Sustainability Assessment by Green Building Rating Systems: A Comparative Analysis of LEED, BREEAM and CASBEE on a Case Study

Abstract

The construction sector, with its environmental impacts, such as energy consumption and pollution, urgently needs to adopt sustainable strategies to counter global warming. The global shift towards green buildings, significantly in developing countries, emphasises environmentally friendly structures that balance environmental, societal, and economic impacts, with green building rating systems pivotal in these efforts. This study aims for sustainability in the construction industry using green rating tools, focusing on a case study of a 5-story residential building assessed using LEED, BREEAM, and CASBEE standards. The building secured the highest ratings with LEED (42.72%), followed by BREEAM (40.03%), and CASBEE (33%) achieving "GOLD", "GOOD", and "GOOD" ranks respectively. Notably, the innovation and energy sectors offer room for enhanced rating. While all tools prioritise indoor environmental quality, comparative analysis of rating assessments and the three-dimensional sustainability and its association with rating tools reveal that they do not ensure economic sustainability while addressing environmental and social sustainability. This study provides insights into the efficacy of these rating tools and highlights areas for improvement to achieve sustainability ratings.