More Related Content
blog book 2
- 1. BLOG BOOK 1 M.E. Rinker School of Construction Management Principle of Sustainable Development & construction Dr. Charles Kibert FALL 2015 Blog book 2015 By Aayush Shah
- 2. BLOG BOOK 2 Table of Contents S.No Title 7. Sustainable Community and Urban planning 8.. Energy and Carbon 9. Landscaping and Building Hydrological Cycle 10. Green Building Material and life cycle assessment 11. IndoorEnvironmentQuality 12. Cutting Edge Technology
- 3. BLOG BOOK 3 7. Sustainable Communities and Urban Planning In the present time sustainable communities are a growing trends. Cities are planned according to the needs and requirements of sustainable community. Many indicators are used to measure the progress of development, and this indicators are known as sustainable indicators. One important factor in developing sustainable community is urban planning. In this designing of an urban environment is done. This is done by proper usage of land and proper designing of land routes, transportation system, communication system, infrastructure etc. Sustainable community A sustainable construction is one that is economically, environmentally and socially healthy. Sustainable community tend to focus on urban infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and social equality. It is sometimes also known as “Green cities”, “eco communities” or “sustainable cities”. For a sustainable community there must be a shared vision of sustainable future among the community members, skilled leader, and a strong social capital. By proper planning, a city or town can become a sustainable city. Visit: http://www.sustainable.org/about A city is known as sustainable city if, 1. They are Compact and nearby to daily needs 2. There is diversity 3. Reuse of resource more efficient 4. Visioning in a community Sustainable community can be attained by following five steps: 1. Partnership: in partnership establishing of an organization is done 2. Community based issue analysis: in this issues are identified which need to addressed 3. Action planning: planning is done, strategies are made 4. Implementation and monitoring 5. Evaluation and feedback
- 4. BLOG BOOK 4 On June 16, 2009 the U.S. department of housing and urban development (HUD), U.S. Development of transportation (DOT), and the U.S. environmental protection agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increases transportation option and lower transportation cost while protecting the environment. The partnership for sustainable communities (PSC) works to coordinate federal housing, transportation, water, and other infrastructure investment to make neighborhoods more prosperous, allow people to live closer to jobs, save households time and money, and reduce pollution For more: https://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/mission/about-us Sustainable indicators The sustainable community indicators helps the communities to measure progress of their sustainability objectives. Sustainable indicators is a way to measure how well a community is meeting the needs of present and future members. Sustainable indicator is different from traditional indicator. Sustainability indicators reflect the reality that the three different segments are very tightly interconnected as shown in fig: Communities are a web of interactions among the environment, the economy and society. The purpose of indicator is to show how well the community is working. If there is a problem indicator can help you to take right direction to address the problem. For more visit site: http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/indicators
- 5. BLOG BOOK 5 Figure showing how the three different segments are interconnected to each other There are many projects where people are working to make community more sustainable and to measure the result. This projects include governmental agencies, large collaborative and small groups. United States national agencies includes 1. Interagency working group on sustainable development indicators 2. President’s council on sustainable development 3. State of the nation’s ecosystems For more agencies: http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/projects/Sus/Sustainability/5 Many states pass sustainable acts such as: 1. The state of Maryland passed a Sustainable Communities Act in 2010 with the goal of revitalizing and promoting reinvestment in Maryland’s older communities as well working to promote “equitable, affordable housing by expanding energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races, and ethnicity to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation 2. The state of California passed the sustainable communities and climate protection act of 2008, also known as SB 375. The law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through transportation, housing, and land use planning. URBAN PLANNING
- 6. BLOG BOOK 6 Urban planning is process and technique of using land, protection of environment, public welfare, designing of urban environment, designing of infrastructure such as transportation, and communication. Urban planning is also known as city planning or regional planning. Urban planner is a planner who formulates plans for the development and management of urban and suburban area. City planning enables leaders, citizens and businesses to play a meaning full role in creating a healthy community. For proper land use the development must be compact, pedestrian friendly, transit oriented development For planning following action must be taken Land use action 1. Development must be compact development 2. Mixed user 3. Pedestrian friendly development 4. Transit oriented development 5. Daily needs must be at a walking distances Transit oriented development Transit oriented development is the exciting fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable, sustainable community. A transit oriented development (TOD) is a combination of both residential and commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport. TOD generally has center with a transit station (train station, metro station, bus station) surrounded by relatively high density of development with a progressively lower density development outward from the center. TOD generally are located within a radius of one-quarter to one-half miles (400 to 800 m) from the transit stop. There are many cities such as Portland, Montreal, San Francisco and Vancouver which are successfully using the transit oriented development and continue to
- 7. BLOG BOOK 7 write policies and strategic plans which aim to reduce automobile dependency and increase the use of public transit. Transit oriented development makes it possible to live a lower- stress life. TOD is also a major solution for the problem of climatic change by creating a dense, walkable community that greatly reduces the need for driving and energy consumption. This type of living can reduce driving up to 85%. For more information on TOD visit: http://www.transitorienteddevelopment.org/ Transportation action 1. Reduce vehicle trips 2. Use alternate mode of transportation such as bicycles.
