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Opinion of tools
Name of the case study
Green Diploma, certification for sustainable building operation
Name of tool
Green Diploma
Opinion of tool - argumentation for choosing the tool
In December 2003 the first nine social housing departments and housing associations received the Green Diploma. Out of these nine housing departments and associations, five departments were administrated by the same Housing Association Manager (3B), who played an active role in pushing the local departments to apply for the Green Diploma. This pressure and persuasion on the local departments was in practice carried by the Green Guide from 3B.
"Green Guides" is a national arrangement of local environmental guides, employed by local organizations (for instance municipalities, housing associations or sports organizations). The guides have to promote a more sustainable way of living, which can be done by informing, inspiring and activating people on a local scale. The green guides were established in 1997, financed by "The Green Fund", a national funding for local environmental initiatives. In 2000 there were app. 100 Green Guides all over Denmark. Although the Green fund in 2001 was abolished by the new right-wing government, some Green Guides have continued.
3B, the Housing Association Manager, had employed a green guide, who participated in the steering committee for the Green Diploma, and was very active to make 3B´'s departments get the green diploma. When the Green Diploma was awarded for the first time in December 2003, five departments from 3B got the diploma. The departments have had different backgrounds and motivations for applying for the diploma:
AF Beyersvej (Copenhagen). This department has 36 dwellings, with app. 70 residents. The department is very socially oriented, and involves the residents in all decisions. For them, joining the diploma was a way to gain a sense of community, and to improve the economy in the department.
Hørgården I-II (Copenhagen). These are very large departments, with many social problems. The local committee is divided on the question on environmental efforts; some think it would be a really good idea, and the other part supports it because it has been decided (although they preferred not to join). A part of the staff are very supportive, and have the view, "if the environment in the department is ok, then at least something is ok". This means that an environmental initiative is seen as a possible way to create a success or a positive experience in a socially deprived housing department. They started a local and very successful water saving campaign in 1991-92, based on water meters, and competition on savings between the blocks in the department. After the campaign they hired their own green guide in 1997, which afterwards lead to working for the Green Diploma. For Hørgården the Green Diploma is a way to strengthen the social profile of the department.
Egedalsvænge (Kokkedal).This department has 1.600-2.000 residents with many immigrants (app. 60%). It is a local Green Guide that has been active in implementing the Green Diploma. Here, the focus has been on the process, of involving the residents. The green guide’s hope is to use the Green Diploma to give the department a better reputation, so it is not just related to problems. The department has a very bad reputation locally, therefore it is looking for some successes to give a better image. They have made some single environmental initiatives, but the Green Diploma can help them to make a more continuous effort. For Egedalsvænge the Green Diploma is also a way to strengthen the social profile of the department.
Hjortegården (Herlev). This department houses app. 2.600 residents, and is the most environmental ambitious department in 3B. For instance they have introduced a local waste tariff, based on weighing the waste from each household, they publish their own green accounts, and they generally do a lot to inform and involve the residents. Their environmental committee includes 40 persons. As they have already taken many initiatives themselves, they could not see how joining the Green Diploma would make them do more. Also, they did not want to get tied to the administrative procedures, but preferred to do things their own way. Therefore, 3B had to ask the local board several times to persuade them to join the diploma. This illustrates show a department that was already very environmentally active, achieved the diploma without changing much effort.
The examples indicate that the departments have different motivation for applying for the Diploma, and they see different possibilities in it. This includes social, environmental and economic benefits, idealism and image-building, which also reflects the department’s different history and background. The majority of the app. 60 housing departments in 3B, however, have not applied for the Green Diploma. Generally, most departments say that they are in a waiting position, where they want to see how the certificate develops in other departments, before they decide to apply for it themselves. Only 3 departments have rejected the Green Diploma completely; their reason for not being interested in applying is that they think that their staff is already doing a good job.
To a large extent it is the environmentally active departments who have joined the diploma so far and probably have integrated existing goals in the goals for green diploma. They see the Green Diploma as a continuation of their existing initiatives, just more structured. Those departments have not had to change much in their practice to get the diploma (interview, Bettina Fellov). For other departments, although the goals might not be very ambitious, it might lead to integration of other goals in later on, as a part of a process to improve the department socially and economically. But generally, it is too early to say how the green Diploma will affect the actual actions and operation in the housing departments.
The Green diploma is based on the knowledge of other tools.In the departments, there are tools or procedures being used already, which partly overlap the green diploma.
Opinion of tool - barriers for the tool implementation
The following problems / barriers has been raised (interview with Green Guide in 3B):
• The Green Diploma manual is too long (52 pages)
• The point system has made many departments reject the Green Diploma, as they were afraid it would be too difficult to maintain their score
• It took long time (¾ of a year) from the Green Diploma was first introduced to the departments, until the final version was ready, and the departments could actually apply for it. For some departments this was too long time to wait, and they lost the enthusiasm. However, this problem is related to the upstart, and cannot be seen as a general problem of the Green Diploma.
Opinion of tool - assessment by tool users
There has been no assessment of evaluation of the Green Diploma in relation to efficiency. Many of the departments that achieved the Diploma were already very environmentally active, and did not have to change many of their actions to achieve the Diploma. For the other departments it is too early to say how much the Green Diploma will affect the environmental performance of the departments.
According to the people who have worked with the Green Diploma so far, the Green Diploma is a very promising tool for making housing departments more environmentally active.
The positive element is that the scheme to assess the department´s environmental state is simple and easy. It has been observed that the residents and staff are proud of achieving the Diploma, and they do not want to loose it again, which motivates them to continue their efforts. The problem is that it takes time to communicate the concept of Green Diploma to the departments, and make the relevant persons aware about the possibility on achieving the diploma. Also it has been mentioned that the Green Diploma manual is too long (52 pages). The point system has been much discussed. Some housing associations want them, as they think it is important to have concrete measures of their level of sustainability. The point system has however also prevented many departments from joining, as they were afraid that they would loose the diploma. The same has been the problem with the administrations. For instance, the administrators 3B got new pc’s, which resulted in a 20% increase in electricity consumption instead of the expected 5% reductions. Therefore, today the points have become voluntary, and are meant as a way to measure your own efforts.
According to the Green Guide of 3B, the Green Diploma might develop into two different directions, which will be difficult to combine:
• In an instrumental way, where the diploma and the initiatives will be facilitated by the operation staff in the departments, with a primary focus on reducing consumption, making operation more smooth and eco-efficient etc.
• In a process-way, where the initiatives are based on the residents involvement, and as a way to start a process that will improve the department socially and environmentally
A main challenge will be to make the social housing departments want to get the Diploma. This will probably depend on the ability of National Organisation for Housing Associations and DCUE to promote the Diploma, on how active the Housing Associations will be in promoting it towards their departments. There are plans to use the Green Diploma in the Dogme-network (see deep Case Study, WP3), as a way to measure how much environmental initiatives are anchored locally amongst neighbourhoods; the number of housing units having achieved the diploma will be an indicator for the anchoring. If this will happen, it will probably be a boost for the Green Diploma.
Opinion of tool - reviewer\'s assessment
Similar to tool users view (D1c); there are positive and negative sides of the Green Diploma. The biggest problem is that rather few departments so far have applied for the diploma. The reasons for this should be investigated. One reason is probably, that very few housing departments are aware of Diploma. A more active effort and promotion from the Housing associations could Improve this situation.
What tools were used to assess sustainability?
More information