Just like in the automotive market, the construction sector is gradually raising the bar for what qualifies as a truly “GREEN” solution. However, user awareness is not yet aligned: while terms like Euro 5 and Euro 6 are widely understood in the car industry, the metrics for evaluating the sustainability—and therefore the quality—of a building remain unclear and inconsistent. Fortunately, internationally recognized programs can help guide our choices. To continue the analogy, a Euro 6 car (the highest environmental class) corresponds to a “LEED Platinum” building.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a building certification system developed in the United States by the U.S. Green Building Council
and now adopted in over 140 countries, including Italy, where it is still applied voluntarily. Buildings can achieve one of four sustainability levels—Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—based on scores across six key categories that ensure quality and efficiency.
Unlike the more familiar CasaClima label, LEED goes beyond energy efficiency and evaluates: site sustainability, energy and atmosphere, water efficiency, innovation in design, materials and resources, and indoor air quality. Out of a maximum score of 110, materials and indoor pollution contribute 29% to the final score, while energy accounts for 20%. The reason is simple: we spend 90% of our time indoors, where treatments for wood, paints, adhesives, fabrics, and plastics can release harmful substances into the air.
Human health and environmental protection are essential values for Biopietra, which has long been committed to promoting—and innovating—the culture of sustainability in the construction market. Biopietra is not just a manufacturer, but a truly sustainable and ecological product: Biopietra® means health, as it is free from major sources of indoor pollution and emits no Radon gas.
Product Life Cycle Assessment is conducted to verify measurable improvements in building performance in terms of environmental sustainability, thereby activating the IP1 credit – Innovation in Design. Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology in accordance with ISO 14040 standards, the product’s environmental profile is developed by identifying material and energy flows throughout its entire life cycle. These flows are then categorized and aggregated into various environmental impact indicators.
