A Comparative Analysis of LEED and GPRS for the Applicability in Egyptian Office Buildings

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the credits of GBRSs to achieve sustainability in office buildings in Egypt to determine the most effective and applicable system in Egypt. The study followed the qualitative research method and mainly consisted of three stages, the theoretical approach followed by a comparative analysis and case studies. Four Egyptian LEED-certified projects which were all LEED BD+C: NC certified and categorized as office buildings were analyzed and reevaluated using the Egyptian GPRS to find their achievable certification level. LEED rating system was found to have a more accurate representation of sustainability when compared to GPRS in terms of certification levels awarded. Therefore, it was concluded that LEED is a more suitable option for Egyptian office buildings. However, GPRS appoints more points for water efficiency which is a priority as Egypt faces problems with water supply and demand. Therefore, GPRS is suitable for Egyptian projects in general, not office buildings specifically. This study is of significance due to the lack of studies which analyze the pillars of sustainability GPRS addresses in comparison to LEED. The results for this study have significant implementation recommendations for the Unified Building Law and its Executive Appendix, GPRS (2016), and stakeholders.