To try and answer your points.
1) This is a problem in the US and many other countries. People resist change. USGBC goal with LEED is to be market changing. To encourage people to change what typical business means.
2) Sometimes this happens. When submitting for the credit an explanation should be added to explain why the different calculation is just as good as the US version. They may respond with a request for additional information. Converting the calculations to metric units would not be a problem.
3) I'm not sure on this. What credit are you referring to? Like SSc1 refers to the 100-year flood plain. I'm sure local weather data can be used to calculate the elevation of the 100-year flood plain for your site.
4) It's possible that they will accept this if the water is treated on site. Since this is not a typical location expect the reviewer to ask a few questions to verify water quality and documentation.
5) Read thru here and see if your question is answered.
http://www.leeduser.com/credit/NC-v2.2/WEc1.1-1.2
Edwin Wealend
Director & Principal Sustainable Design ConsultantCundall HK Ltd.
71 thumbs up
September 3, 2010 - 9:21 pm
Bill and others we are currently implementing LEED on several projects in China using all the US Standards is difficult but not at all impossible. Its often said but thse that do'n't really know that US LEED is not applicable in China but we disagree and think it can be applied.
ASHRAE90.1 energy code is certainly more stringent but its performanced based so apart from having to learn and understand its many requirements it is easly applied if explained properly and implemented by competent engineers.
A more difficult aspect is the compliance with US standards for carpets, paints, sealants etc low VOC testing (which is not done in China on China local products). Green materials are a new concept as they were in the US 10-15 years ago so that industry has not yet built up to support the industry locally yet.
Finally and its maybe just more notcible in China is that the contractors all find it very difficult to complete documentation or follow the requirements on site and they can and will sign anything if you tell them its needed so unless you are sure its all happening on site (e.g the waste recycling) I wouldn't trust the sign offs. But that is a problem for all LEED projects even outside China.
The good news is that generally at at a high level in government China is pushing green building however its really a necessity as the pace of growth and urbaniation in China cannot be sustained without looking for better ways to build and produce electricity. Its not a nice idea its a matter of survival and China in that respects seems to be a lot more aware of this than others in the west would believe.
What we are doing is just making buildings a little less unsustainble by completing these LEED projects a much bigger push is required to focus on true sustainbility that's our next challenge