In a world increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability, sustainable construction has become a fundamental pillar for the care of the environment and the preservation of resources. In this context, the VERDE Certification granted by the Green Building Council Spain (GBCe) is highly valued by construction projects that aspire to meet high sustainability standards.
In this article, we will walk you through each step of the process to obtain GREEN Certification, explaining how this recognition can positively impact your construction projects.
What is the GREEN Certificate?
The VERDE Certification represents a comprehensive methodology for assessing sustainability in buildings. This certification covers the Life Cycle Analysis of a building, considering environmental, social and economic aspects through indicators that measure its sustainable impact.
Conducted by the GBCe, a non-profit entity established in Madrid in 2008, the VERDE Certification is a recognition that endorses the sustainability of a building throughout its entire cycle. This comprehensive process evaluates the building from design to construction and operation, ensuring compliance with strict sustainability standards.
The VERDE certificate not only represents an endorsement of a building’s sustainability, but also implies a commitment to the transformation of the construction sector towards more environmentally friendly practices, promoting buildings that are aligned with rigorous sustainability criteria and contribute to a more conscious and responsible future in building.
GREEN certification and energy efficiency
One of the fundamental pillars of the VERDE Certification is energy efficiency, but what does this term really imply? Energy efficiency refers to the optimization of energy consumption, seeking to minimize waste and improve the energy performance of a building. This is achieved through the implementation of technologies, designs and materials that minimize the consumption of energy resources and, therefore, reduce the environmental footprint.
The GBCe’s GREEN Certification not only focuses on the efficient use of energy during the building’s operation phase, but also examines the entire life cycle analysis.
This analysis ranges from the extraction of materials for construction to demolition and possible recycling at the end of the building’s useful life. It is a holistic approach that considers each stage of the construction process, promoting the selection of sustainable materials, proper waste management and emissions reduction throughout the life of the building.
What are the objectives of the VERDE certification?
The GBCe aims for sustainable buildings to respect five fundamental principles, represented by the “five Ps”.
These principles guide the evaluation of the sustainability of a building:
People: Focuses on the quality of life and well-being of those who live in or use the building.
Prosperity: Seeks local and equitable economic development, promoting fair growth.
Planet: Prioritizes the protection of the environment, adopting measures to reduce environmental impact.
Peace and harmony: Promotes an environment that fosters peaceful and harmonious coexistence between users and the environment.
Covenant: Involves all stakeholders in a common commitment to sustainability.
To achieve these objectives, we analyze the location of the building, the quality of the interior environment, the efficiency in the use of resources such as energy, water and materials, social integration, and technical excellence in supervision, documentation and maintenance.
Life cycle analysis is key in certification, since the sustainability of a building must be present from the extraction of materials to their possible reuse after demolition.
As sustainability knowledge advances, assessment tools, such as VERDE, are evolving by integrating economic and social aspects to address all aspects of sustainability in construction.
GREEN usage profiles
GREEN certification covers a wide range of building types and is classified into two main categories: Private residential use and Non-private residential use.
Private residential use
Refers to buildings intended to provide permanent housing for people. Within this category, they include:
- Collective: These are buildings where more than one dwelling is built on the same parcel unit, such as apartment complexes or residential complexes.
- Single-family: These are buildings in which a single dwelling is built on a parcel unit, such as individual houses.
- Urbanization: These are spaces where a single dwelling is built in several parcel units, generally in planned areas with several residences.
- Dwelling in building: This category involves the evaluation of a specific dwelling within a group residential building, such as an apartment within a housing complex.
Uses other than private residential
These encompass a wide variety of buildings that are not primarily intended to provide permanent housing. They may include:
- Office buildings.
- Educational buildings such as schools, universities or training centers.
- Commercial buildings such as stores, shopping malls or retail establishments.
- Hotels and temporary accommodations.
- Health facilities such as hospitals or medical centers.
- Industrial buildings and factories.
- Sports and leisure facilities.
- Other non-residential spaces.
These categories allow a specific and detailed evaluation of different types of buildings under the sustainability standards established by the VERDE certification, ensuring more responsible and environmentally friendly practices in the construction sector.
Where does GREEN certification work?
