Could you explain the objectives of LEED certification and other details? Who launched the certification program, and when was it implemented?

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and launched in 1998, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is a green building rating system that evaluates and certifies green buildings based on performance-based criteria. LEED is a certification used worldwide today and certifies many types of buildings. If the building is newly constructed, the New Construction version of LEED can be used to certify a sustainable hotel building. Additionally, if a hotel operator leases a building and renovates its interior, that operator can use the version of LEED specifically developed for Commercial Interiors. Currently, LEED Version 4 (V4) is in effect, and projects can obtain LEED certification under this version.

As a firm, what kind of services do you offer regarding LEED certification? How many hotels have you advised on LEED certification to date?

In addition to our core business of Construction Project Management, we provide LEED consulting and project management services—known as Green Project Management—for LEED projects. We provided certification services to the Renaissance Bosphorus Hotel, Turkey’s first 5-star hotel to receive LEED certification. We also provided both consulting and Green Project Management services for the Dedeman Park Levent project, which is under construction in Levent. Similarly, in the hotel projects we’ve recently been involved in, we’ve leveraged our experience with environmentally friendly certifications such as LEED and BREEAM to ensure the design and construction of the projects prioritize environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

To date, how many hotels in Turkey have qualified for LEED certification? What are the benefits of obtaining this certification for hotels?

It is actually not very common for hotels in Turkey to apply for or obtain LEED certification. LEED’s restrictions on water and energy consumption are not particularly desired by some luxury hotel chains, as there is a misconception that such restrictions will reduce guest satisfaction. Although many foreign-owned hotel chains include these criteria in their design specifications, for some reason they are reluctant to incorporate green building requirements—such as reusing treated graywater in the system or installing waterless urinals—citing hygiene requirements as an excuse. For this reason, LEED stands out in Turkey as a system that is more commonly preferred for corporate office buildings and is easier to implement.

There are approximately 425 projects in Turkey that have obtained LEED certification or have applied for it. About 20 of these projects are hotel projects. Generally, there are no luxury-segment hotel chains among these projects; rather, they consist of city hotels belonging to major hotel chains and standalone hotel investments.

However, the certification offers numerous advantages to hotels. By obtaining this certification, such hotels not only demonstrate that they are environmentally friendly but also prove that they consume less water and energy; furthermore, the certification has a very positive impact on the hotel’s marketing and promotion. Reduced operating costs for the hotel can also be cited as another advantage of LEED-certified hotels.

To obtain LEED certification, a hotel must be designed in accordance with LEED’s criteria and prerequisites as early as the design phase.

The prerequisites required for a project to obtain certification include Preventing Site-Generated Pollution, Reducing Indoor Water Consumption, Reducing Landscape Water Consumption, Improving Energy Performance, Measuring Energy and Water Consumption, Basic Testing and Commissioning Services, Environmentally Friendly Fluid Use, Waste Management, Construction Site Waste Management, Minimum Indoor Air Quality, and Prohibiting Smoking Inside the Building.

If a minimum of 40 points is earned by complying with LEED’s other criteria through additional measures to be implemented later, certification can be obtained.

When examining tourism-related CO2 and GHG emissions worldwide, it is evident that tourist facilities account for a significant 25%. Today, it has become inevitable for all tourist facilities and construction activities to take swift steps not only to reduce their environmental impact but also to enhance their operational performance; consequently, the concept of sustainable hotels has entered the tourism industry.

The increasingly widespread concept of the “sustainable hotel” has led to changes in hotel design and operations across many categories, from boutique hotels to world-renowned hotel chains. While some of the growing number of green hotels do not house any electronic devices at all, others strive to save resources by changing towels and sheets only when guests request them. However, in a globalizing world, the most appropriate solution for tourist facilities must be to reduce their total carbon footprint and water and energy consumption by utilizing all new technologies.

The performance of a sustainable hotel can be evaluated not only through certification programs like LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB—which assess the environmental performance of all buildings—but also through evaluation programs specifically developed for sustainable hotels, such as Green Globe, Green Key, and the EU Eco-Label. In Turkey, the Green Star certification also stands out as a credential awarded to sustainable hotels.

However, among these certifications, LEED—which is considered the most well-known and prestigious certification in our country—stands out the most. It can be said that LEED has gained prominence due to the ease of adapting this certification to hotels, its high level of recognition, and the fact that some U.S.-based hotel chains (e.g., Starwood and Marriott) encourage hotels built to LEED criteria because of the support they provide to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the certification itself.