Green Globes: A Practical Alternative

Green Globes is a science-based, collaborative, and user-friendly assessment and rating system that provides a three-in-one evaluation of the environmental sustainability, health and wellness, and resilience of an individual building or an entire portfolio.
Green Globes creates a roadmap for improving building performance and reducing climate impacts through a collaborative process supported by outstanding staff and expert assessors. Green Globes Assessors are highly qualified individuals that interact directly with teams throughout the process, including visiting the property to review progress toward certification, providing feedback on opportunities for improvement, and collaborating with teams to ensure projects meet their sustainability goals.
Program Features | Green Globes | LEED |
Has completed an American National Standard using ANSI-approved consensus process | YES | NO |
Nationally Accepted Program | YES | YES |
Program Delivery | Online, interactive questionnaire | Online submission of forms |
1-on-1 Customer Support | YES | NO |
New Construction Assessment | YES | YES |
Existing Building Assessment | YES | YES |
Core & Shell | YES | YES |
Tenant Fitout | YES | YES |
Total Program Points | 1,000 | 110 plus prerequisites |
Minimum Points Required for Certification
|
YES | YES |
Weighted Criteria & Partial Credit | YES | Limited |
Program Prerequisites | NO | YES |
Flexibility for Non-Applicable Criteria | YES | NO |
Energy Performance (New Construction) |
Four pathways for assessing energy performance,
including benchmarking to Energy Star |
Benchmarks against
hypothetical building model |
Incorporates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) | YES | YES |
Onsite Building Walk Through with Expert Assessor | YES | NO |
Support from Certifying Agency |
Green Globes provides an experienced assessor
who is either AIA, PE or experienced Facility Manager |
LEED assigns a non-technical support person
to help the user navigate through the LEED online system |
Communication with Certifying Agency |
Project teams can communicate with GBI's
Chief Engineer and Project Managers and third-party Green Globes Assessor |
LEED does not allow direct
contact with technical reviewers unless you are in disagreement during, appeals which occur after the "final" score is delivered |
Sustainability Recommendation with Customized Reports | YES | NO |
Certification Process |
Preliminary Design assessment followed
by third-party assessor onsite assessment |
Complete and submit assessment form,
wait for results |
Certification Rating System |
Four Green Globes
Three Green Globes Two Green Globes One Green Globes |
LEED Platinum
LEED Gold LEED Silver Certified LEED |
Certification Personnel Training Program | Green Globes Professional (GGP) | LEED AP |
Time to Complete Certification |
Green Globes can be completed within
30 days of building occupancy |
Delays have been noted between 6-24 months
with added costs for appeals and interpretations |
Cost to Certify a Typical Building > 100,000 sq ft | $ | $$$ |
Certification Success Rate |
The failure rate is negligible because
the Green Globes process is collaborative, transparent and results driven, by way of online evaluations, detailed reports and third-party assessors |
LEED failure rate is high based
on buildings that register and do not achieve certification. |
Get Started with Green Globes
Provide us with your basic project information by creating an account and receive a quote for Green Globes third-party assessment and certification.