Comparison of Certifications for Sustainable Buidlings
Abstract
In construction, quality assurance (QA) can be defined as the “part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled” (Winch, 2010). It includes all planned actions necessary to achieve a satisfactory performance, although it does not identify conformity or non-conformity.
Among the three basic systems to identify the procedures to follow, the third-party ones have now been proven to be the best practice as they follow international standards such as ISO. These systems consist of independent third parties that certify the QA system. Thus, many independent third parties such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and WELL Building Standard have emerged in the last 15 years. LEED certification provides independent verification of a building or neighborhood’s green features, allowing for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings. (LEED, 2017)
On the other hand, WELL is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. (WELL, 2017)
The aim of this report is to compare the requirements and goals of both certifications. However, since they have different approaches, it is expected that the connection between them will be of complementation rather than of exclusion.
