Incorporating BIM and Green Building in Engineering Education: Assessment of a School Building for LEED Certification

Abstract

As a remedy to excessive amounts of energy consumption, adverse impacts on the environment, and ineffective use of resources in the construction industry, the number of green buildings (GBs) is increasing all over the world. Design and construction of GBs involve processes different from those used for conventional buildings. Having particular activities, functions, and physical aspects, GBs impose their own difficulties during these phases. Building information modeling (BIM) systems use several software packages for virtual simulation of project characteristics, which promotes early detection of potential problems even before production of the intended design details. In this study, evaluation of Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Faculty of Civil Engineering (YTUFCE) building using BIM tools based on leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) v4 BD+C: Schools certification system is presented, which was prepared as part of a capstone project by senior civil engineering students. First, the building was assessed with respect to achievable credits with its current state through a three-dimensional (3D) model. Students were encouraged to consider which sustainable practices would be applicable if the building was originally designed and built as a GB. Then, the building was reassessed with the intention for additional applicable credits and corresponding points. The construction phase was also reviewed for extra credit points that could be earned from construction activities to contribute to LEED certification. The main objective is to introduce students to two major trends in the construction industry, namely GB and BIM applications, and create awareness of sustainable construction, GB certification systems, and emerging technologies.