- 8. BLOG BOOK 8 3. Reduce employee and product transport vehicle trip. Housing and building action 1. Houses must be Solar orientation 2. It must be near work place 3. Buildings must be constructed with eco friendly materials. Resourc conservation action 1. Minimize energy use 2. Using renewable energy for energy demands 3. Promoting recycling of materials 4. Develop community gardens
- 9. BLOG BOOK 9 8. Energy and carbon Energy is the ability to do work. It is the property of material which can be transferred from one object to another or can be converted into different forms. The U.S. has 4.6% of World’s population but uses 25% of Worlds oil gas and electricity. There are four major energy users in U.S.A. they are 1. Industrial 32% 2. Transportation 28% 3. Residential 22% 4. Commercial 18 Currently in U.S. average energy consumption is 293 (Kwh/m2/year) and for net zero buildings energy consumption is about 100 quads (Kwh/m2/year). This energy is used in electricity (39%), heating fuel (33%), and transportation (28%) This energy comes from coal (48%), nuclear (19.6%), natural gas (21.6%), hydroelectricity (6%), and oil (1.6%), remaining comes from renewable sources (as can be seen from the bar chart) For more: http://www.energyjustice.net/solutions/factsheet
- 10. BLOG BOOK 10 Energy resources from all over the Word are getting depleting. Fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas) are the major source of energy all over the world. It is estimated that at present rate of consumption all oil reserves could be exhausted by middle of this century and natural gas by 2070. Apart from the problem of energy resource depletion, energy harnessing and utilization causes an immense amount of environmental damage. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important trace in earth’s atmosphere. It constitutes about 0.04% (400 parts per million) of the earth’s atmosphere. Despite this low concentration, CO2 is potent greenhouse gas and plays an important role in regulating earth’s temperature through radiative forcing and greenhouse effect. The graph below shows the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide from October 1958- October 2015. It can be clearly seen that during 1958 the concentration of CO2 was about 312 ppm and it has increased to 400 ppm in 2015. We are producing 26 billion ton of carbon dioxide every year with an average of about 5 ton of carbon per person per year. The main cause of increase in amount of CO2 in atmosphere is particularly the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Sources: http://co2now.org/current-co2/co2-now/ http://www.co2.earth/
- 11. BLOG BOOK 11 Emission and trends 1. In United States Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States increased by about 7% between 1990 and 2013. Since the combustion of fossil fuel is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, changes in emissions from fossil fuel combustion have historically been the dominant factor affecting total U.S. emission trends. Changes in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion are influenced by many long-term and short-term factors, including population growth, economic growth, changing energy prices, new technologies, changing behavior, and seasonal temperatures. Note:All emissionestimatesfromthe Inventory of U.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsand Sinks:1990-2013.
