Green construction management toward certification processes. Comparative analysis between Canada and Mexico. Case studies Canadians colleges and UNAM´s sustainability programs.

Abstract

The future of our planet is compromised by the progress of the way we do our activities, between them the construction of infrastructure and buildings involved in humankind development. For this process, it has become necessary that codes and construction regulations accompanying national economic and environmental policies from a local perspective, observing social, culture and nature aspects that made their community. The implementation of design, construction, maintenance and operation best practices mentioned throughout thesis serve to mitigate human development´s adverse effects to our planet. The certification and assessment systems like LEED, BREEAM, GREEN GLOBES; STARS, CASBEE among others, are tools that can be used during the whole life of constructions, even without performing the certification process, the best way to implement them is combining with environment management, energy efficiency and corporate social responsibility systems like ISO´s type, bear in mind indicators mentioned in codes and standards like ASHRAE, IGCC, and Passive House. It´s important to remark that third-party body involvement is the best option to assess Project´s outcomes on both design and process implemented during life cycle of constructions. New local policies in terms of regulations for construction are crucial to achieve the global goals set to environmental protection in COP 21 in Paris 2015. At this regard, the collaboration between countries is fundamental. Sharing the experiences gained in the development of technologies, construction process, environment-friendly materials are compulsory subjects to every country. Accordingly, Mexico has a lagging with NAFTA´s trading partners, for this reason it´s necessary a closer approximation with Canada and USA in similar projects like NAMAS´implementation developed with the UK and Germany. . Public buildings along with living spaces are the change makers to reduce the environmental footprint of cities, given the impact during its construction and operation, as well as its role as a didactic space to generate the required sustainability culture for citizens, families and communities. The governments are the responsible to develop the policies, laws, and regulations the technical concepts mentioned in this thesis. However, are the people who have to appropriate them and implement in the everyday life and professional practice. The systematisation of sustainability in corporate´s culture is an essential step towards initiate paradigm shift in the construction sector. The creation and implementation of sustainable practices, procedures and plans must be a pivotal point in corporate´s culture and professional ethics of public servants, engineers, architects, urbanists, urban developers, users, and every person committed with sustainable construction.