Assessing the Sustainability of Retail Buildings: The Portuguese Method LiderA

Retail stores are among the building typologies with highest consumption of natural resources. However, studies regarding development Building Sustainability Assessment methods for retail buildings missing, despite their environmental, economic, and social importance. This study intends to address this gap in knowledge by (i) developing Portuguese method LiderA buildings, (ii) comparing other BSA methods, (iii) assessing results two case studies. The took under consideration indicators, weights, specific guidelines different (namely LEED, BREEAM, DGNB) trends sector expressed retailers’ sustainability reports associations. most innovative aspects include definition benchmarks assess performance terms Energy Intensity (EI), Carbon (CI), Water (WI). Additionally, sustainable business operation practices were introduced selected indicators as an alternative way foster roots further down into value chain, namely ethical product purchases, protection human rights, a code conduct suppliers, fair trade, traceability, healthy food, agriculture, local organic products. method, developed can support designers, managers, users designing managing more providing best-practice thresholds EI, CI, WI. Given that global retailers operate hundreds stores, show key potential increase environmental supporting decision-making towards maximum energy efficiency carbon neutrality.