- 12. BLOG BOOK 12 U.S. Carbon Dioxide Gas Emissions, 1990-2013 The main sources of CO2 emissions in the United States are described below. 1. Electricity = 37% 2. Transportation = 31% 3. Industry = 15% 4. Residential and commercial = 10% 5. Others = 6% Bar chart showing the main sources of CO2 emission in United States 2. In other parts of world
- 13. BLOG BOOK 13 It can be seen that in many countries such as India, and japan the carbon dioxide emission is increasing day by day. And due to the endeavor efforts of other countries such as Germany, United Kingdom the emission of carbon dioxide is decreasing. REDUCING CARBON DIOXIDE EMMISION As we know that emission of carbon dioxide is mostly due to electricity (37%) and electricity is generated mostly from fossil fuels so the most effective way to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is to reduce fossil fuel consumption. Many strategies for reducing CO2 emissions from energy are cross-cutting and apply to homes, businesses, industry, and transportation. There are many other ways to reduce carbon emission footprint 1. Using wind energy 2. Photovoltaics 3. Battery or Fuel cell 4. Using solar energy 5. Net energy buildings Producing more energy from renewable sources and using fuels with lower carbon content are ways to reduce carbon emission. Renewables such as wind, solar, hydro, biomass are the best source to generate energy. A fuel cell is a device which converts chemical energy into electrical
- 14. BLOG BOOK 14 energy. Fuel cells are used to store and backup power for commercial, residential, and industrial buildings. Photovoltaic is the method of converting solar energy directly into electrical energy using semiconducting materials. It is expected that PV will contribute about 14% of the US total energy by 2030 and more then quarter energy by 2050. This will reduce the overall carbon emission to great extent. For more: http://www.rdmag.com/articles/2015/02/limitless-photovoltaic-future Fig1: photovoltaiccell Fig2: Fuel Cell As due to construction,operation,andmaintenance of abuildinglarge amountof carbondioxide is emittedintothe atmosphere. Toreduce thisemissionof carbondioxideandtoprotectthe atmosphere a newtype of buildingsare constructed,thisare knownaszerocarbon emissionbuildings.
- 15. BLOG BOOK 15 ZERO CARBON EMMISION BUILDING According to the U.S. department of energy’s definition of a zero emission building “A building that produces and export at least as much emission free renewable energy as it imports and uses from emission producing energy source annually”. Zero carbon emission is also known as carbon neutrality. Carbon neutrality concept can be extended to other greenhouse gases measured in carbon dioxide equivalence. In recent years, low/zero carbon buildings have attracted much attention in many countries because they are considered as an important strategy to achieve energy conservation and reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Some examples of the other Existing zero carbon buildings in the world include:
- 16. BLOG BOOK 16 Self-sufficient solar house, Freiburg, Germany Plus Energy House, Ministry of Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Town Planning, Germany Beddington Zero Energy Development, London Pusat Tenaga Malaysia’s ZEO Building, Malaysia BCA Academy,Singapore The Samsung Green Tomorrow House, South Korea Source: https://zcb.hkcic.org/Eng/Features/whatiszcb.aspx ThisZCB in HongKong generateson-site renewable energyfromphotovoltaicpanelsandatri- generationsystemusingbiofuel made of waste cookingoil andachieveszeronetcarbonemissionson an annual basis.Beyondthe commondefinitionof a‘zerocarbon building’,ZCBexportssurplusenergy to offsetembodiedcarbonof itsconstructionprocessandmajorstructural materials. Source: https://zcb.hkcic.org/Eng/Features/whatiszcb.aspx Many conventional energy sources results in emission of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, Sulphur dioxide, etc. a net zero carbon emission building either uses no energy which results in emission or offsets the emissions by exporting emission free energy (typically from on-site renewable energy system ) Grid Connection and Net Zero Most Net Zero Energy Buildings are still connected to the electric grid, allowing for the electricity produced from traditional energy sources (natural gas, electric, etc.) to be used when renewable energy generation cannot meet the building's energy load
