Utilizing the tourist Ecolabel-award scheme for singling out useful criteria for assessing a new environmental brand for residential buildings.

Abstract

The Eco-label scheme is becoming ever more important in the environmental certification of products and services, especially in light of the recent ambitious aim of containing greenhouse emissions and improving the efficiency of utilizing energy sources and resources. A recently-introduced hypothesis concerns the European eco-label scheme relating to buildings, due in part to the awareness that the construction industry is of primary importance to the whole economic and social life of states. This scheme should adopt an integrated approach to environmental problems and include construction, day-to-day management and the possible disposal of building materials, throughout the life cycle of the building., In addition to protecting the environment and making better use of resources, the main aim of this new scheme should also be to ensure enhanced conditions of comfort to the occupants of these buildings. Indeed, the starting point of this environmental classification of buildings is the recognition of the primary importance of conditions of comfort enjoyed by those who frequent these buildings.