Level(s)

Level(s) is a European Framework, which provides a common language for assessing and reporting on the sustainability performance of buildings, using a widely tested system suitable for measuring and supporting improvements from design to end of life. It is intended for application in residential and office buildings.

It is open source and freely available to all.

Level(s) uses 16 basic sustainability indicators divided into 6 macro-objectives. It is a flexible solution for identifying sustainability hotspots and preparing a project.

Learn more about what it is and how to prepare a project to comply with the framework in the following documents:

By using the framework, you are contributing to the EU’s policy objectives to strengthen the sustainability of Europe’s buildings, which are responsible for:

level(s) indicator 1

1/2

all materials extracted

level(s) indicator 2

1/2

total power consumption

level(s) indicator 3

1/3

water consumption

level(s) indicator 4

1/3

the waste generated

Macro Objectives and indicators to be addressed

Level(s) Macro Objectives 1

Macro Objective 1

Greenhouse gas emissions over the life cycle of a building

Minimize carbon emissions during the entire life cycle, considering energy consumption during the use phase of the building, as well as the embodied energy of the different building materials and products.

Level(s) Macro objectives 1

Macro Objective 2

Resource efficient and circular material life cycles

Optimize building design to support different lean and circular materials, capable of including:

  • Quantification of products and materials used on site.
  • Minimize the construction and demolition waste generated to optimize the use of materials.
    of materials
  • Evaluating whether designs are designed for future needs (adaptability)
  • Promote deconstruction versus demolition.

Level(s) Macro Objectives 1

Macro Objective 3

Efficient use of water resources

To use water efficiently, particularly in areas of projected or detected long-term water stress.

Level(s) Macro objectives 1

Macro Objective 4

Healthy and Comfortable Spaces

To create comfortable, attractive and productive spaces, four aspects related to the quality of the indoor environment must be included.

  • Consider indoor air quality, as well as specific parameters and pollutants.
  • The degree of thermal comfort.
  • The quality of natural and artificial light associated with visual comfort.
  • The ability of the building structure to provide an environment insulated from strong internal and external noise.

Level(s) Macro objectives 1

Macro Objective 5

Adaptation and resilience to climate change

Ensure building performance for the future.

  • Capacity to adapt to future climate change impacting on thermal comfort.
  • Develop buildings that are more resilient and resistant to extreme weather events (including floods: river, rain, storm, etc.).
  • Design buildings with increased sustainable drainage in mind in order to reduce potential rainfall/floods

Level(s) Macro objectives 1

Macro Objective 6

Optimized life cycle cost and value

To gain a long-term view of the whole-life costs and market value of more sustainable buildings, including:

  • Life cycle costs (construction, operation, maintenance, rehabilitation and disposal).
  • Encourage the integration of sustainability aspects into market value assessment and risk rating processes. and risk rating processes and ensure that this is done in the most informed and transparent way possible. informed and transparent manner possible.

Work from any level

Level(s) works with three levels that can be applied at each stage of a building’s life cycle

Level 1 – Conceptual design

Level 1: Design assessment

Quantitative assessments understanding the needs at the design stage through reports and checklists that provide a simple structure on the most relevant sustainability aspects for each indicator.

Level 2 – Detailed design and construction

Level 2: Construction assessment

Qualitative assessments of design performance. Allowing comparison of estimates for different design options and construction monitoring according to standardized measures and methods.

Level 2 – Detailed design and construction

Level 3: In-use monitoring

Collection of data taken during monitoring of on-site activity and of the completed building with its first occupants. This level helps to understand actual building performance and identify lessons learned from the design to inform and improve future projects.

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