- 17. BLOG BOOK 17 Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency is generally the most cost-effective strategy with the highest return on investment, and maximizing efficiency opportunities before developing renewable energy plans will minimize the cost of the renewable energy projects needed. Using advanced energy analysis tools, design teams can optimize efficient designs and technologies. Energy efficiency measures include design strategies and features that reduce the demand-side loads such as high-performance envelopes, air barrier systems, daylighting, sun control and shading devices, careful selection of windows and glazing, passive solar heating, natural ventilation, and water conservation. Renewable Energy Once efficiency measures have been incorporated, the remaining energy needs can be met using renewable energy technologies. Common on-site electricity generation strategies include photovoltaics (PV), solar water heating, and wind turbines. APPLICATION Net Zero Carbon Emission Building principles can be applied to most types of projects, including residential, industrial, and commercial buildings in both new construction and existing buildings. A growing number of projects have been designed and constructed across the various market sectors and climate zones Commercial Examples NREL Research Support Facilities Building
- 18. BLOG BOOK 18 9. LANDSCAPING AND BUILDING HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE Introduction Buildingsare causinggreatharmto ecosystemitcan alsobecome a contributorypartindevelopingthe ecosystem.Landisa crucial componentof builtenvironmentandcanbe designed,planned,developed and maintainedtoprotectandenhance the benefitswe derive fromthe healthyfunctioninglandscape. Moreover,adoptingsuchsustainablepracticesnotonlyhelpsthe environmentbutalsoenhances humanhealthandwell-beingandiseconomicallycost-effective.Appropriateuse of landisa majorissue ingreenbuilding.Well-designedopenspace createsasustainable microclimatethatinturnreduces buildingenergyuse andsupportsahigh-qualityinteriorenvironment.
- 19. BLOG BOOK 19 There are fourtypesof land 1. Greenfields:theseare the propertiesthathave experiencednoimpactfromhuman developmentactivity. 2. Brownfields:these are the landwhichhas beenpreviouslyusedforindustrialorcommercial purpose 3. Gray fields:these are obsolete buildingthatare notnecessarilycontaminated. 4. Black fields:Thesepropertiesare abandonedcoal mines Sustainable Landscape Practice The landscape featuresmustbe selectedandconfiguredtosuitsite conditionsandrestore habitatusing self-sustaininglandscape designandsite maintenance procedures.Practicesshouldpromote the conservationandrestorationof existingbiological andwaterresources,includingspeciesdiversity,soil fertility,andaeration.There are variousprinciplesof sustainable landscapeconstruction,likekeepsites healthy,heal injuredsites,favorlivingflexible material,conservationof water,etc. Water issues Water isthe World’s most preciousresource. AccordingtoUSAgencyforInternational Development (USAID) inthe UnitedStatesthe amountof waterusedbyper personperday isabout 1800 gallons (7000 liters).There isonly2.75%freshwateronthe earth,restisall saline waterwhichcannotbe used. Out of this2.75%, onlya small fraction-0.01% of waterissurface waterfoundin riverandlakesandis readilyaccessibletodrinkingandotheractivities (chartbelow showsthe distributionof global wateron earth).There is a seriouswaterproblemsinmanypartsof worldsuch as inWesternAsia, andSpain. We are extractingwaterfrom acquirers withafar greaterspeedthanitis naturallyreplenished. Inthe UnitedStates, alsowatercrisesare occurring almosteverywhere.
- 20. BLOG BOOK 20 Buildingsaccountsforabout12% of freshwaterwithdrawals.Thishighqualityportablewatermixes withthe waste and getscontaminated.Properselectionof plumbingfixtures,equipment,andfittings can minimize enduse of domesticwaterwhileconservingwaterqualityandavailability Hydrological cycle Earth's wateris alwaysinmovement,andthe natural watercycle,alsoknownasthe hydrologiccycle, describesthe continuousmovementof wateron,above,andbelow the surface of the Earth.Water is alwayschangingstatesbetweenliquid,vapor,andice,withthese processeshappeninginthe blinkof an eye andovermillionsof years.
