Energy Efficiency in Green Building Certified Office Buildings: A Comparative Analysis

 

ABSTRACT Leed certificate, one of the assessment systems that comprise the necessary criteria for sustainable buildings, is an essential indicator for energy efficiency in buildings. Office buildings, where human activity is intense due to the high number of users and working function, play a critical role in energy consumption through heating, cooling, lighting, and hot water needs. This study examines the energy efficiency of office buildings with a Leed Certificate. The “Energy-efficient building design strategies” were classified under three central tenets: passive, active systems, and renewable energy sources. Besides, the office buildings with a Leed Certificate from various climatic regions and Turkey were examined through these criteria. The results show that passive systems were more preferred than active systems in these buildings, and the “building envelope” was the most significant parameter. Double-skin facade systems and solar control elements in passive heating and cooling while atrium and skylights were used as passive systems. Moreover, advanced lighting control and energy-efficient lighting were the most frequently used strategies for active systems. Besides, photovoltaic panels, observed in most examples, show that the most commonly used renewable energy source is solar energy.