Green Building Rating Systems (GBRSs) are referred to as a tool that can be used to assess a building’s green aspects or rather sustainable practices and establish the certification levels based on the total points obtained for the criteria altogether. World Green Building Council(WGBC) defines Green Building as a building that, in its design, construction, or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts and can create positive impacts on our environment. Sustainable site development, Water efficiency, Energy efficiency, Materials selection, and Indoor Environmental Quality, are the major criteria of GBRS and each of these contains sub-criteria with credit points which ascertain the certification level of the building.
Following is a comparative chart identifying and providing details for international and Indian GBRSs.
| BUILDING RATING OR CERTIFICATION SYSTEM | SINGLE OR MULTI- ATTRIBUTE | TYPE OF STANDARD OR CERTIFICATION | MANAGING ORGANIZATION | ISSUES / AREAS OF FOCUS |
| Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) (USA and UK) | Multi-Attribute | Green building rating and certification system through on-site independent third-party verification for: · New Construction · In-Use · Refurbishment & Fit Out · Communities · Infrastructure | BRE Global | Performance in: · Energy · Health & Well-being · Transport · Water · Materials · Waste · Land Use & Ecology · Management · Pollution No prerequisites for In-Use |
| Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) (UK and USA) | Multi-Attribute | Green building rating and certification system through independent third-party verification for: · New Construction (NC) · Existing Buildings, Operations & Maintenance (EB O&M) · Commercial Interiors (CI) · Core & Shell (CS) · Schools (SCH) · Retail · Healthcare (HC) · Residential · Cities and Communities | U.S. Green Building Council | Performance in: · Sustainable Sites · Water Efficiency · Integrative Process · Location & Transportation · Energy & Atmosphere · Materials & Resources · Indoor Environmental Quality · Innovation · Regional Priority |
| Green Globes (USA and Canada) | Multi-Attribute | Green building guidance and assessment program for: · Existing buildings · New construction | Green Building Initiative in the U.S. BOMA Canada | Environmental assessment areas to earn credits in: · Energy · Indoor Environment · Site · Water Efficiency · Materials · Project Management No prerequisites |
| Living Building Challenge (USA) | Multi-Attribute | Performance-based standard, and certification program for: · Landscape and infrastructure projects · Partial renovations and complete building renewals · New building construction · Neighbourhood, campus and community design | International Living Future Institute | Performance areas include: · Place · Water · Energy · Materials · Health & Happiness · Equity · Beauty All areas are requirements. |
| Passive House Institute US (USA) | Multi-Attribute | Performance based passive building standard · Third-party RESNET approved quality assurance/quality control · Earns U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home status · Includes HERS rating | Passive House Institute US | Any type of building. New focus areas include: · air tightness requirements · source energy limit · space conditioning criteria · net zero energy |
| SITES (USA) | Multi-Attribute | Third-party verified rating system for development projects located on sites with or without buildings including: · Open spaces · Streetscapes and plazas · Commercial · Residential · Educational/Institutional | Administered by GBCI | Performance criteria in the areas of: · Site Context · Water · Soil & Vegetation · Human Health & Well-being · Materials Selection, and more |
| WELL Building Standard (USA) | Multi-Attribute | Performance based standard and certification program for: · New and Existing Buildings · New and Existing Interiors · Core and Shell Retail · Retail · Education Facilities · Restaurant · Commercial Kitchen · Multifamily Residential | Administered by the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI) | Measures attributes of buildings that impact occupant health by looking at ten factors: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community, and Innovation. |
| Fitwel (USA) | Multi-Attribute | · New Construction · Existing Buildings | Center for Active Design U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention | Fitwel’s seven health impact categories are: Impacts Surrounding Community Health, Reduces Morbidity and Absenteeism, Supports Social Equity for Vulnerable Populations, Instills Feelings of Well-Being, Enhances Access to Healthy Foods, Promotes Occupant Safety, and Increases Physical Activity |
| BCA Green Mark Scheme (Singapore) | Multi-Attribute | Benchmarking scheme that aims to achieve a sustainable built environment by incorporating best practices in environmental design and construction, and the adoption of green building technologies. | Building and Construction Authority (BCA) | Rates buildings according to five key criteria: Energy efficiency Water efficiency Environmental protection Indoor environmental quality, and Other green and innovative features that contribute to better building performance. |
| Beam (Hong Kong) | Multi-Attribute | Comprehensive standard and supporting process covering all building types, including mixed use complexes, both new and existing to assess, improve, certify, and label the environmental performance of buildings | Business Environment Council | Performance and assessment in: · Site aspects · Material aspects · Water use · Energy use · Indoor environmental quality · Innovations and additions |
| CASBEE (Japan) | Multi-Attribute | Building assessment tools for · Pre-design · New Construction · Existing Building and · Renovation | JSBC (Japan Sustainable Building Consortium) and its affiliated sub-committees | Assessment areas include: · Energy efficiency · Resource efficiency · Local environment, and · Indoor environment |
| EDGE (International) | Multi-Attribute | A universal standard and a certification system for residential and commercial structures. | International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group | Assessment areas include: · Energy · Water · Materials |
