ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 266

In addition to the basic and common categories, each system has it is individual categories like;
Regional Priority (3.6%) in LEED, Building Management (9.88%) in Jordan Green Building Guide,
Integrated Design Process (6%) in Pearl. BREEAM has more four separated categories that are covered within the other system’s main categories like; waste (7.5%), pollution (10%), transportation
(8%) and management (12%), SABA tool merges waste and pollution in one category with (6.4%)
and economics (10%) is represented as one more separated and additional category(Fig.3 and
Fig.4).
Certification Levels
Comparison in Certification Rating Levels between the systems shows that the certification criteria for all studied systems based on the collecting of points under a number of general categories. These credits are divided into mandatory requirements and optional credits; the mandatory
requirements insure that the project in compliance with sustainable and green building requirements, while LEED and PRS award any point to the prerequisite requirements, BREEAM and Jordan Green Building Guide award points for both mandatory and optional credits, optional credits
calculated by project team according to the desire level of certification.
Collected points lead to the final rating level, in LEED they are four levels (Certified, Silver, Gold
and Platinum) comparing with five levels in PRS (One to Five Pearls), BREEAM has also five levels (Pass. Good, Very Good, Excellent, and Outstanding), while it is four in Jordan Green Building
Guide (A, B, C and D), and it is limited to three levels in Saba (very green, green, not green) (Fig.5).
Certification Process
Some differences indicated in the Certification Submission Process of the rating systems, while
LEED submitted directly online for review without any oral discussions, BREEAM and PRS required
assigning an assessor to enhance sustainable targets’ achievements and proceed easily with certificate submission.
When it is related to Dubai Municipality, the submission for green certificate coincides with the
building permit submission and completion certificate, no certificate awarded, as all buildings
should follow the Green Building Regulations as a condition for obtaining the “Building Permit”
and the “Completion Certificate”, a green building regulation declaration should be submitted at
each submission stage, an alternative documentation or international certification may be accepted relating to the authority satisfaction of complying with green building standards. On the
other hand, the green building guide in Jordan is in process, certification process submission and
details for each category requirements will be organized and published in two appendices A and
B attached to this guide.

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ZEMCH 2015 | International Conference | Bari - Lecce, Italy