Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of the environmental assessment tools available to gauge buildings. This rating system is a voluntary system which does not include financial aspects in the evaluation framework. This poses a challenge for encouraging land development projects, since developers consider financial or economic return as a crucial factor before building a project. It becomes essential to know if market really accepts the economic worth of LEED ratings. This research attempted to find out relationship between economic worth of a land and parameters (measurements), which are essential to earn LEED sustainable rating for public transportation access. To find out this relationship and to recognize power of the LEED measurements to predict the appraised value of a land (dollars per square foot) various statistical models were used and predictive equations produced. The observational units were properties in Harris County, Texas that were unimproved and had zero improvement value. The dependent variable was unit value of the property measured in dollars per square foot. The independent variables were measurements that are required for a parcel to earn LEED sustainable site rating for public transportation access and the area of parcel. Data regarding appraised values and land area were acquired from the Harris County Appraisal District and transportation data was obtained from Houston- Galveston Area Council. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze different models and to develop predictive equations. Findings suggest that LEED green building rating system influences the appraised value, dollars per square foot, of properties. It further implies that market considers the economic effect of the LEED rating system even if this assessment method does not explicitly include financial aspects in the evaluation framework. Findings of this research also suggest that a sustainable feature of a site is related to the economic worth of a related land development project. This will provide encouragement for new sustainable land development projects. This will provide an economic incentive to the owners and developers. Developers will get encouragement to select a site located closer to mass transit networks.

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2010. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-89). / Preservation of buildings is an important process for both cultural and environmental sustainability. Buildings are frequently demolished and rebuilt long before necessitated by structural or material deterioration, wasting both materials and energy. Preservation can be seen as the ultimate form of recycling; it allows existing buildings to be updated and retrofitted for continued use, optimizing the longevity of the structure while protecting its cultural significance. Currently, there is a lack of motivation and regulation for choosing preservation over new construction. The LEED guidelines give only a small number of points for building reuse, and frequently historic restrictions interfere with measures that would produce the same types of energy savings seen in new construction. This project will use several case studies, including the preservation of Pier A in New York City's Battery Park, as examples of contemporary restoration projects that have received or are anticipating LEED ratings. I will look at these projects in the context of current LEED guidelines and proposed future revisions to investigate how the LEED system addresses issues regarding preservation, and how they could be improved to encourage more sustainable renovation practices. / by Lori Ferriss. / M.Eng.

La conscientisation quant aux enjeux environnementaux n'a cessé de croître au cours des vingt dernières années. Dans le milieu de la construction, comme dans bien d'autres secteurs de nos sociétés, cette conscientisation a donné naissance depuis une dizaine d'années à un foisonnement de programmes volontaires pour les bâtiments. Ainsi, on assiste à l'édification d'un nombre croissant de bâtiments appelés « verts » ou encore « durables ». L'utilisation de ces qualificatifs semble faire l'objet d'une certaine confusion, plusieurs y ayant recours comme s'il s'agissait de synonymes. Le système d'évaluation LEED®, actuellement le programme volontaire en construction le plus influent dans le monde, ajoute à cette confusion conceptuelle dans sa version canadienne. Cette recherche examine le fonctionnement du système d'évaluation LEED Canada NC 1.0 en tant qu'outil de développement durable pour le secteur de la construction. Puisque ce mémoire se penche sur un phénomène relativement récent, nous avons privilégié l'étude de cas pour notre stratégie de recherche en ayant recours à l'observation participante et à l'analyse documentaire pour effectuer la cueillette de données. Comme cadre d'analyse, ce travail se structure autour des principes de construction durable de la norme ISO 15392. Si la littérature semble considérer le système LEED d'abord comme un programme de performance environnementale, notre recherche démontre que ce programme réussit à intégrer en partie les principes du développement durable pour le secteur de la construction. Aussi, les lacunes principales du programme dans le projet étudié se situent dans la faible prise en compte des acteurs touchés par un projet LEED, la transparence déficiente et une évaluation manquante quant aux phases d'utilisation et de fin de vie utile du bâtiment. Toutefois, nous sommes d'avis que le système LEED-NC constitue un outil en constante évolution. En ce sens, il nous apparaît un outil de développement durable en devenir. Il est en effet possible qu'une version du programme puisse, dans un futur proche, intégrer les aspects actuellement négligés du développement durable. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : développement durable, construction, éco-construction, bâtiments verts, bâtiments durables, LEED®.

Thesis (D.Eng.)--Cleveland State University, 2008. / Abstract. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 8, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 321-343). Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center. Also available in in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University, Construction Management Program, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 12, 2008). Available through UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 284-286).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 01, 2010). Creative project (M.A.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. [27]-30).

