Design for sustainability approach on material selection prefer-ences of LEED certificated buildings

Design for sustainability (D4S) has been developed to help companies enhance their product life cycle processes, starting from the materials used in their products, while considering environmental and social aspects. The Material and Resources criteria of LEED share a similar focus with D4S. This alignment allows for exploring the practical application of D4S principles in the built environment. This study investigates the material selection preferences within LEED-certified buildings in T & uuml;rkiye, specifically focusing on Gold, Platinum, Silver, and Certified-rated New Construction buildings under LEED V4 and LEED 2009 certifications. Through statistical analyses, the study examines how sub-criteria impact certification levels and how impacted sub-criteria are affected by project characteristic critically and discusses these findings in the context of D4S criteria. The results highlight (1) distinctions among certifications, particularly in relation to regional materials, certified wood, sourcing of raw materials and construction and demolition waste management criteria, and (2) project characteristics have varying impacts on the LEED certification criteria that have impact on variation in certification types. These results are interpreted from a D4S perspective, underscoring the importance of prioritizing reuse, renewable energy, waste reduction, and considering user impacts. In conclusion, this study underscores areas that require improvement in building material selection practices when viewed through the D4S principles.