GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS:
A COMPARISON OF LEED AND CHINA’S 3 STAR
Presented by
Gunnar Hubbard, AIA, LEED AP
Fore Solutions
Consultants for High Performance Green Buildings
Portland, Maine
USA
www.fore-solutions.com
March 24, 2009
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Why Use Green Rating Systems?
“Green Design” is a temporary term.
It’s not an END, it’s a MEANS. . .
a transition to a higher level of
design – integrated design
Rating Systems function as the “training
wheels” for market transformation -to help
support us in a fundamental shift of
thinking
Credit: US Green Building Council 2

800
BUILDINGS
600
TRANSPORTATION
400
Million Metric Tons of Carbon
INDUSTRY
200
CO2 - Buildings vs. Transportation and Industry
0
1960 1980 2000
Green Building, LEED, & The Design Team
March 2009

Goal of Green Building
Environmental
Climate change Fuel depletion Waste generation
Environmental
Economic
Economic Social
Employment Productivity Best value
Social
Social Economic Environmental
Cultural identity Growth Ecosystem integrity
Empowerment Development Carrying capacity
Accessibility Productivity Biodiversity
Stability Trickle-down
Security Amenity Public transport
Credit: KPF CITY WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Green Building, LEED, & The Design Team
March 2009

Goal of Rating ALL Rating Systems
is Market Transformation
Market
Shift
5% 70% 20% 5%
Sub- Typical Green Green
standard building building building
performance practices market innovators
leaders
Current Market =
Market Shift =
Credit: US Green Building Council 5

Credit: US Green Building Council 6

Value of Green Building Rating Systems
• Indicates Efficiency and Effectiveness
• Demonstrates Environmental Commitment
• Promotes Market Transformation
7

Value of Green Building Rating Systems
• Formal Recognition
• Prevents “greenwashing”
• Third Party Verification/
Certification of Performance
• Tool for Governments
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Value of Green Building Rating Systems
• Provide a consistent
“meterstick” for
evaluation
• Benchmark &
Comparison Across
Buildings
• Quantifiable goals &
achievements
• Defines “Green/High
Performance
Buildings”
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International Rating Systems
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10

International Rating Systems
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11

International Rating Systems
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International Rating Systems
A Quick History
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International Rating Systems
LEED BREEAM Energy CASBEE Green Globes Three Star
Star US
Management Management Project Management Operations
Management
Energy and Energy Energy Energy Energy Energy Saving
Atmosphere
Emissions
Sustainable sites Land use Land use Site Site Land Saving
Transport Transport
Ecology
Water Efficiency Water Water Water Water Savings
Indoor Air Quality Pollution IEQ Indoor Indoor Environment Quality of indoor
Environment Environment
al Quality
Health and
Well-
being
Materials and Materials Materials Resource and Resource and solid Material Savings
Resources materials and waste
water
conservation
Innovations Innovations
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The US Green Building Council
www.gbci.org www.usgbc.org
Source: USGBC
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What is
the LEED Scores are tallied for
different aspects of
System? efficiency and design
in appropriate
categories.
LEADERSHIP in
ENERGY and For instance, LEED
assesses in detail:
ENVIRONMENTAL
DESIGN
1. Site Planning
2. Water Management
A leading-edge
3. Energy Management
system for 4. Material Use
certifying 5. Indoor
DESIGN, Environmental
CONSTRUCTION, Air Quality
& OPERATIONS 6. Innovation &
Design Process
of the greenest
buildings in the
world
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Test

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Credit: US Green Building Council

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LEED NC 2.2 Credits and Prerequisites
LEED Credit Categories Points Prerequisites
SS: Sustainable Sites 14 1
WE: Water efficiency 5 0
EA: Energy and Atmosphere 17 3
MR: Materials and Resources 13 1
EQ: Indoor Environmental Quality 15 2
ID: Innovation in Design 5 0
TOTAL Points Available 69
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LEED 2009
Levels of Certification
LEED NC LEED 2009
Certified 26-32 points 40-49 points
Silver 33-38 points 50-59 points
Gold 39-51 points 60-79 points
Platinum 52 + points 80 - 110 points
Total Possible 69 points 110 points
Credit: US Green Building Council 20

Certification Process
LEED for New Construction
Assessment of Value
Set Goals
Determine Preliminary LEED Score
Register Project
Determine Green Building Practices
Begin Documentation Process
Certification
Start
Design Construction
Assemble Design Phase Assemble Documentation
Documentation
Submit Documentation
Submit Documentation
USGBC Construction Phase Review
USGBC Design Phase Review
Credits “Achieved” or “Denied”
Credits “Anticipated” or “Denied”
Credit: US Green Building Council 21

