This fall, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) released the Canadian version of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED EBOM (Existing Building : Operations & Maintenance) certification rating system.
LEED stands for Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design system and is the most prominent rating system in Canada for green buildings.
It’s a pretty comprehensive system and because it is quite rigorous both in the standards and in the certification process, it’s a relatively expensive process, but the principles are what every Facility Manager or Property Manager should be applying in their buildings. Even if you are located in another part of the world, read the guides to see what else you can do.
The USGBC and CaGBC have had a certification system for new construction LEED NC as well as LEED CI for Commercial Interiors for a while. The LEED EBOM certification has been available in the US for a while. Since the system is very rigorous, adjustments to match Canadian standards, building codes and other issues was necessary. This Canadian version was written by Halsall, a Canadian Engineering firm.
The certification includes a focus on design issues related to the site that can be difficult to achieve in an existing building, but if you are already seeking LEED NC (new construction) certification, they are mostly covered already. Others are leading practices you should have implemented as part of your management approach and your subcontracting / purchasing policies.
For more information, a list of the practices and requirements and links to LEED documents, read this longer article at StrategicAdvisor
