Ecoprofile for buildings: a method for environmental classification of buildings.

The goal of sustainable development will be impossible to achieve without realignment of value creation by business arid the public sector. The environmental impacts of building activities are serious. There is a need for new competencies, better information about the environmental attributes of buildings, and suitable tools with which to achieve better eco-efficiency in practice. An aggressive commitment to developing and spreading the use of the Eco Profile method will provide a cost-efficient and attitude-changing environmental policy tool. The method can prove a key tool for owners, tenants and other interest groups who accept that the challenge of greater eco-efficiency can be used to secure competitive advantages and costs savings. The EcoProfile method provides a basis for greater understanding by owners and interested engineers and consulting professionals. The classification shows that the tool is capable of meeting a number of demands felt by owners, a tool for continuous improvement of existing buildings and a guide in design and refurbishment, and an aid in complying with the demands of government, market and interested parties. The proposed method of classification of buildings, EcoProfile for Buildings, has been developed by the concerted efforts of a wide range of experts and institutions and has been tested on eleven pilot structures during 1995.