Development of Post LEED Energy Management and Sustainability System Audits for High Occupancy Buildings

Abstract

The focus of the current study is to evaluate IEQ in relation to health and newlinewellbeing in LEED certified buildings in Canada and India and to develop newlineframework for new post-LEED Audit tools for energy, building system, credit newlinesustainability and occupant health. newlineOngoing work clearly demonstrates that the LEED standard is biased towards newlineenergy conservation. Little attention is paid towards health and wellbeing. newlineMoreover, similar LEED certified projects impact on occupant health differently. There is very low emphasis on factors that relate to human health. Energy newlineconservation makes buildings more airtight and effective in trapping the gases newlineemitted by large numbers of chemicals used in today s building materials and newlinefurnishings. Even as this threat from indoor air pollution grows, LEED continues newlineto ignore human health. A way forward is to modify the LEED scoring system newlinewithin categories, by requiring minimum performance within each category that newlineimpacts health and comfort of occupants. This will provide a more accurate newlinereflection of project performance and encourage builders to improve with in all newlinecategories. The current study proposes amendments and rationale for LEED newlinerelated enhancements for high occupancy buildings while providing Review and newlineAnalysis tools for builders, regulators and end users for self-assessment and newlineLEED re-certification. newline