Higher education is an idyllically positioned organization from which meaningful dissemination of knowledge and interdisciplinary research is capable of actuating practices that resource consumption. Paradoxically, the construction, maintenance, and operations of the built environment, including the built campus environment, have contributed to the decline of raw resources and degradation of environmental processes. An opportunity exists to bridge the knowledge gap between the design and construction phase and the operations and maintenance phase of the green certified building life cycle, while examining the parts that contributed to the green-certification of the whole building. The purpose of this research was to 1.) identify green-building features and determine their frequency of implementation in new capital (NC) LEED-certified, campus buildings to effectuate operations and maintenance cost savings, indoor wellbeing, and environmental stewardship, and 2.) determine the relationships of greenbuilding feature usage across building, institutional, and LEED characteristics. The study used archival data to document the green efforts of each building with the study’s sample of 195 buildings on the campus of 107 universities and colleges, in the United States, between 2007 and 2017. The study’s findings indicated that the public institutions earned the LEED certification more often than private institutions and the sample was void of two-year community colleges. The sample was restricted for green-building features that (a) reduce economic cost, (b) improve indoor wellbeing, and (c) increase environmental stewardship. The results and implications are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-08-06T13:55:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cibele Bossa Antoniolli.pdf: 9171264 bytes, checksum: 4ec50cbb40d81c6087647a9bc589f54c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-06T13:55:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cibele Bossa Antoniolli.pdf: 9171264 bytes, checksum: 4ec50cbb40d81c6087647a9bc589f54c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-26 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / CNPQ – Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares / UNISINOS - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos / A indústria da construção civil em geral apresenta elevado impacto ambiental. É considerada a maior consumidora de recursos naturais, na maior parte, não-renováveis, além de gerar significativo volume de resíduos. Os selos de certificação ambiental surgem como uma ferramenta de projeto, execução e desempenho (pós-ocupação), indicando diretrizes voltadas à diminuição de impactos ambientais. Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar resultados de critérios pontuados no programa de certificação LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environment Design) durante a pós-ocupação de um prédio comercial, buscando reconhecer também o papel e percepção do usuário. O trabalho foi realizado através de um estudo de caso que utilizou informações disponibilizadas nos documentos de certificação, projeto e informações de consumos de energia e água. Para investigar o papel e a percepção do usuário, foi considerada a comparação entre o “Prédio A" (com certificação ambiental) em relação ao “Prédio B" (sem certificação ambiental). De forma geral, os resultados apontam que o consumo medido de água ficou 31% abaixo dos parâmetros do LEED, porém 199% acima dos parâmetros de projeto. Já o consumo medido de energia ficou 12% acima dos parâmetros do LEED e 32% acima dos parâmetros de projeto. Quanto ao papel do usuário, foi detectado que o uso de bicicletas/vestiários, uso de dispositivos economizadores de água, uso de escada ao invés de elevador, o descarte adequado de resíduos e a conscientização quanto à fumaça de cigarro são ações praticadas e reconhecidas pelos usuários. Quanto à percepção do usuário, em comparação a um prédio sem certificação ambiental, o conforto térmico, a maior transparência e a vista para o exterior são as estratégias de projeto entendidas como mais efetivas. / The construction industry in general has a high environmental impact. It is considered as the largest consumer of natural resources, mostly non-renewable, and it generates a significant volume of waste. The environmental certification arise as a tool for design, implementation and performance (post-occupancy), indicating guidelines for the environmental impacts reduction. The present study aims to analyze the performance of the scored criterias in the certification program, during the post-occupation of a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environment Design) commercial building, seeking also to recognize the user’s role and perception. The study was conduct through a study case that considered the information that was available in the certification documents, design information and energy and water consumption. To investigate the user’s role and perception, a comparison between "Building A" (with environmental certification) in relation to the "Building B" (without environmental certification) was considered. Overall, the results showed that the measured consumption of water was 31% below the LEED parameters, but 199% above the design parameters. The measured consumption of energy was 12% above the LEED parameters and 32% above the design parameters. As for the user’s role, it was found that the use of bicycles/changing rooms, the use of water saving devices, the use of staircases instead of elevators, the proper disposal of waste and awareness of the cigarette smoke are practiced and recognized actions by users. As for the user’s perception compared to a non-certificate building, the thermal comfort, greater transparency and exterior views were aspects seen as the most effective design strategies.

xii, 145 p. : ill. (some col.), maps. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / In an effort to confront global warming and the increasing scarcity of resources, the preservation community began several years ago to adopt sustainable and green building practices and metrics for historic rehabilitation projects. As a result, there is an ever growing number of rehabilitated historic buildings in the United States not only incorporating sustainable building designs but also achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Most of these are large, architect-designed buildings in urban settings rehabilitated for cultural and commercial uses. This thesis explores the application of the LEED 2009 New Construction and Major Renovation Rating System for the development of a sustainable rehabilitation plan for the modest vernacular 1897 Jeff. Smith's Parlor Museum in Skagway, Alaska. The goal of this research is to demonstrate how the LEED rating system might be applied to the rehabilitation of this building and other historic vernacular buildings. / Committee in Charge: Donald L. Peting, Chair; Grant Crosby, NPS Historical Architect

Green building, as an environmentally responsible and resource-efficient product, has emerged in recent decades. Along with the growing interest in green building design and operating practices, a number of green building certification standards and rating systems have been developed by different organizations worldwide. Those rating systems allow government regulators, building professionals, and consumers to embrace green building with confidence. Many recent studies find that LEED and Energy Star certified commercial buildings gain significant rental and sales price premiums and have higher occupancy rates. However, little research has been conducted to measure the market value of certified multi-family residential buildings, for instance, green condominiums. This study investigates the price effects of LEED certification on condominium real estate assets in a local housing market, in this case Portland, Oregon. The overall dataset is developed by combining information from Metro's Regional Land Information System (RLIS) and LEED certifications by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). A hedonic pricing model is employed to measure the effects of certification levels on sales prices. The model results indicate that, compared to non-certified condominiums in Portland, green certified properties have a 5.8 percent sales price premium on average. The result of this study confirms that LEED condominiums exhibit higher sales prices controlling for location- and property-specific factors.