Date of Award

12-2006

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Civil and Construction Engineering

First Advisor

Dr. Ahmad Jrade

Second Advisor

Dr. Osama Abudayyeh

Third Advisor

Dr. Sherif Yehia

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC) residential and commercial buildings in the United State consume huge amounts of natural resources; pollute the environment, and generate large amounts of waste, all of which affect the environment, economy, public health, and productivity. As a result, USGBC committees developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to help professionals improve the quality of buildings and lessen their impact on the environment.

The (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a point-based system for certifying the level of a building's sustainability. There are four LEED certification categories: (1) Certified, (2) Silver, (3) Gold, and (4) Platinum, which reflect amounts of qualified credits. In order for the applicant to apply for a specific level of certification he has to meet certain prerequisites and achieve a specific number of credits, or points. This common practice is time consuming and a complex process for users; therefore, this thesis incorporates the development of a computer model that automates the process of identifying the required number of points that must be accumulated based on selected LEED certification categories. Furthermore, the proposed model provides a general idea of the cost of this specific certification.

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