| Global Sustainability Assessment System (Middle East and North Africa) | Multi-Attribute | An integrated and performance-based rating system for buildings and infrastructure | GSAS Trust | Assessment areas include: · Urban Connectivity · Site · Energy · Water · Materials · Cultural & Economic Values · Management & Operations · Indoor Environment |
| Green Star SA (South Africa) | Multi-Attribute | Green building rating system for: · Office · Retail · Multi-unit residential | Green Building Council of South Africa administers program Independent assessors to assess and score projects | Categories assessed in: · Management · Indoor Environmental Quality · Energy · Transport · Water · Materials · Land Use & Ecology · Emissions · Innovation |
| Pearl Rating System for Estidama (UAE) | Multi-Attribute | Green building rating system for: · Community · Buildings · Villas · Temporary Villas and Buildings | Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council | Assessment of performance in: · Integrated Development Process · Natural Systems · Liveable Communities · Precious Water · Resourceful Energy · Stewarding Materials · Innovating Practice |
| IGBC Green Existing Buildings O&M Rating System (India) | Multi-Attribute | Green building rating system for existing buildings with focus on their operations and maintenance. | Indian Green Building Council | Focus on: · Site Management · Water Efficiency · Energy Efficiency · Health and Comfort · Innovation |
| GRIHA for Existing Buildings (India) | Multi-Attribute | Rating system and guidelines for transforming existing buildings to sustainable buildings. | Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Council And The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) | 100-point system consisting of 12 criteria categorized under seven sections such as Site Parameters, Maintenance & Housekeeping, Energy, Water, Human Health & Comfort, Social Aspects, and Bonus points. Six of these 12 criteria are mandatory, while the rest are optional. |
| CPWD Green Rating Manual 2021 (India) | Multi-Attribute | System designed specifically for CPWD construction projects from small to large scale. Covering a range of expert topics such as Architectural planning, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Horticulture. | Central Public Works Department | Apart from common criteria (water and energy), manual covers quality, safety, construction, materials, waste management, welfare, landscape and horticulture. |
| Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) (India) | Multi-Attribute | At the direction of the Prime Minister and Deputy Chair of the Planning Commission, an expert committee was established to develop a comprehensive energy policy in 2004. The Integrated Energy Policy, released in August 2006, addresses all aspects of energy, including energy security, access and availability, affordability and pricing, efficiency and the environment. | Planning Commission Or NITI Aayog | The broad vision behind the energy policy is to provide safe and convenient energy at the lowest cost in a technically efficient, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable manner -thereby reliably meeting the demand for energy services of all sectors, including the energy needs of vulnerable households in all parts of the country |
| Energy Conservation Building Code (USA and India) | Single-Attribute | Launched Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007 to establish minimum energy performance standards for buildings in India. | Bureau of Energy Efficiency | Areas covered: · Energy Performance Index · Building Envelope · Comfort systems · Lighting · Electrical and Renewable systems |
| Assocham - Green and Eco-friendly Movement (GEM) (India) | Multi-Attribute | Indigenous systematic evidence-based rating system for built environment including commercial and residential complexes. It is designed on the principles of NBC 2016, ECBC 2017 and selected CPWD guidelines. | Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India | The objective is to ensure future buildings move towards environment friendly methods of design, construction, and operations. he GEM green building certification offers Pre-certification (for green field/design phase or under construction) and final certification for (new and existing buildings). It offers a unique preposition for enabling tangible and indirect savings throughout the life cycle of the projects with respect to energy, materials, HVAC costs and many more aspects. |
Following is a comparative chart identifying and providing details for international and Indian green product certifications:
| PRODUCT CERTIFICATION | SINGLE OR MULTI- ATTRIBUTE | TYPE OF STANDARD OR CERTIFICATION | MANAGING ORGANIZATION | ISSUES OF FOCUS |
| Energy Star | Single-Attribute | Government certification relying on manufacturer-provided data or third-party testing | U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE | Energy Consuming Products |
| WaterSense | Single-Attribute | Government label based on third-party testing | U.S. EPA | Showerheads, toilets, faucets, urinals, and valves |
| Forest Stewardship Council | Single-Attribute | Third-party certification | Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) | Forests and forestry products |
| SCS Global Services | Multi-Attribute | Third-party certification | SCS Global Services | Wide range of products ( i.e. carpets, textiles, wood products, insulation, and more) |
| Green Seal | Multi-Attribute | Third-party ISO Type 1 certification | Green Seal | Wide range of sectors (paints, adhesives, lamps, electric chillers, windows, window films, occupancy sensors) |
| Cradle to Cradle | Multi-Attribute | Third-party certification, Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard is managed and updated by the Institute’s Certification Standards Board | Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute C2CPII | Building materials, interior design products, textiles and fabrics, paper and packaging, and personal and homecare products |
| GREENGUARD | Multi-Attribute | Third-party certification | UL Environment | Indoor air quality, children and schools focus |
| Green Squared | Multi-Attribute | Third-party ISO Type 1 environmental labeling and declaration requirements (ISO 14024) | TCNA | Tiles and tile installations |
