Independent of building regulations, third-party voluntary green building certifications promote and drive the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. These buildings include everything from large-scale commercial structures to individual homes. Each third-party certification scheme has its own set of assessment standards and criteria – LEED and BREEAM are the two most common certification schemes used in Europe.
BREEAM® is the longest standing and most widely used environmental assessment method for UK buildings, in which credits are awarded according to performance across 10 sustainability categories.
Awarded on a building-wide basis, credits are calculated from the percentage of available points that have been achieved within each category. Through its application and use BREEAM helps clients measure and reduce the environmental impacts of their buildings and in doing so create higher value, lower risk assets.
To assist with optimising project sustainability performance, paint can contribute to a number of BREEAM categories including:
Health & Wellbeing – Indoor Air Quality (HEA 02)
The intent of HEA 02 is to encourage and support healthy internal environments with good indoor air quality, through reducing pollution sources and concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment.
This requires that paints meet both VOC content (Total Volatile Organic Compounds – TVOC) and certified emissions requirements. We offer a complete range of low VOC solutions, with supporting declarations & certifications for BREEAM.
Materials – Responsible Sourcing of construction products (MAT 02)
The MAT section encourages the use of products for which life-cycle information is available. A growing range of PPG & Johnstone’s Trade products have third party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) which are Product Specific Type III EPDs conforming to ISO 14025.
Waste – Construction waste management (WST 01)
WST 01 requires practices to reduce construction waste by encouraging reuse, recovery and best practice waste management practices to minimise waste going to landfill.
To support management of waste on site, PPG offer a national can recycling scheme via the Johnstone’s Decorating Centre network.
For latest guidance on BREEAM Sustainability Assessment Method visit breeam.com
USGBC announced a new version of the standard (LEED v4) in November 2013 with implementation by Oct 31, 2016. This updated rating system includes product transparency, whole building life-cycle analysis, and new energy standards – believed to provide a framework for holistic green buildings.
USGBC LEED v4 works for all buildings – from homes to corporate headquarters – at all phases of development. Projects pursuing LEED v4 certification earn points across several areas intended to address sustainability issues. Based on the number of points achieved, a project then receives one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)
EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials
The intent of the credit is to reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment. This requires that our paints meet both VOC content (Total Volatile Organic Compounds – TVOC) and certified emissions requirements.
Materials and Resources (MR)
MR Credit: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Environmental Product Declarations
This credit encourages the use of products for which life-cycle information is available. PPG & Johnstone’s Trade Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) are third-party Product Specific Type III EPDs conforming to ISO 14025.
For further support in understanding Green Building Design, explore our RIBA Approved CPD training and educational webinars.
