Timo Rintala - Vegetated structures in certifications systems

1. Vegetated structures in
certification systems
25.8.2016
Timo Rintala
Green Building Partners Oy

2. Certification is business
 Global de-facto standards for environmental quality
 LEED as a global leader
 52 000 Certified assets globally
 44 000 Registered assets
 BREEAM European alternative
 12 000 Certified assets (9000 projects)
 500 Outside Europe
 Local standards regionally usable
 DGNB, HQE, Green Mark
 HOT
 The Finnish ”Project environmental quality assessment tool”
 To be released in 2016

3. The role of vegetation
 Site selection
 Site with low to no ecological value
 Protection of existing ecological value
 Vegetated area and green roof impact
 Biodiversity enhancement
 vegetation area enhancement
 open space promotion
 surface water control
 sustainable surface water treatment
 Heat island reduction

4. Assessment in LEED v4
 Possible 8 out of 100 points
 SS2 Protect and restore habitat
 Protect 40% of green field on-site AND
 Restore 30% of previously disturbed
 SS3 Open space
 Provide 30% of open space, with minimum of 25% vegetated
 SS4 Rainwater management
 low-impact development to manage 95%/98% of rain events OR
 rainwater run-off to pre-development level
 SS5 Heat island reduction
 50% of roof vegetated OR 75% high reflectance roofs

5. LEED Implementations
 Dixi, Vantaa
 Shopping center & train
terminal
 6 000 m2

6. LEED Implementations
 Tripla, Pasila, Helsinki
 Mixed use, shopping, residential, offices, hotel, train station
 Green area demands by green roofs & residential yards

7. BREEAM international NC 2016
 Possible 9% out of 100%
 LE 02 Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features
 Site with low ecological value
 LE 04 Enhancing site ecology
 Ecologist report for site enhancement recommendations
 Implement 50% / 75% / 95% of recommendations
 POL 03 Surface water run-off
 Peak run-off no greater than pre-development
 POL 03 Minimising watercourse pollution
 SuDS have been specified for low-risk areas

8. Details
 LE03 Enhancement of site ecology
 Planting native fauna
 Horticultural good practise
 Provision of habitats for ecology
 Typical solutions
 Meadow, forest base, local fauna
 Green roofs with positive contribution of species
 POL03 SuDS, sustainable drainage systems
 Holding ponds, reed beds
 Swales
 Permeable pavements
 Soakaways
 Holders only with reasoning

9. BREEAM implementations
 Haxlog, Vantaa
 Office and testing and service facility
 Use of forest base and meadow in landscaping

10. HOT
 The Finnish sustainability assessment tool for construction projects
 Possible 2% out of 100%
 Y4.1 Biodiverdity and surface water 2%
 Based on biotope area factor (green factor, Viherkerroinmenetelmä)
 Similar system in Malmö, Stockholm, Seattle, Berlin
 Simple calculation
 Biotope area factor = weighed vegetated area / total area

11. Green factor in short
 Area weighted green rating (m2)
 preserved 2,1 – 3,4
 planted 1,1 – 2,2
 permeable surfaces 1,0 – 1,3
 surface water control 1,2 – 2,6
 Bonus elements (pcs)
 diverse vegetation
 trees
 fauna structures
 surface water control
Picture: Kazmierczak, A. and Carter, J. 2010