Estimativa da redução de emissões de CO2 em construções sustentáveis como pré - requisito para certificação LEED

Abstract

In the scope of sustainable development in engineering, the concept of "Sustainable Buildings" emerged. This project model aims to mitigate the impacts caused by carbon dioxide (𝐶𝑂2) emissions, energy consumption, use of natural resources, waste generation, and more, resulting from the construction sector. In this context, this work proposed a sustainable construction project through the use of alternative construction materials and self-generation of electric energy. The reduction in cement consumption and 𝐶𝑂2 emissions was quantified and compared with a similar project using conventional materials. Based on the results, it was verified whether the proposed project meets the requirements for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. As a complementary study, the evolution of LEED certification in Brazil over the last 10 years (2014-2024) was analyzed. The results demonstrated that by adopting sustainable materials, cement consumption was reduced by 14%. Regarding CO2 emissions, the total reduction was 15.33%. Based on these aspects, the proposed project meets the prerequisites for LEED silver certification. It was shown that Brazil had an accumulated average of 828 certified projects, with the State of São Paulo having the highest number of certifications in the analyzed period. It was concluded that the use of alternative materials is effective in reducing cement consumption and 𝐶𝑂2 emissions and should be considered for future constructions to help mitigate environmental impacts.