Building Certifications Review

This review of Green Building Certifications was developed by the SSAFE Energy Workgroup.

SSAFE members have expressed the need for significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions across chapter campuses in pursuit of carbon neutrality. Emissions from the construction and operation of buildings are responsible for the largest segment of global emissions. The authors feel, therefore, that one way of advancing this goal is for communities to seek Green Building Certification through one of the several programs that have emerged over the last 25 years. There is also a marketing advantage in being able to show that your community is serious about addressing the greatest challenge of our age, the warming planet.

This set of documents, entitled “Review of Green Building Certification Programs”, explains the history and focus of each program as well as the current fee structure and green building requirements. The programs offer varying levels of certification, from basic to advanced, offering a wide variety of choices for a given residential retirement community.

We have narrowed the search to 9 of the most widely used programs in North America, seeking to identify the characteristics of each one. Our aim is to provide a starting point in selecting a building certification program best suited to your community.

There are two parts to the review in addition to the cover letter: 1) a matrix comparing fee structures and requirements, and 2) brief narratives highlighting special features of each certification program.

Green building certification programs are periodically updated, as indicated in the matrix. As a result, this summary analysis will need to be updated every few years as new versions of the certification programs are developed and/or new programs emerge.

We hope you find this review useful as your residential campus pursues its emissions reduction goals.