Point of Interest: LEED Projects in Asia
Taiwan
Hong Kong
East Asia
China
South Korea
Japan
Philippines
Southeast Asia
Thailand
Singapore
Malaysia
Vietnam
Indonesia
REG
South Asia
CERTIFIED
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
India
Israel
Kuwait
Oman
West Asia
Saudi Arabia
Qatar
Bahrain
UAE
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
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Three Star - CHINA
(Ministry of Construction Green Building Evaluation
Standards)
“Purpose is to create a voluntary
rating system that will encourage
green development.”
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Three Star
• Like LEED: Credit based
• Developers can choose which standards to pursue
• 2 tracks:
• Residential Buildings,
• Public Buildings
• Rating happens after one year of occupancy
• Developed in 2006, Implemented 2007, First Buildings
Received Rating in 2008.
• Run by MoC (now MOHURD)
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Three Star
• Prerequisites = “Control Items”
• Credits = “General Items”
• Six thematic categories
• “Preference Items” are strategic, harder to
reach targets
• Three levels of rating = One, Two and Three
Stars
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Three Star
Green Building Rating Systems
(as of early 2009)
• Three Star
• Many registered
• 8 certified
• 4 at Three Star level
• LEED
• 161 registered
• 12 certified
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3 Star & LEED Credit Distribution
Category 3 Star LEED NC 2.2
Sustainable Site 9 14+1
Water Efficiency 7 5
Energy & Atmosphere 14 17+3
Materials & Resources 10 13+1
Indoor Environmental Quality 9 15+2
Operations & Maintenance 8
Innovation 5
Total 57 69
Credit: Maunsell|AECOM
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3 Star & LEED NC 2.2 - Levels of Certification
3 Star Platinum
Gold
2 Star
Silver
1 Star Certified
Credit: Maunsell|AECOM
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3 Star & LEED: Prerequisites
Category 3 Star LEED NC 2.2
Sustainable Site 5 1
Water Efficiency 5 0
Energy & Atmosphere 5 3 (plus 2
Optimized
Energy)
Materials & Resources 2 1
Indoor Environmental Quality 6 2
Operations & Maintenance 3
Innovation
Total 26 7
Credit: Maunsell|AECOM
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3 Star & LEED: Reference Codes
Category 3 Star LEED NC 2.2
Sustainable Site 8 11
Water Efficiency 5 1
Energy & Atmosphere 5 5
Materials & Resources 10 2
Indoor Environmental Quality 9 12
Operations & Maintenance 3
Innovation
Total 40 31
Credit: Maunsell|AECOM
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Three Star/LEED - SITE
Sustainable Sites (LEED)
Land Saving and Outdoor Environment (Three Star)
• Overlap in most areas, except
• LEED includes incentives for Alternative Transportation
• Three Star includes credits for:
• Reducing environmental noise
• Paying attention to wind environment
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Three Star /LEED - WATER
Water Efficiency (LEED)
Water Saving and Water Resource Utilization
(Three Star)
• All LEED areas covered by Three Star
• Three Star also includes credits for:
• Including water systems planning
in early design
• Avoiding pipe leakage
• Monitoring safety of nontraditional
water sources
• Efficient use of reclaimed water
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Three Star /LEED - ENERGY
Energy and Atmosphere (LEED)
Energy Saving and Energy Utilization (Three
Star)
• LEED credits not in Three Star :
• Commissioning
• Refrigerant Management
• Three Star credits not in LEED:
• No use of electric boiler/water heater
for heating or cooling
• Standard for air tightness of windows
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Three Star /LEED - MATERIALS
Materials & Resources (LEED)
Material Saving and Material Resource Utilization
(Three Star)
• LEED credits not in Three Star
• Collection and storage of recyclables
• Rapidly renewable materials
• Certified wood
• Three Star credits not in LEED
• Methods for increasing efficiency in
concrete
• Adopting an efficient structural
system
• Specific thresholds for harmful
substances in materials
• Encourages use of flexible partitions
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Three Star /LEED – INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
Indoor Environmental Quality (LEED)
Quality of Indoor Environment (Three Star)
• LEED credits not in Three Star
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control
• Low-Emitting Materials
• Thermal Comfort - Verification
• Three Star credits not in LEED (partial)
• Noise reduction measures
• Air contaminant concentration
standard
• Max. temperature of room allowed
under natural ventilation
• Sound insulation requirements
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Three Star /LEED – Operations Management
Not included in LEED NC, closest to LEED EB:OM
• Goals:
• Establish and implement energy savings, water savings,
and other energy saving policies as well as green
management policies
• Relate improved performance to resource savings and
economic benefits
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WHO ADMINISTERS EACH RATING SYSTEM?
 LEED
– LEED ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS HELP
ADMINISTER THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
SUBMITTAL
– A “UNKNOWN” 3RD PARTY EVALUATES THE LEED
DOCUMENTATION
 3 STAR
– MOHURD IN EACH PROVINCE CERTIFIES FOR 1 STAR
AND 2 STAR
– BEIJING OFFICE OF MOHURD ONLY GIVES 3 STAR.
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Closing Discussion Point
“The path to finding solutions is to bring together the finest, most
passionate minds to work on the problem in a coordinated effort.”
- Steve Chu, Secretary of Energy
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THANK YOU!
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