FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
LEBANON GBC
The Lebanon Green Building Council (LGBC) is an NGO that provides stewardship towards a sustainable built environment. It promotes, spreads and helps implement high performance construction concepts that are environmentally responsible, healthy and profitable. LGBC acts on market, educational, and legislative issues to achieve its goals.
Lebanon faces an urgent need to upgrade its built environment towards sustainability. Serious action must be taken to ensure that future construction growth in Lebanon complies with the principles of sustainable development. LGBC was chartered to take the lead to mobilize and guide all major players in the socio-economic and legislative arenas in order to secure full commitment to this goal.
Considering that Green Buildings lead to better resources management and energy efficiency, the strategic implications of this action are incommensurable taking into consideration the fact that Lebanon is endowed with few natural resources other than its fast dwindling natural capital.
All organizations and individuals from all walks of life are welcome to join the LGBC. Green Buildings are a national concern and therefore all the Lebanese society is a stake holder in this endeavour. The details of membership can be found on the LGBC application form.
The LGBC is not related to the USGBC or any other GBC around the world in any way whether legal or technical. The LGBC is planning to become an emerging member of the World GBC which is the umbrella organization for all national GBC around the world. Joining the LGBC does not entitle the member to any prerogatives with respect to other GBC.
LGBC has five committees to which those who like to contribute volunteer work can join according to their abilities and liking: 1) Awareness, 2) Education & Training, 3) Events 4) Membership & 5) Technical.
In its mandate, LGBC will work on introducing a “Lebanese“ applicable certification and labeling of buildings. Any devised and suitable system shall have no relationship with LEED, Breeam or others certification model.
LGBC members are keen to prepare a certification system that will be widely applicable in Lebanon. Understanding the immense volunteer works rendered by our members, the hopes are to conclude such system within the coming two years.
In parallel, the LGBC whenever possible will be supporting projects which are implementing any of the International certification systems.
The party interested in a Arz Rating System certification can contact the LGBC for guidance, we will do our utmost to provide technical advice and guidance regarding the procedures to follow.
LGBC is a newly born organization. The current structure of its Board includes the founding members. Most of the Members of the Board of directors are also coordinators of the standing committees. In its bylaws, LGBC board members shall be elected by its membership and will serve for two years.
- Access to information and stay current with changing industry trends and discover new methods for transforming the built environment.
- Platform for networking and great opportunity to connect with peers.
- Opportunity to play an active role in the advocacy of green buildings and environment care.
- Participation in local activities and committees and addressing the needs and interest of green building professionals from a variety of disciplines.
- Special discounts for LGBC programs, events and publications
- Members News letters
- Training Programs will offer an opportunity for members to be recognized as leaders in green building education.
- Serve on a LGBC committee to shape the future of green building.
- Participate in legislative outreach efforts and stay up to date with green building programs.
GREEN BUILDING
A construction that provides healthier living and working conditions with lesser environmental footprint compared to conventional constructions.
The ultimate goal of green buildings is to reduce pollution and health hazards, optimize resources use including energy and incorporate the maximum amount of recycled materials.
Green concepts can achieve the following:
– Increase return on investment. Up-front investments in green designs and technology can yield financial paybacks over the life of the building in the form of lower energy bills and reduced operating and maintenance costs.
– Increase sales and leasing potential of building: Green building features can help the facility sell more quickly and at an enhanced rate per square meter than conventional constructions.
– Boost occupant health and productivity. We spend 90% of our lives inside buildings and current research points more and more to bad Indoor Air Quality as a primary source of fatal illness, respiratory diseases, asthma and allergies. Numerous studies show the productivity benefits of good IAQ and natural light in buildings, and conversely, the negative impact of poor indoor environmental quality. Benefits to health and productivity in Green Buildings sometimes dwarfs reduced resources utilization savings.
– Reduce energy use: Buildings in Lebanon account for roughly 40% of the total national energy bill and a roughly equal percentage of the national Green House Gas emissions. We import 98% of our energy requirements which represent some 20% of the state budget. Green Buildings will greatly help toward reducing our energy bill.
– Reduce natural resources use: By recycling waste on site and using recycled, locally available, long lasting and renewable building materials, green building design helps preserve our natural resources for future generations.
Basically the Green Building concept rests on the seven pillars of wisdom of the built environment, namely:
- Integrative design
- Socio economic framework
- Land use & neighborhood impact
- Location & Orientation
- Building material
- Indoor air quality
- Water & Energy use
It involves close teamwork between all stakeholders on a project, including but not limited to Client, Architect and Engineer, from the concept stage to the final handing over.
The green design approach calls for proper building ventilation with filtered air and the use of building materials and cleaning/maintenance products that do not emit volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehydes and other gases that have a detrimental impact on occupants’ health and productivity.
The concept of Green Buildings applies as well to the 100 m² country house as to the 100,000 m² commercial high rise albeit at different levels of complexity. Green Buildings can be homes, schools, high rise, core & shell, etc …… Also Green Buildings are not exclusively meant for new constructions, renovated constructions can also be eligible for Green Building certification as well as Operation & Maintenance programs for existing and renovated buildings.
Definitely not green unless you really like green colors, a Green Building will look like any other construction, there are no distinctive features proper to a Green Building.
Depending on the level of complexity of the systems involved, the price tag of a Green Building concept may increase from 0 to 20 % compared to a conventional construction. However, sound green design with proper usage will return these extra costs many folds during the life span of the building.
There are different rating & certification programs around the world the most known being the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) developed by the USGBC. Generally each national Green Building Council proper to a country uses its own rating & certification program that suits best local conditions.
Green Buildings entail Green Lifestyles, both concepts are intertwined and one cannot exist without the other.
Send us your enquiry at info@lebanon-gbc.org
To understand how green buildings are designed, visit the Whole Building Design Guide’s website and log to ‘Design Objectives’
