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LEED, Its Efficacy and Fallacy in a Regional Context—An Urban Heat Island Case in California

Author

Listed:
  • Min Ho Shin

    (Railroad System Research Center, Korea Railroad Research Institute, 360-1 Woram-dong, Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do 437-757, Korea)

  • Hwan Yong Kim

    (Division of Architecture and Urban Design, College of Urban Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-Ro, Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-Gu Incheon 22012, Korea)

  • Donghwan Gu

    (Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A & M University, 3137 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Hyoungsub Kim

    (Department of Architecture, College of Architecture, Texas A & M University, 3137 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

Abstract

The use of energy in the building sector has increased rapidly over the past two decades. Accordingly, various building assessment methods have developed in green building practices. However, the questions still remain in regard to how positively green buildings affect regional surroundings. This study investigates the possible relationship between LEED-certified buildings and urban heat island effect. Using GIS with spatial regression, the study found that constructing an LEED building in a 30-m boundary could possibly lower the temperature of the surrounding environment by 0.35 °C. Also, having a higher certification level, such as Gold or Platinum, increased the lowering effect by 0.48 °C, while a lower certification level, such as Certified or Silver, had a lowering effect of 0.26 °C. Although LEED has gained a substantial amount of interest and skepticism at the same time, the study results could be a potential sign that the Sustainable Sites Credits or energy-efficient materials play a positive role in lowering the temperature.

Suggested Citation

  • Min Ho Shin & Hwan Yong Kim & Donghwan Gu & Hyoungsub Kim, 2017. "LEED, Its Efficacy and Fallacy in a Regional Context—An Urban Heat Island Case in California," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:9:p:1674-:d:112613
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Oriol Pons-Valladares & Jelena Nikolic, 2020. "Sustainable Design, Construction, Refurbishment and Restoration of Architecture: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Duy Hoang Pham & Joosung Lee & Yonghan Ahn, 2019. "Implementing LEED v4 BD+C Projects in Vietnam: Contributions and Challenges for General Contractor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Tajda Potrč Obrecht & Roman Kunič & Sabina Jordan & Mateja Dovjak, 2019. "Comparison of Health and Well-Being Aspects in Building Certification Schemes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, May.
    4. He, Bao-Jie & Wang, Junsong & Zhu, Jin & Qi, Jinda, 2022. "Beating the urban heat: Situation, background, impacts and the way forward in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).

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