by Brianna Crandall — February 20, 2017 — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) announced last week a new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system pilot designed to address the unique needs of transit systems around the world. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be the first metro in the world to pursue the pilot, LEED v4 O+M: Transit, for its metro stations in Delhi NCR and other states in India.
Performance of the metro stations will be monitored via the newly released Arc performance platform, which facilitates streamlined tracking of data across five performance categories; energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience. Developed with invaluable input from DMRC, LEED v4 O+M: Transit will allow operational transit facilities to benchmark efficiencies and demonstrate continual improvement. Transit owners can reduce their environmental footprint, while also engaging riders on the importance of sustainability and the opportunity the public transportation sector has in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC and GBCI, stated:
Buildings and transportation are the two biggest drivers of climate change. As we look to build upon the market transformation of the built environment, it is critical we also address transportation. DMRC is a global leader of mass rapid transit systems and a trailblazer in sustainability. We greatly look forward to working with them to monitor the performance of their existing metro stations across India.
The announcement was made at DMRC’s new LEED-certified Metro Bhawan headquarters, the first project in the world to pursue and achieve LEED certification by leveraging the new LEED performance pathway through the Arc platform.
Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog, commented:
The contribution of Delhi Metro has been unique in creating a sustainable mass transportation system in the National Capital. DMRC has taken the lead in this regard and India will see the emergence of many new Metro systems, which will not only solve the transportation requirements but will also be energy efficient. LEED v4 is based on actual performance parameters. DMRC’s initiative will now also motivate other metros to achieve LEED certification.
LEED v4 O+M: Transit is targeted for operational transit. LEED certification for the design and construction of transit stations and systems as a whole is also in development, according to the USGBC. LEED-certified transit demonstrates lower resource use and carbon emissions, and better quality of space for riders, and saves money by reducing operating costs.
As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building solutions. LEED globally certifies more than 170,000 gross square meters per day and is helping transform the way the built environment is designed, constructed and operated.
The latest version of LEED, LEED v4, features sector-specific strategies for a variety of building types and spaces including data centers, hospitality venues, existing schools and retail outlets, mid-rise residential projects — and now, mass transit systems. Each is professionally crafted to ensure that LEED maintains its global, regional and local applicability, meeting the unique and varied needs of diverse project types.
For more information, see the LEED v4 O+M: Transit page on the USGBC Web site.