| International Green Mark (IGM) | Single and Multi-Attribute | ISO 17065 and ISO 17067 | The GORD Institute | Various building products including wood, sealants, paints, concrete, and more |
| Natural Stone Sustainability Standard (ANSI 373) | Multi-Attribute | Independent consensus-based standard | Natural Stone Institute and NSF International | Natural stone production |
Green Building Rating Systems (GBRS), Green building certification, Building performance assessment, Sustainable architecture, Environmental design standards, Building sustainability assessment, World Green Building Council (WGBC), Sustainable site development, Water efficiency, Energy efficiency, Materials selection, Indoor environmental quality (IEQ), Environmental performance indicators, Building certification programs, BREEAM, LEED, Green Globes, Living Building Challenge, Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), SITES, WELL Building Standard, Fitwel, BCA Green Mark, BEAM (Hong Kong), CASBEE (Japan), EDGE certification, Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), Green Star SA, Pearl Rating System for Estidama, IGBC Green Existing Buildings O&M, GRIHA, CPWD Green Rating Manual, Integrated Energy Policy (IEP), Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), Assocham GEM certification, Building sustainability frameworks, Environmental rating methodologies, Third-party building certification, Sustainable construction evaluation, Environmental management in architecture, Green infrastructure policies, Building sustainability benchmarking, Multi-attribute assessment systems, Single-attribute assessment systems, Environmental building assessment tools, International Green Building Standards, Indian Green Building Standards, Operational energy efficiency, Renewable energy integration in buildings, Resource-efficient design, Waste management in buildings, Water conservation technologies, Low-carbon design, Indoor air quality management, Sustainable materials, Green innovation in architecture, Resilient building design, Sustainable building operations, Post-occupancy evaluation, Environmental certification criteria, Third-party verification systems, Green construction practices, Energy performance evaluation, Environmental compliance frameworks, Sustainable urban development, Healthy building design, Occupant well-being, Building performance verification, Sustainable development goals (SDGs), Building lifecycle assessment (LCA), Environmental design rating, Architectural performance rating, Environmental certification governance, Building quality assessment, Sustainable architecture in India, Environmental innovation, Sustainable construction policy, Architectural sustainability rating systems, Environmental performance certification, Global building standards, Comparative sustainability frameworks, LEED certification, BREEAM methodology, Living Building Challenge petals, WELL certification factors, Biophilic building standards, Health-centered architecture, Resilient construction codes, Passive building standards, Performance-based rating, Water-positive design, Net-zero building standards, Carbon-neutral architecture, Renewable energy building integration, High-performance buildings, Green rating incentives, Sustainable building codes in India, Environmental policy frameworks, Climate-responsive building design, Sustainable construction management, Building sustainability strategy, Integrated design processes, Energy modeling in buildings, Environmental auditing in construction, Sustainable building governance, Building design regulations, Architectural performance frameworks, Sustainable urbanism, Environmental design policy, Green building economics, Life-cycle cost analysis in sustainability, Environmental impact reduction, Sustainable building rating comparatives, Global environmental assessment, Urban sustainability metrics, Sustainability certifications in architecture.
Green Product Certifications
Green product certifications, Product sustainability assessment, Eco-labeling, Environmental product declaration (EPD), Product life-cycle sustainability, Building material certification, Energy Star, WaterSense, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), SCS Global Services, Green Seal certification, Cradle to Cradle Certified™, GREENGUARD, Green Squared, International Green Mark (IGM), Natural Stone Sustainability Standard (ANSI 373), ISO 14024 environmental labeling, ISO 17065 certification, ISO 17067 certification, Indoor air quality certification, Sustainable manufacturing, Resource efficiency in products, Third-party environmental verification, Product transparency, Material health evaluation, Product sustainability labeling, Eco-friendly product design, Low-VOC materials, Life-cycle analysis (LCA) in products, Recycled content certification, Renewable materials certification, Green procurement, Sustainable construction materials, Circular product design, Environmental certification for construction products, Sustainable forestry, Energy-efficient appliances, Water-efficient fixtures, Sustainable tile production, Environmentally responsible manufacturing, Healthy materials, Indoor environmental quality materials, Building materials sustainability, Product stewardship programs, Eco-friendly manufacturing processes, Environmental certification organizations, Eco-innovation, Consumer product sustainability, Building product evaluation systems, Material performance criteria, Environmental compliance standards, Green product markets, Sustainable product development, Sustainable supply chain management, Environmental responsibility in manufacturing, Product verification programs, Sustainability in building components, Low-carbon manufacturing, Eco-material innovation, Green material standards, Environmental quality assurance, Sustainable labeling programs, Green product verification systems, Sustainable industrial practices, Environmental product standards, Eco-certification for construction materials, Indoor air quality standards, Sustainable procurement policies, Environmental product transparency, Environmental product innovation, Green consumer products, Building product performance metrics, Sustainable building supply chain, Eco-certified materials, Environmental responsibility labeling, Green innovation initiatives