SBToolCZ - Czech Republic towards Sustainable Building
Antonín Lupíšek
Researcher
SUBSTANCE
Sustainable Building
Research Centre
Czech Technical
University in Prague
Czech Republic
antonin.lupisek@
fsv.cvut.cz
Martin Vonka, CIDEAS Research Centre, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University
in Prague, Czech Republic, martin.vonka@fsv.cvut.cz
Vladimír Žďára, Department of Building Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical
University in Prague, Czech Republic, zdara@fsv.cvut.cz
Petr Hájek, Department of Building Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical
University in Prague, Czech Republic, petr.hajek@fsv.cvut.cz
Summary
The paper introduces the actual Czech buildings certification methodology SBToolCZ 2010
developed at the Centre for Integrated Design of Advanced Structures (CIDEAS), Czech Technical
University in Prague. Its development within the international context, structure, criteria, weights
setting and final certificate are described.
Keywords: SBTool, Czech Republic, assessment methods, sustainable building, certification
1. Introduction
The research centre CIDEAS at the Czech Technical University in Prague (or CVUT) in
cooperation with the International Initiative for Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE) and Technical
and Test Institute for Construction Prague (or TZÚS) provides a localized version SBTool CZ for
buildings certification in the Czech Republic.
2. Methodology development and international background
2.1
Review of existing tools and methods
Several methods of complex assessment of
buildings performance are available in Europe.
The Czech Republic followed the international
group Green Building Challenge since 2005
and
participated
on
development
of
international assessment framework SBTool
within the International Initiative for a
Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE).
Fig. 1 Weights of criteria groups in existing
assessment systems
Based on wide survey in 2008 [1] focused on
17 existing methods for assessment and
certification of sustainable buildings there was
made a long list of all included criteria counting over 800 items. Besides the investigations of tools’
structures there was made also deep analysis of the weights of particular criteria within the
systems (when weighting applicable). All criteria were sorted into independent structure and the
weights were put into the chart (Fig. 1, see full resolution chart in the electronic proceedings). On
the vertical axis are absolute weights of criteria within systems (points and scores translated into
weights).
It came out most of the assessment methods were in basis “green”; meaning focused primarily on
the environmental impacts (first columns group, Fig. 1) of building and quality of the indoor
environment (second column group, Fig. 1). Only few tools were focused wider onto the three
sustainability pillars – environmental, social and economic.
Learned from this lesson when preparing certification system suitable for the Czech Republic there
was selected SBTool assessment framework which handles all the three sustainability issues.
2.2
General information model of assessment systems
One of results of existing methodologies analysis is general information model of assessment
systems (Fig 2). It was used in 2008 for design IT tool SBTool Core, which stands for general
software enabling simple implementation of any assessment method. SBTool Core enables parallel
assessment of one building using different assessment schemes while inputting the common
parameters of building just once.
Fig. 2 SBToolCZ data structures (author V. Žďára [2])
SBTool Core system also enables sensitivity analysis of any assessment method and detailed
study of assessed buildings. The system works upon general database that enables quick and
easy access to all data on assessment method as well as building.
2.3
SBTool implementation in the Czech Republic
SBTool CZ certification scheme is based on the generic framework of SBTool developed by iiSBE.
Criteria benchmarks convert physical measures, indicators and levels onto unified 1-10 scale.
Criteria weights setting procedure is in concordance with the SB Method. The weights of criteria
have been set by the panel of experts using SBTool localization procedures and guidance.
SBToolCZ 2010 for residential buildings in the design phase has in total 33 criteria. Set of
assessment criteria is divided in accordance with principles of sustainable construction into three
basic groups: Environmental, Social, Economy and Management. The three areas are
complemented by a fourth group Locality.
Assessment of the locality (building site and its surroundings) is separated from the building
performance evaluation in concordance with the German approach of the BNB methodology.
The criteria accord to Czech and European standardization and reflect the outputs of CEN TC 350.
