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Green Building Standards


Green Building Standards

ASI aims to harmonise with relevant external Standards and Schemes wherever possible and appropriate, in order to enhance collaboration, reduce unnecessary duplication, and inform ASI’s learning and continual improvement.

The ASI Standards Benchmarking and Harmonisation Procedure describes the identification, benchmarking and review of external Standards and Schemes for potential harmonisation with, including recognition by and of, ASI Standards.

Green building standards, certifications and ratings systems have emerged since the 1990s and are aimed at mitigating the impacts of buildings on the natural environment through sustainable design.

ASI is working to achieve recognition of the ASI Certification program by selected green building initiatives. Below is a list of the green building standards that have recognised ASI Certification to date.

1) BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method)

BREEAM is an international scheme that provides independent third party certification of the assessment of the sustainability performance of individual buildings, communities and infrastructure projects.

BREEAM third-party certification involves the checking – by impartial experts – of the assessment of a building or project by a qualified and licensed BREEAM Assessor to ensure that it meets the quality and performance standards of the scheme.

The main output from a certified BREEAM assessment is the rating. A certified rating reflects the performance achieved by a project and its stakeholders, as measured against the standard and its benchmarks. The rating enables comparability between projects and provides reassurance to customers and users, in turn underpinning the quality and value of the asset.

The BREEAM ratings range from Acceptable (In-Use scheme only) to Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent to Outstanding and it is reflected in a series of stars on the BREEAM certificate.

How it works

How it works

BREEAM awards credits for responsibly sourcing construction products to encourage responsible product specification and procurement in construction. To achieve these credits, applicable specified products must be covered by Environmental Management System (EMS) or a Responsible Sourcing Certification Scheme (RSCS) recognised by BREEAM.

ASI completed the BREEAM evaluation process in April 2020. Being a recognised Responsible Sourcing Certification Scheme means that ASI Aluminium products can be identified and checked by construction product specifiers and BREEAM Assessors during BREEAM assessments.

The table below is taken from Guidance Note GN 18, which contains the score levels for RSCS that are recognised by BREEAM for use in BREEAM and HQM assessments, along with respective guidance:


[vc_price_column heading_text=”RSCS/EMS Scheme (or other recognised source)” price=”” interval=”” currency=”” en_button=”no”]

Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)

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[vc_price_column heading_text=”Label(s)/Version(s) of the scheme” price=”” interval=”” currency=”” en_button=”no”]

‘ASI Certified Performance’ with ‘ASI Certified Chain of Custody’ (Note: Provisional certification is not applicable)

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[vc_price_column heading_text=”Additional requirement to be specified” price=”” interval=”” currency=”” en_button=”no”]

The aluminium shall originate from a casthouse that is a certified ASI Member and/or a subsequent supplier of this aluminium that is a certified Member (listed here: https://aluminium-stewardship.org/asi-certification/asi-certified-members/)

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[vc_price_column heading_text=”RSCS summary score level for use in BREEAM assessments” price=”” interval=”” currency=”” en_button=”no”]

5

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Consult the full table and BREEAM Guidance Note GN 18.

2) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

LEED is the green building project and performance management system from the U.S. Green Building Council, and provides a framework for green building design, construction, operations and performance.

The latest version of LEED, LEED v4.1, sets the bar on building standards to address energy efficiency, water conservation, site selection, material selection, day lighting, waste reduction, and more.

Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points for various green building strategies under LEED credits, across several categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, material and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and regional priority credits. Based on the number of points achieved, a project earns one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

The credit ‘Social Equity within the Supply Chain’ is a new pilot credit which aims to create more equitable, healthier environments for those affected by and involved in the production of materials and products used in a project, including the stages of raw materials extraction, processing, manufacturing, and assembly of components and products.

How it works

How it works

The pilot credit ‘‘Social equity within the supply chain’’ requires that products used are certified by, or are from a company that meets all 8 Fundamental Conventions of the International Labour Organization (or using alternative strategies which proves that these 8 Conventions have been addressed). As a pilot credit, the USGBC will monitor the credit’s uptake and use by LEED project teams. Pilot credits are reviewed annually and updates are made based on user experience. Each year the credit will either be extended for another year, or included as a permanent credit under the LEED system, or retired.

The eight ILO conventions include: Freedom of Association and Protection of Right to Organize (C087), Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining (C098), Forced Labour (C029), Abolition of Forced Labour (C105), Minimum Age (C138), Worst Forms of Child Labour (C182), Equal Renumeration (C100) and Discrimination – Employment and Occupation (C111).

The ASI Performance Standard (v2) and the ASI Chain of Custody Standard (v1) have both been pre-approved by USGBC to meet these 8 ILO Fundamental Conventions. To be eligible, the manufacturing company has achieved ASI Performance Standard Certification, or procures materials that are sourced from an Entity that has achieved ASI Chain of Custody Certification. (Please note that in order for an Entity to be ASI CoC Certified, ASI Performance Standard Certification must be achieved as well).

Consult the full LEED text on Social Equity within the Supply Chain