- 21. BLOG BOOK 21 There are manytypesof water 1. Portable water:waterthatis safe fordrinking 2. Waste water:water that is adverselybeenaffectedinquality byanthropogenicinfluence.Itos alsocalledas sewage andcontaminatedfromfacesandurinesfrompeople’stoilet. 3. Gray water:Greywaterisany householdwastewaterwiththe exceptionof wastewaterfrom toilets.Typically,50-80%of householdwastewateris greywaterfromkitchensinks,dishwashers, bathroomsinks,tubsandshowers. 4. Black water:domesticwaste waterfromkitchensandtoilets. 5. Reclaimedwater:Reclaimedwaterorrecycled water,isformerwastewater(sewage) thatis treatedto remove solidsandimpurities,andusedinsustainable landscapingirrigation,to recharge groundwateraquifers. High performance building hydrologicalcycle strategy Highperformance buildingsmaximize operationalenergysavings; improve comfort,health,andsafety of occupantsand visitors;andlimitdetrimental effectsonthe environment.Properselectionof plumbingfixtures,equipment,andfittingscanminimizeenduse of domesticwaterwhile conserving waterqualityandavailability.Designersof highperformance buildingshave developedstrategieswhich can helpto conserve water. Itincludesthree strategies
- 22. BLOG BOOK 22 1. to minimize the consumptionof potable ordrinkingqualitywaterfromwellsormunicipal wastewatersystems 2. to minimize wastewatergeneration 3. to maximize rainwaterinfiltrationintothe ground; Water Reuse To achieve overall waterconservationgoals,itisimportanttolimitthe use of potable waterfornon- potable purposes.On-sitewaterreclamationandreuse shouldbe encouragedandfacilitatedwherever possible. 1. Rainwater use.Collectanduse rainwaterforlandscape irrigation,urbangardening,toilet/urinal flushing,roof cooling(foruninsulatedroofs),andforotherpurposesasappropriate. 2. Greenroofs.Plantroof areas to reduce the discharge of stormwaterand to reap the benefitsof increasedgreenspace (recreation,birdhabitat,roof shading,etc.). Figure:Greenroof 3. Graywater use.Collectanduse graywaterforwater closetsandurinal flushing,aswell asfor washdownof floordrains. 4. Excessgroundwater. Recoverexcessgroundwaterfromsumppumpsforuse as a source of recycledwater. 5. Steam condensate.Collectanduse utilitydistrictsteamsystemcondensate fortoilet/urinal flushing,coolingtowermake-up,andothernon-potableuses(appliestoManhattanprojects only). 6. ’Vacuum-assist’systems.Considera‘vacuum-assist’system(inlieuof astandardsystem) for flushingof waterclosetsandurinals. By practicingthismethodswe canconserve about34-90% of portable waterusedinresidential and commercial buildings. Substantive stepsmustbe takentoconserve the use of potable waterbythe innovative reuseof graywater.
- 23. BLOG BOOK 23 One of the motivatorsforsuch projectsisthe U.S. GreenBuildingCouncil(USGBC) LEED greenbuilding certificationprogram. UnderLEED 2.2 waterconservationandinnovativereuse were prime areasrichin LEED points,andunderthe newLEED 2009 itis weightedevenmore heavily. The use of non-potable watercan contribute upto 10 LEED pointsona project,anastounding25% of the pointsneededto achieve aLEED certifiedbuilding. There are various othernational greenbuildingprograms suchas: 1. USGBC LEED Rating Systems 2. ASHRAEStandard 191 for Water Efficiency 3. GreenGlobes-GreenBuildingInitiative draftstandard(commercial &residential above3stories) 4. U.S. EPA WaterSenseSMforNew Homes Reference http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/ddc/downloads/Sustainable/high-performance-building-guidelines.pdf http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html http://www.cwp.org/2013-04-05-16-15-03/stormwater-management http://landscapeforlife.org/new/downloads/publications/The%20Case%20for%20Sustainable%20Lan dscapes_2009.pdf http://opus.mcerf.org/application.aspx?id=-6228344935996635278
- 24. BLOG BOOK 24 10. Green Building Material and life cycle assessment Green building material Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Use of green building material for the construction purpose is one of the major strategies in creating green buildings. It aims to reduce environmental impacts of buildings. Such materials are intended to be environmentally friendly, with such characteristics as low toxicity, minimal chemical emissions, ability to be recycled, and durability of the material. In addition, green materials often contain recycled and/or bio-based contents. Material using recycled content not only requires less virgin resources, they also use less energy and chemicals to process. For instance recycled aluminum has 90% less embodied energy than virgin aluminum. There is a rapidly expanding market for green building materials. Figure: projected US total green building market value Green building material selection criteria
