Research Information System
Discover Environment, vol.2, no.49, 2024 (Scopus)
Environmental issues such as ozone depletion, global warming, water pollution, and melting glaciers in the polar regions
have been exacerbated by industrial and chemical activities, as the Industrial Revolution led to unlimited use of our limited
natural resources. Approaches have been developed to solve human and environmental health problems. Efforts
are underway to minimize the adverse effects of buildings on the environment. This process helps reduce materials’ environmental
damage and select environmentally friendly materials. For these reasons, producing recyclable, ecologically
friendly, and energy-saving materials has gained importance. This article used a case study method to analyze sustainable
material usage using twenty LEED-certified office projects in Turkey. Twenty new buildings, including Certificate One,
Silver Three, Gold Eight, and Platinum Eight, have been evaluated regarding sustainable materials according to LEED
criteria. Tables containing material and resource application principles have been created to assess the selected buildings
in terms of sustainable material principles, and these prepared tables provide information about sustainable material use.
The evaluation is based on eight criteria and sources of LEED material, including recyclable materials, renewable materials,
rapidly renewable, certified wood, regional materials, construction waste management, and re-use of materials. As
a result of the study, it was determined that 95% to 75% of the five categories with the weakest application among the
eight basic materials and resource principles failed to be below the desired level and should be improved.