VERDE certification is applied in various cases or types of actions in the field of sustainable construction:
New building
It refers to new construction works that are not of a residential or public nature and that are developed on a single floor, without endangering the safety of people.
Rehabilitation and refurbishment
It includes any work performed on an existing building that goes beyond routine maintenance. It also covers those works in which the thermal generation is renewed and more than 25% of the total area of the building’s thermal envelope is modified.
Existing building
It refers to those buildings that do not meet the criteria to be classified as rehabilitation or renovation. It also includes those buildings whose completion date is prior to three years before the date of registration in the GREEN Certification.
Mixed Performance
It applies to projects where two of the above types of performance are combined. For example, it may be a renovation on an existing building along with the addition of new construction.
How to obtain the GREEN certification?
Step 1: Contact an Accredited Assessor and initial building evaluation.
It is recommended to start this process in the early stages of the project, even before having the basic project.
VERDE Accredited Assessors are professionals qualified and certified by GBCe to carry out assessments and analyses in sustainable building projects. These evaluators play a key role in the certification process, ensuring impartiality, objectivity and integrity in the evaluation of buildings.
Refers to buildings intended to provide permanent housing for people. Within this category, they include.
VERDE Accredited Evaluators are responsible for:
- Conduct technical evaluations: They conduct comprehensive analyses of construction projects, verifying their compliance with the sustainability standards established by GBCe.
- Use the VERDE tool: They apply the VERDE tool, which is a comprehensive assessment tool that helps measure and evaluate the sustainable performance of buildings.
- Justify the results: They should provide a solid and clear justification of the data used in the VERDE tool for the assessment and present documentation to support the results obtained.
- Maintain independence and objectivity: They guarantee impartiality in their evaluation, avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring that the certification process is transparent and reliable.
GBCe maintains an updated and public list of VERDE Accredited Assessors, which is available for consultation by those interested in the certification process. These assessors are trained and certified by GBCe to conduct rigorous and reliable assessments, thus helping to promote sustainable construction and the development of environmentally friendly buildings.
Step 2: Registration and submission of the evaluation and supporting documentation.
It can be submitted for a pre-certification with the execution project completed or for final certification with the building completed.
Step 3: Technical supervision of the certification application and evaluation performed.
Communication of preliminary results to the applicant and deadline for submission of additional documentation for improvements.
Step 4: Certification proposal and decision by GBC Spain.
Step 5: Issuance of certificates.
GBCe will maintain an updated public list of accredited evaluators for consultation by interested parties.
GBCe will supervise the documentation submitted and the evaluation performed by the accredited evaluator, determining its acceptability and informing the applicant of the decision taken. When necessary, GBCe will offer tutoring for the elaboration of the documentation required by the evaluator.
During the process, records of communications with the client and/or the accredited assessor shall be maintained. This will address any inconsistencies between the documents and data submitted, which are essential to support the certification and ensure its integrity.
GREEN Certification Score
In the GREEN Certification system, the score is graded on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 leaves, with 5 leaves being the maximum possible score. The evaluation and final score of a building will depend on the percentage of points obtained in relation to the total points that can be achieved for that particular building.
To ensure homogeneity in scoring in all areas and to obtain each of the leaves, VERDE establishes a minimum percentage of compliance per area. This means that each section or area evaluated must reach a certain minimum level of compliance in order to contribute to obtaining a certain number of leaves in the final score.
This approach ensures that not only is sustainability assessed globally, but also that performance in specific areas is evaluated and minimum standards are set for each area, thus encouraging sustainable practices in all aspects of construction.
Benefits of GREEN Certification
Achieving GBCe GREEN Certification not only implies a commitment to the environment, but also brings with it a number of tangible benefits. GREEN-certified buildings tend to experience higher demand and appreciation in the real estate market, in addition to offering healthier and more comfortable environments for their occupants. In addition, these buildings tend to have lower operating costs due to resource efficiency.
In conclusion, the GBCe’s GREEN Certification is not only a recognition of a building’s sustainability, but also represents a significant step towards a more sustainable and responsible future. By encouraging energy efficiency and comprehensive life-cycle analysis of buildings, this certification drives the adoption of more environmentally friendly building practices, thus promoting a positive shift in the construction industry towards sustainability.