- 25. BLOG BOOK 25 There are various criterial for selecting green building materials 1. Resource efficiency: the material must have recycled content, naturally available, renewable, reusable recyclable, and durable 2. Indoor air quality: low or non-toxic, minimal chemical emission, and moisture resistant. 3. Energy efficiency 4. Water conservation 5. Affordability Fig: criteria for selecting green building material Ideally Green building material must follow a cardinal rules for a closed loop building strategy. The cardinal rules states that if complete dismantling of a building is done then all its material and its component can be recovered and used again at the end of building’s useful life. A very few materials and product follow this rule. Ideally it is very difficult for materials to follow this rule. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Building Material and Products
- 26. BLOG BOOK 26 LCA is the most important tool used to determine the impact of building material. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the process that investigate the impact of a product at every stages of life, from preliminary development to obsolescence. It is also known as cradle to grave or cradle-to-cradle analysis. Life stages include extraction of raw material, processing and fabrication, transportation, installation, use, maintenance and disposal (as shown in fig.). At each stages in its life the material is analyzed for its energy consumption, global warming, potential, water use, other nonrenewable resource use, air pollution produced and waste produced. Figure shown below completely illustrate the complete LCA methodology Total energy of product is composed of embodied energy, operational energy and disposal energy. Embodied energy include energy invested in extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and installation of product. Operational energy includes energy used during the operation of product. And disposal energy is the energy used to dispose-off the product at the end of its life span. For an average building operational energy is 5 to 10 times its embodied energy. Figure below shows the embodied energy of some construction material. Embodied energy of concrete and steel are notable. This is because they are produced in highly developed plants which require lots of energy for their manufacturing.
- 27. BLOG BOOK 27 Fig: Embodied energy of construction material To date there is no single accepted LCA methodology. Groups as diverse as the EPA, ASTM international, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) each have worked on creating an outline of the process. LCA consist of several steps which are defined in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14000 series of standards. These steps include inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation of the impact, as shown in figure. Fig: steps involved in LCA Goal and scope • In this step goal and scope of the study is defined. • Goal and scope document therefore includes technical details, assumption and limitation, system boundaries, and the impact categories chosen. Inventory analysis
- 28. BLOG BOOK 28 • Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis involves creating an inventory of flows from and to nature for a product system. • Inventory flows include inputs of water, energy, and raw materials, and releases to air, land, and water. Life cycle impact assessment • This phase of LCA is aimed at evaluating the significance of potential environmental impacts based on the LCI flow results. Interpretation Life Cycle Interpretation is a systematic technique to identify, quantify, check, and evaluate information from the results of the life cycle inventory and/or the life cycle impact assessment. The Athena Environmental Impact Estimator (EIE) is a LCA tool used for assessing building assemblies such as walls, roofs, and floors. Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) is another LCA tool specific to United States only. Selection of material is only one part of making a green building. The LCA methodology help us to visualize the link between the big picture and the details, while bringing us that much closer to the goal of living sustainably. A future version of LEED green building rating system is scheduled to include LCA methodology as well. Environmentalproductdeclaration (EPD) An environmental product declaration is voluntarily developed set of data that assures third- party about the environmental performance of the product. EPDs are developed from the LCA studies of the product. This are just like the nutrition label on the box of food items but instead of nutritional value it indicates raw material used, embodied energy, water used, waste generation, disposal energy etc. EPDs are not a certificate, it is just assurance about the quality of product. EBD can be considered to be the sum total of EPDs for all the products and materials in a building and represents its total impact. Fig: various stages of EPD
- 29. BLOG BOOK 29 LCA studies of some common building materials 1. Bricks and tiles Primary energy consumption, global warming potential, and water demand for ceramic tiles are much more than other types of tiles 1. Cement and concrete It can be seen that environmental impacts of cement is more than cement mortar and concrete This is because when cement is mixed with low impact material such as gravel, sand, and water helps reduce impact. 2. Steel and other products
