Certifications for sustainable buildings
An overview of international certification systems
Certification systems are intended to promote sustainable construction. It should be noted that a certified building not only protects the environment, but also takes economic and socio-cultural aspects into account. Increasingly more building owners are commissioning external certifications to verify ecological standards. Certain criteria must be met and points collected.
Compliance with lighting standards is not mandatory in every certification system. One exception is the WELL standard, which requires national lighting standards such as EN 12464-1. Nevertheless, installers can score points with high-quality lighting.
ÖGNI / DGNB (Austria / Germany)
In Austria, the ÖGNI (Austrian Sustainable Building Council) certification system is the most prevalent. ÖGNI is directly based on the German DGNB system. (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen – German Sustainable Building Council). The evaluation is based on six subject areas with 20 criteria. The lighting criterion Visual Comfort SOC1.4 (daylighting and indoor lighting) is assigned to the subject area of Sociocultural and Functional Quality (SOC) and is divided into six indicators.
For the indicator artificial lighting in offices 20 points are awarded if the lighting requirements in accordance with DIN EN 12464-1 are met. Twenty points corresponds to around 4.4% of the points required to achieve the 65% minimum fulfilment level. The points from artificial light are very helpful when it comes to achieving the “PLATIN” award.
LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) does not require compliance with a lighting standard. LEED is based on American standards.
Points are awarded for:
- Glare control (UGR < 19)
- Colour rendering (CRI ≥ 90)
- Controllability and limitation of reflected glare
- Indoor lighting – quality (illuminance, reflection)
The highest award of “PLATIUM” can also be achieved without points from indoor lighting.
Additional points are possible for:
- Light pollution
- User control
- Low-mercury lamps
BREEAM
Compliance with a lighting standard is not mandatory for British BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification. At BREEAM, visual comfort / artificial light can be found under 2.5.2 Health & Wellbeing, HEA.1 Visual Comfort. Points are awarded for glare control, high-frequency lighting, indoor and outdoor lighting and lighting zones. A total of four points are possible for lighting quality - but not necessarily for the highest award of “Outstanding”.
WELL Building Standard
In addition to the ecological, economic and socio-cultural approach, the WELL Building Standard primarily focuses on health and well-being aspects. WELL has defined the fulfilment of nationally applicable lighting standards as a basic requirement. The focus is on health and well-being. Light is one of the 10 main criteria. Compliance with national standards (e.g. EN 12464-1) is a prerequisite. Up to 11 points can be awarded for artificial lighting (e.g. circadian lighting design, glare limitation, colour rendering, controllability).
ARUP, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Lighting plays a pivotal role in enabling multinational firm ARUP to achieve the highest certification level WELL Platinum. The innovative luminaires clearly define the workspace from the technical zones above, while meeting stringent requirements for energy efficiency and durability. At the same time, they make a substantial contribution to occupant well-being. This is achieved through the use of Tunable White luminaires, which support natural rhythms and foster a dynamic environment throughout the day.
Minergie
The organisation Minergie assesses buildings primarily in terms of their energy efficiency. Examples of its lighting criteria include efficient light sources (> 100 lm/W), lighting control with daylight and/or motion sensors and optimised lighting reflectors. Data sheets and a lighting simulation with Relux or DIAlux are helpful for verification.
Space for the future
SWICA Head Office, Winterthur, Switzerland
A successful example can be found in SWICA's new head office in Winterthur. Sustainability is a top priority at SWICA. The building was therefore planned in accordance with the Minergie standard (the Swiss building standard for comfort, efficiency and climate protection). The lighting is characterised by highly efficient profile luminaires. Motion and presence detectors control the lighting, which is reduced to a dimmed level when not in use in order to save energy. During the tendering process, it was important to choose a partner who not only commits to sustainability in production, but also in logistics and sales.
Conclusion
Light quality is addressed in all certification systems, but is not always mandatory. Only the WELL standard explicitly requires compliance with national lighting standards such as EN 12464-1. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to involve a lighting designer at an early stage for successful certification and to be aware of the possible certification points. Forward-looking planning can have a positive impact on the health, well-being and performance of employees. Certification thus becomes more than just a formal requirement; it goes hand in hand with careful planning and targeted investments in sustainable lighting systems that save energy in the long term and thus also reduce costs.