LEED by Example

There’s no doubt that the ultimate objective of almost every business is to be profitable. Without profits, there would be no opportunities for growth, or success. Hence why sustainability is frequently considered more of an after-thought - often put on the backburner until the business has enough disposable income to invest in green solutions. 

Yet contrary to popular belief, one does not have to come at the expense of the other. Making sustainability a priority for your business can in fact increase profitability in many ways:

1. Socially responsible investing: In the past two years, the desire to invest in purpose-driven companies that prioritise sustainable practices grew by 34% to $30.7 trillion^[1]. Such growth is indicative of the increasingly meaningful role sustainability plays in the private sector.

1. Attracting and retaining talent: “Boomers worked for companies, Gen Xers work for people, millennials and Gen Z work for purpose”^[2]. With millennials now making up 50% of the global workforce, it's no wonder that 61% of employees are actively choosing to work for companies that align with their core values and beliefs^[3].

1. Purpose-driven decision makers: These same millennials dominating the workforce are also increasingly filling the roles of key decision makers, which in turn is driving the growth of B2B responsible marketing. Adopting sustainability as a core company value is becoming a key factor in building loyal relationships with clients.

1. Reducing overheads: Implementing sustainable operating methods should be considered a long-term investment. While the upfront cost may be higher than the alternatives, the increased efficiency, combined with the use of higher quality materials, greatly enhances life cycle costing. 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

For the building services industry, applying for LEED certification is a great way to verify your contribution to green initiatives. As the world’s most widely used green building rating system, LEED is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. 

In the GCC alone, 1,448 buildings have been LEED-certified, as of April 2021^[4], 60% of which are located in Saudi Arabia, and 30% of which can be found in the UAE. Leaders in both the public and private sector are stepping up efforts to obtain LEED certification in line with ambitious sustainability initiatives, such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.

The certification criteria acts as a comprehensive framework for almost all commercial and residential building and project types - from new construction and interior fit-outs, to sustainable operations and maintenance upgrades.

Evaluation is made in the following five green design categories:

• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environmental quality

A point-scoring system is used to rate buildings on the above criteria. With a total of 100 points available, projects are required to obtain a minimum of 40 points to become certified:

• Certified: 40-49 points
• Silver: 50-59 points
• Gold: 60-79 points
• Platinum: 80+ points

LEED for Operations and Maintenance

Designing and constructing a building from the ground up offers the flexibility to guarantee compliance with LEED principles. With existing buildings however, a lack of control over the building framework can make meeting necessary criteria more challenging. 

With the advent of LEED v4.1, LEED for Operations and Maintenance was introduced to offer existing buildings the opportunity to also become certified, assessed against more relevant specifications. Projects are split between two categories to be before being assessed: 

• Existing whole buildings
• Existing interiors contained within a portion of an existing building

How can we help you to achieve LEED certification? 

The point-scoring system assesses a project’s compliance with a total of 22 factors, some of which are weighted more heavily than others. By focusing solely on the successful implementation of the considerations outlined below, you’ll already have accumulated enough points to reach LEED Silver certification! 

1. Support water management and reduce water consumption (6-15 points)

It’s estimated that 70% of the UAE’s total water consumption goes towards irrigation^[5] - a shockingly high statistic given the region’s lack of water security. If your office benefits from outdoor spaces, consider installing our Permavoid geocellular water management system as a form of passive irrigation to reduce water consumption. 

By installing podium decks beneath plant beds, collected rainwater is slowly released back into the soil on a demand-basis to deliver the optimum supply to the plants each day. 

To learn more about how to reduce your water consumption, click here.

1. Sustainably manage rainwater (1 point)

Our other sustainable water management system, Polystorm, is also designed to capture and retain water as close to where it falls as possible, to reduce peak flows during heavy rainfall. As with Permavoid, the rainwater is collected inside the Polystorm cells where it can either be slowly discharged through controlled release, or filtered and stored for repurposing. 

1. Reduce urban heat island effect (1 point)

Incorporating vegetation into your outdoor spaces has the potential to counteract urban heat island effect by lowering city-wide ambient temperatures by up to 4°C^[6]. This can even contribute towards overall energy efficiency and cost savings, with the cooling effect of one young tree being equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating for 20 hours a day!^[7]

Aside from the environmental and economic benefits, green spaces surrounding office buildings, such as green roofs, help to boost employee productivity and relieve stress. 

Green roofs are in fact so beneficial, we’ve dedicated an entire blog post to how they can add value to your project.

1. High indoor air quality and energy efficiency (required)

Meeting the minimum standards for indoor air quality is imperative in supporting the comfort and wellbeing of your employees. Employees of LEED certified buildings experience 30% fewer headaches and respiratory problems, as well as a 27% boost in performance on cognitive tasks^[8]. 

The importance of drainage in improving indoor air quality is rarely considered yet plays a vital role in the elimination of foul and toxic odours. Specialist drainage solutions, such as our signature brand Terrain, reduce the likelihood of leaks and even decrease the spread of infectious diseases and viruses. 

You may also wish to consider the high-performing and efficient ventilation solutions offered by our sister company, Nuaire, who have been improving health, wellbeing and sustainability in the region for over 50 years.

You can also learn more about how to maximise occupant comfort by clicking here.

1. Energy Performance (13-33 points)

The built environment consumes approximately 40% of global energy and generates ⅓ of the total GHG emissions^[9]. Even more shocking is the fact that air conditioning is the main culprit behind the high energy consumption, accounting for up to 70% of overall energy demand in cities^[10]. 

Investing in energy efficient HVAC systems and smart technology can significantly reduce carbon emissions, while simultaneously reducing operational costs. 

Our LEED-ing Projects

As one of Europe's largest and most innovative manufacturers of water and climate management solutions, Polypipe’s portfolio of high-performing and sustainable product ranges have contributed towards the success of a number of LEED projects in the Middle East.

Expo 2020 Dubai, UAE: A combination of Polystorm and Permavoid were integrated into the Opportunity, Mobility, Sustainability, and UAE pavilions, along with our signature Terrain Above and Below Ground drainage systems. 

Rating: Gold and Platinum certifications

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), UAE: Polystorm was installed beneath Gate Avenue to reduce the risk of localised flooding. The prevalence of impermeable concrete surfaces previously increased the likelihood of flash floods, endangering health and safety. 

Rating: Gold certification

DEWA R&D Centre and Laboratory, UAE: Chosen for its superior, robust and lightweight qualities, Polystorm offered an innovative method for controlling surface run-off to alleviate flood risk without contaminating the surrounding environment. 

Rating: Platinum certification

Msheireb Downtown, Doha: Along with our high-performing Terrain drainage systems, our StormX4 specialist stormwater filtration units were specified to meet the strict sustainability criteria set out within LEED standards.

Rating: Gold certification

If you’re looking to become LEED-certified on your next project, contact our experienced technical support team to discuss a bespoke sustainable water management strategy.

Tel: +971 (0) 4 518 3000

Email: middleeast@polypipe.com