Analysing the Costs and Benefits of Green Building Certifications: A study on stakeholder experience of using BREEAM and the Nordic Swan in Iceland

• Main Author: Guðrún Heiður Ísaksdóttir 1989-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/44571

Green building certifications are increasingly being considered as an effective strategy for reducing the environmental impact of buildings and mitigating climate change. However, research on green building certification often focuses on the tool or the results, rather than the certification process from a stakeholder perspective. The aim of this study is to analyse the green building certification process implemented by construction professionals in Iceland using either BREEAM or the Nordic Swan, and to identify positive and negative components of the certification systems from a stakeholder perspective. 14 semi-structured interviews with 16 stakeholders were conducted. A thematic analysis based in grounded theory was applied in the processing of the interviews of which four themes emerged from the analysis: Inclusion; Time and communication; Transparency; and Quality guarantee. Stakeholders generally perceive their role positively and feel that their work is important and that the certification provides a certain sustainability framework in their workplace. They also report that the certification requirements promote disciplined work practices resulting in better buildings. However, stakeholders often feel alone and lost in the process, and the extra work required on top of construction is a significant issue. Stakeholders perceive BREEAM most negatively, citing the manuals' hundreds of pages of complex technical terms as a challenge. Furthermore, stakeholders struggle with communication and the lack of standard methods for data submissions. The results emphasise the importance of promoting sustainability education among construction professionals, establishing clear communication channels for stakeholders, standardising data submission methods, and developing user-friendly manuals. Umhverfisvottanir fyrir byggingar eru í auknum mæli taldar fram sem verkfæri til að draga úr umhverfisáhrifum byggingariðnaðarins og þar með loftslagsbreytingum. Hins vegar beinast rannsóknir á vistvottunarkerfum oftar en ekki að ...