Pre-school Educational Buildings which have Leed Certificate: Example of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Children’s Day Care Center

Sustainability in the context of architecture appears in various applications in the design, use and implementation processes of buildings. Evaluation of sustainability is done through different parameters, whereas its integration with buildings is measured and scored with various certification programs. These programs aim at minimizing the damage given to the environment and using natural resources efficiently. Green building certification systems have been developed with the purpose of integrating the principles of sustainability to the design and use processes of buildings. Within this scope, there are numerous systems known at the international level such as, CASBEE, DGNB, SBTool, Green Star, SEEB-TR, ÇEDBİK, LEED and BREEAM. This study analyzes the criteria and evaluation categories of Leed certification systems which are widely used in Turkey and within this scope aims at evaluating pre-school educational buildings in terms of sustainability criteria. Literature review, source analysis and observation (on the spot observation) methods have been used in this study. Being introduced to the concept of sustainability at early ages is an important step for individuals to adapt a lifestyle that is sensitive towards the environment. Accordingly, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Nonhandicapped Children’s Day Care Center, designed with an ecological point of views and has a Leed certificate as a preschool structure, which aims at helping children acquire an awareness for the environment at early ages is dealt with within the scope of the study. The units of the building were analyzed and their characteristics in terms of sustainability were addressed. The obtained data shows that preschools designed in line with Leed criteria have significant contributions both in terms of environmental performance and educational awareness.