Analytical Comparison of Leading Sustainability Systems in the Iraqi Environment

¹ College of Engineering, University of Mustansiriyah, Iraq, Baghdad
² College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Iraq, Baghdad
³ College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Iraq, Baghdad

^* Corresponding author: mustafa.civil.eng@uomustansiriyah.edu.iq

Abstract

Over the last two decades, several sustainability assessment methods have developed as key accelerators for the development and improvement of sustainable industrial buildings. Some of these systems, like as LEED or BREEAM, are considered international, whereas others, such as Pearl Rating Systems (PRS), are local. Although they all share similar goals, they can lead to the construction of green buildings or the improvement of the efficiency of existing conventional buildings. Each technique has its structure, certification process, and weighting norms. The inequalities have prompted various questions about whether global assessment systems appropriately consider the country’s national settings. This study aims to compare the Pearl System, the Gulf region’s most popular Pearl, to the Iraqi High-rise Buildings Sustainability System, as well as the two most prominent international systems, LEED and BREEAM. The goal is to evaluate the possibility of applying codes to the performance of newly constructed buildings in Iraq using the sustainability approach, as well as to identify the benefits and drawbacks of this sophisticated system. The study included a multi-method approach, including a survey of the literature and open and closed interviews with local and worldwide experts on sustainable buildings. These techniques provided a full overview of the individual evaluation plans, allowing for required comparisons. The results revealed that the independent system combines the majority of the others while also differing from them in terms of sustainability techniques, resulting in an appealing impact on building design, performance, occupants of classified structures, and the environment.