ABSTRACT
As the signifi cance of the environmental performance of buildings grows so the need for systems that can assess environmental performance becomes more important. The basic aim of any building environmental assessment scheme is to set criteria against which to rate a building and then to provide a score or descriptive rating for that building. This rating can be used to show the building’s environmental credentials and can have commercial value in terms of promoting a sustainable, eco-friendly image. In addition, a rating system allows a comparison to be made between the performances of similar building types. Although most assessment schemes were originally voluntary and optional, there is a trend in some countries to make assessment and rating mandatory to complement existing legislation on the minimum standards required by regulations and codes. In this chapter the basis of assessment systems is discussed and then some examples of such systems are described.
