Kogler, K. (2009). Application of LEED to Austrian buildings : a case-study [Master Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://resolver.obvsg.at/urn:nbn:at:at-ubtuw:1-29774
Sustainability rating tools for buildings have been spreading increasingly wide over the globe, but they have hardly found any recognition throughout continental Europe so far. According to Cheriyan (2008), European countries, including Austria, are succeeding with energy efficient building constructions, but common established criteria for an ecological and comprehensive building evaluation are not available. In order to analyse the potential of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification on a building construction in Austria, as an example of a country usually not following US design standards, firstly the most significant implications on the project scheduling are identified; and secondly contractual implications are discussed. Subsequently an office building in Vienna is taken into consideration. After a short presentation of the LEED certification, the criteria of LEED for New Construction are examined in regard of their applicability to the case study building. This analysis aims at identifying the impacts LEED would have had, if it had been considered right from the project beginning. It is found that the case study building has performance in the relevant categories as follows: weak performance in Water Efficiency, Materials & Resources; average performance in: Sustainable Sites; and exceptionally good performance in: Energy & Atmosphere, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation & Design Process. In total, up to 48 points are identified as being attainable for the case study building, reaching LEED gold certification level according to LEED for New Construction, Version 2.2. In regard of the documentation effort, the introduced analysis is limited to the additional costs - the so called soft costs - of obtaining a "green" building certificate. In the case study additional costs like fees for registration, certification and additional man-power are estimated, as required to perform the LEED certification successfully. In total, an additional budget requirement of approx. $ 143,600 (EUR 103,000) was identified for the 71,000 sq.ft. (6,500 m²) net floor area case study