-280

[6] Mediastika C, Lie K. Perception on green-rated office building in Surabaya, Indonesia. In: International Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction (ICSDEC 2015); 10-13 May 2015; Chicago. pp. 546-553

[7] Rodi WNW, Hwa TK, Mahamood NM, Said AS, Abdullah MI. Depreciation between conventional and Green Office Buildings. In: International Accounting and Business Conference 2015, IABC 2015; 17-18 August 2015; Putrajaya, Malaysia. pp. 661-670

[8] Sarıgül FH. Certification for sustainability: Investigation of Şereflikoçhisar family living centre within the context of new construction for LEED (BD+C) criteria [M.Sc.

thesis]. Ankara: Gazi University; 2018 (in Turkish)

[9] [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://new.usgbc.org/leed [Accessed: 2019-02-15]

[10] [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://www.usgbc.org/articles/ us-green-building-council-announcestop-10-countries-and-regions-leedgreen-building [Accessed: 2019-02-15]

**125**

**Chapter 10**

View

**Abstract**

maintenance

**1. Introduction**

Green Façades and Living Walls

as Urban Ecosystems: Functions,

The human population is becoming more and more urbanized and there is no doubt that increased urbanization is worsening the quality of life in many cities. Dense buildings and the absence of adequate natural green in urban areas have resulted in local changes in the climatic conditions namely "urban heat island effect" and affected the indoor thermal comfort in all types of buildings. Therefore, urban areas need to be more vegetated to perform as an ecosystem, yet due to the dense urbanization, there is lack of spaces left as plantation areas. Many researches shown that "green roofs" and "green walls" in dense urban areas can perform many different ecosystem services and have a potential to withstand high pollutant environments. From this context, this chapter focuses on "green wall systems" to understand their characteristics, functions, construction methods, and maintenance/operation processes from the architectural point of view. After evaluating the data obtained through selected examples, results show that, there are many parameters that should be considered at the same time—so-called designing with holistic approach—such as suitable support structure, plant selection, appropriate amount of nutrients, water, and suitable lighting conditions to obtain a well-functioning,

**Keywords:** sustainability, green walls, green façades, living walls, construction,

Urbanization and urban activities, which are one of the biggest problems of today's world, trigger deterioration on natural environments due to their negative effects and cause some environmental problems such as urban heat island (UHI). In this context, researchers, academicians, and actors responsible for the creation of built environments have been examining the issue with different aspects and try to develop sustainable solutions. Green façades and living walls, which have been used for this purpose in recent years is the subject of this study. Covering the external

Constructions and Maintenance

from the Architectural Point of

*Ayşenur Coşkun and Semra Arslan Selçuk*

not superficial and maintainable living wall.

#### **Chapter 10**
