2021 WORLD ENERGY EFFICIENCY DAY

Like every 5 March since 1998, this Tuesday marks the 2021 World Energy Efficiency Day. The initiative, which emerged in Austria during the First International Meeting on Energy Efficiency, aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce energy consumption through reasonable and sustainable energy use. In 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that we hold this World Energy Efficiency Day, as the fight against climate change and the health crisis require a shared roadmap.

Contrary to what many people think, improving energy efficiency does not mean compromising our comfort and quality of life by decreasing our energy use on a day-to-day basis. Nothing could be further from the truth. Enhancing energy efficiency is based on optimising production processes and energy consumption,using renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels and promoting responsible consumption and recycling, among other things.

How can I promote energy efficiency in 2021?

What are  LEED and BREEAM Energy Efficiency Certifications?

Aside from the actions we can take in our day-to-day lives, World Energy Efficiency Day is the perfect day to learn about LEED and BREEAM energy efficiency certifications. Both are systems designed to verify the sustainability and energy efficiency of buildings, and although they have many points in common, they differ in some respects.

Firstly, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification bases its evaluation on the analysis of six environmental impact categories.

A sustainable site

Water efficiency and reduction in water consumption

Energy efficiency and reduction in energy consumption

Recycled materials and natural resources

Indoor environmental quality

Innovation in design

LEED certification, which was developed in the United States, is also flexible enough to be applied to any type of construction, whether residential or commercial.

Meanwhile, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification was developed in the United Kingdom and evaluates buildings in ten categories:

• Management
• Health and wellbeing
• Energy
• Transport
• Materials
• Waste
• Water
• Sustainable land use
• Pollution
• Innovation

Both methods serve to identify sustainable constructions which, following their assessment, are given a rating: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum in the case of LEED and Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding when it comes to BREEAM.