Guideline for LEED Certification Credit Selection in Distribution Center Projects in Bangkok and Periphery

Abstract

The development of distribution centers that receive green building certification, especially LEED certification, has gained momentum in recent times. For efficient development planning, this research focuses on studying the selection of LEED credits and factors influencing the selection of requirements by developers through data collection and interviews with case study representatives for each level of certification, including Certified, Silver, and Gold.

The study found that 1) Distribution centers with LEED certification in Thailand selected specific requirements in each category. For instance, they selected Sensitive Land Protection and Electric Vehicles in the Location and Transportation category, Heat Island Reduction in the Sustainable Sites category, Indoor Water Use Reduction and Optimize Energy Performance in the Water Efficiency and Energy and Atmosphere categories, respectively. In the Materials and Resources category, requirements for Sourcing of Raw Materials and Construction and Demolition Waste Management were selected. In the Indoor Environmental Quality category, Low-Emitting Materials and Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan were selected. 2) The factors that influence the selection of requirements to achieve higher levels of certification are as following, Silver level, the factors included the well-being and outcomes that result inside the building or the results for employees and building users. Gold level, factors included reducing pollution and complaints from surrounding areas. 3) The benefits of LEED certification to developers are as following, enhancing the project's image, aligning with company policies, saving resources, requiring clean energy use, and already having investments. However, there are also limitations to the requirements of LEED certification for developers, such as cost impact, time impact from construction and procurement, and limitations from urban planning and infrastructure.

In summary, this research paper demonstrates the characteristics of selecting requirements and factors that influence the decision to select or not select requirements from the perspective of developers. The findings of this study will be useful for green building consultants and developers who can apply the guidelines and factors for selecting requirements to meet the increased demand for LEED certification in current projects.