Green building is a growing trend, from construction through the lifecycle of a facility. Construction professionals are tasked with pushing the necessary data for certification throughout the entire building process, which can be challenging to say the least.
Add into this equation that there is often more than one certification many construction organizations are looking to achieve—and the feat becomes even more difficult. The good news is, now, a new process aims to simplify requirements.
Earlier in April, the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.), and the IWBI (Intl. WELL Building Institute) released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard.
The intent here is that the process will improve documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other.
In addition to this, the organizations have also announced a new suite of tools to people interested in pursuing LEED and WELL certifications. The objective here is to provide the resources needed to help construction companies be successful at achieving both certifications concurrently.
Let’s take a look at one example. LEED + WELL Crosswalk shows how individual LEED credits map to specific WELL features and vice versa. As the buildings are being designed, project teams can use the crosswalk to identify where LEED and WELL are aligned and which strategies and initiatives support both programs.
In addition to this, there are other resources to help as well. A new submittal form, which is required for both certification reviews, can identify which compliance paths are being used and communicate that information to the review team.
Additionally, a new certification process guide outlines the process, requirements, and implementation tools available to construction project teams. The organizations have also provided a FAQ and help center questions.
The hope here is this will streamline the process of obtaining certifications for green building projects. As the rollout of these capabilities continue, construction companies will have more opportunities to more easily obtain both certifications at the same time.
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