The core indicators of the SB Alliance are also incorporated.
2.4
SBToolCZ structure
Table 1 SBToolCZ – structure of criteria
ID
E.01
E.02
E.03
E.04
E.05
E.06
E.07
E.08
E.09
E.10
E.11
E.12
S.01
S.02
S.03
S.04
S.05
S.06
S.07
S.08
S.09
S.10
S.11
C.01
C.02
C.03
C.04
L.01
L.02
L.03
L.04
L.05
L.06
Criteria
Global warming potential
Acidification potential
Eutrophication potential
Ozone depletion potential
Photochemical ozone creation potential
Use of greenery on building site
Use of greenery on roofs and facades
Potable water
Primary energy consumption
Use of construction material
Land use
Rainwater utilization
Lighting comfort
Acoustic comfort
Summer thermal comfort
Winter comfort
Health safety of materials
User comfort
Accessibility for disabled people
Building security
Adaptability
Space Efficiency
Use of building exterior
Operation cost analysis
Provision of operation plans
Operation autonomy
Sorted waste management
Biodiversity
Provision of place for free time
Provision and proximity of key amenities
Public transport accessibility
Site security
Natural risks
2.5
Criteria weights
The first chart on Fig 3 shows distribution of weights among the main criteria groups. The rest
charts on Fig 3 present the weights distribution within the main criteria groups. The codes used in
the charts correspond to the list of criteria in Table 1.
C. Economics
and
Management
15%
L. Locality
0%
E.
Environmental
criteria
50%
S. Social criteria
35%
Social criteria
Environmental criteria
E.05
E.04 4%
4%
E.07
4%
E.03
2%
S.08
5%
S.10
7%
E.09
21%
S.05
12%
S.09
7%
E.12
6%
E.06
6%
S.02
11%
S.11
9%
S.01
10%
E.01
15%
E.02
6%
S.06
9%
E.08
7%
E.10
12%
S.03
10%
S.07
10%
E.11
13%
S.04
10%
Locality
Economics and Management
C.03
8%
L.03
18%
L.04
27%
C.02
12%
C.01
43%
L.02
18%
C.04
37%
L.06
19%
L.01
18%
Fig. 3 Weights distribution of SBToolCZ for residential buildings
2.6
SBToolCZ assessment outputs
The output of the certification is the final certificate (Fig. 5) which comes out along with the detailed
charts of building performance stressing the three main sustainability issues – environmental,
social and economic. The final result on the certificate displays not only the final score, but also
building performance within the three main issues. Detailed report presenting transparently whole
assessment process and details of each criteria evaluation is form of a component of a certificate.
Fig. 4 SBToolCZ labels
Building performance certificate SBToolCZ is based on the total score. There are four certification
levels, as follows:
Certified building (score 0 – 3.9),
Bronze certificate (bronze leaf, score 4.0 – 5.9),
Silver certificate (silver leaf, score 6.0 – 7.9),
Gold certificate (golden leaf, score 8.0 – 10.0).
Fig. 5 SBToolCZ certificate
2.7
Conclusions
The SBTool CZ certification system comes out from the international research in sustainable
building. The structure of the method and assessment procedures of each criterion was adapted to
the European conditions and accords with national standards and regulations. The core indicators
are incorporated according to the SB Alliance approach. SBToolCZ for residential buildings is
available since June 2010.Version for office buildings will be prepared during fall 2010.
Acknowledgement
This outcome has been achieved with the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and
Sports of the Czech Republic, project No. 1M0579. All support is gratefully acknowledged.
References
[1] Lupisek A., Hajek P., Hodkova J., Vonka M.: Review of existing methodologies. Sustainable
Building Alliance, Paris, 2008.
[2] Žďára, V., Vonka, M.,: Implementation of SBTool in the Czech Republic – case studies.
CESB 07 PRAGUE Conference, Praha 2007, ISBN 978-80-903807-8-3.