Main certifications in Spain and their characteristics
BREEAM: (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) is the method for assessing and certifying sustainability in construction. Breeam certification is the most widely used procedure for assessing environmental performance and certifying sustainable buildings at national and international level.
Buildings are assessed using this system based on a set of credits divided into nine different groups, identifying and rewarding measures that improve occupant well-being and contribute to environmental protection. This system is also voluntary and was created in 1990 in the United Kingdom.
LEED: (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) It is an international assessment system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to promote the development of sustainable and energy-efficient buildings.
The seals it awards classify buildings according to their degree of excellence and establish a points-based rating of sustainable achievements through independent third-party verification that a building or community is designed and constructed using strategies aimed at improving efficiency in all key indicators: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor quality, resource management and conservation, waste reduction, and more.
Green: is the sustainability assessment tool for buildings developed by GBCe in 2009. Its main features include being designed from the perspective of the market and Spanish regulations; being sufficiently flexible and accessible to different levels of knowledge; and being affordable for all types of developments.
WELL Building Standard: It is a dynamic scoring system for buildings and communities that allows the identification, measurement, and monitoring of the characteristics of built spaces that impact the health and wellbeing of occupants.
This certification focuses exclusively on user health and comfort, and is based on performance rather than prescription.
It measures the quality of air, water, lighting, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, and community, among other concepts.
DGNB System: is a planning and optimisation tool for the assessment of sustainable buildings and districts, developed by the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) in 2009. The system was first introduced to the market in 2009 and has been continuously developed since then. It is now not only considered the most advanced in the world, but is also internationally recognised as the “Global Benchmark for Sustainability”.
Passive house: is a construction standard focused on the architecture and design of a home. It defines the performance requirements that a building must meet and regulates the methods for verifying compliance through certification, without requiring the use of specific types, solutions, products or brands. A “passive house” assesses orientation, heat distribution, ventilation systems, insulation and contribution to energy efficiency.
ESG sustainability services
Gesvalt has a consulting division focused on meeting the needs of companies and administrations that need to certify their activities as sustainable. It offers services related to energy audits, green financing or certifications, sale of real estate company assets, environmental studies, and new regulatory requirements. Get in touch with us!