According to the official website of U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), the international regulator of the Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project, Jiaming Center in Beijing has passed the LEED-EB O&M Platinum Certification, which is the top accreditation of the industry. Up till now, there are only three projects in China (including Jiaming Center) that have passed LEED-EB Platinum certification.

Completed in 2011, Jiaming Center has already received the LEED CS Golden certification. At the end of 2013, it became the first building in China who has gained 5 Certificates of Excellence from BOMA China and it will represent China to attend the TOBY Awards ceremony held by BOMA International in Orlando, America this June.

LEED-EB certification, established by USGBC, focuses on the evaluation of the operation and maintenance phase. Its goal is to optimize operational efficiency of buildings, and at the same time minimize its negative influence on the environment. Because the certification of LEED-EB is based on building operation and management practice, buildings that have gained the accreditation would be more sustainable than others. In the greater context of sustainability, the environmental impact of buildings is more obvious in the operational phase. Thus it’s more essential to pay special attention to this phase. Besides, improvements made during this phase can bring interests that are feasible, specific and quantifiable.

LEED-EB covers the main parts of building operation and maintenance, which exerts a huge influence on tenants in the building and the environment. The following aspects are some examples:

• energy efficiency

• water usage efficiency

• mechanical systems performance

• whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues including chemical use

• indoor air quality

• alternative transportation options for building occupants

• recycling programs and facilities

• exterior maintenance programs

• green purchasing practices  

• management of toxic substances

• systems upgrades to meet green building energy, water, IAQ, and lighting performance standards

In order to obtain platinum certification, buildings must get at least 80 points (100 points in total), which is not easy. Up till June 4th 2014, there have been 46 business buildings in China that had submitted certification applications to USGBC. The following is the temporary list on its official website:

• Platinum   3

• Gold   18

• Sliver    4

• Certified    2

• In progress  19