- 30. BLOG BOOK 30 This all product have significant impact on environment. They all consume great quantity of energy and raw material for their production. This product are made in fully globalized industries which increase their impact related to transportation. Among all this products aluminium has high energy demand especially electricity which considerably increase primary energy demand and GWP. There is significant water demand for the production PVC. Reference 1. Ignacio ZB, Antonio VC, Alfonso A. Life cycle assessment of building materials: Comparative analysisof energyandenvironmental impactsandevaluationof the eco-efficiencyimprovement potential. Building and Environment 46 (2011) 1133-1140. 2. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/greenbuilding/materials/CSIArticle.pdf 3. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VFg3iSOBPVYC&oi=fnd&pg=PT5&dq=green+bui lding+materials&ots=8byJI0J53T&sig=89ly2Hgt12G1ATQbIgrsDgXH5wM#v=onepage&q=green% 20building%20materials&f=false 4. http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/greenbuilding/materials/ 5. https://www2.buildinggreen.com/article/life-cycle-assessment-buildings-seeking-holy-grail
- 31. BLOG BOOK 31 11. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of a building’s environment in relation to the health and wellbeing of occupants living in the building. For creating high performance green building it has become very important to provide excellent indoor air quality (IAQ). IEQ is determined by many factors, including lighting, air quality, daylighting, acoustic, noise, and thermal comfort, portable water monitoring and damp conditions. Better indoor environmental quality can enhance the lives of building occupants, increase the resale value of the building, and reduce liability for building owners. Figure: factors affecting indoor air quality
- 32. BLOG BOOK 32 If you are at home or work place and you are not feeling comfortable, you are not very productive. High-quality indoor environments is very important in enhancing productivity. You may invest more money in making indoor environmental quality, but at the same time you will save a lot of money because employee are much more productive. American spend the majority of their time indoor; not surprisingly, studies have shown an increase in worker productivity when improvements are made to a space’s IEQ. Better indoor environmental quality can also enhance the lives of building occupants, increase the resale value of the building, and reduce liability for building owners. Indoor environments are highly complex and building occupants may be exposed to a variety of contaminants (in the form of gases and particles) from office machines, cleaning products, construction activities, carpets and furnishings, perfumes, cigarette smoke, water- damaged building materials, microbial growth (fungal, mold, and bacterial), insects, and outdoor pollutants. Other factors such as indoor temperatures, relative humidity, and ventilation levels can also affect how individuals respond to the indoor environment. According to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air quality in buildings can be up to 100 times worse than the quality of outside air. Thermal Comfort Workspacesshouldbe designedtoprovide the optimumlevel of thermal comfortforthe occupants.Comfortcriteriaare the specificoriginal designconditionsthatata minimuminclude temperature,humidity,andairspeedaswell asoutdoortemperature designconditions,outdoor humiditydesignconditions,clothing,andexpectedactivity.Comfortcriteriashouldbe basedonASHRAE Standard55. Noise Pollution Noise pollutioncomesfromimproperlyfunctioningHVACequipment,streetnoise,orthe conversationsof others.Besides the factthatitis obnoxiousanddistracting,noise pollutioncanbe detrimental tohumanhealth.Itistherefore importanttoconsiderwaystoeliminate noise pollutionin projectplanning. http://www.epa.gov/air/noise.html Daylighting
- 33. BLOG BOOK 33 Daylightingusesnatural daylightasa substitute forelectrical lighting.While itwill likelybe counterproductivetoeliminate electrical lightingcompletely,the bestprovenstrategyistoemploy layersof light- usingdaylightforbasicambientlightlevelswhileprovidingoccupantswithadditional lightingoptionstomeettheirneeds. In orderto provide equitable accesstodaylightensurethe space isoptimizedtodisperse daylightwell.Locate private officestowardthe core of the space andspecifylow workstationpanels. Use glasswallsandlight-coloredsurfacesonwallsanddeskstodispersedaylightthroughoutthe space. In all daylightingstrategies,itisimportanttoconsiderglare andto take stepstominimize it.Findmore strategiesbelow. SavingEnergy throughLightingandDaylightingStrategiesPDF Finish A finish is the final covering material in an arrangement of building components. It can refer to the finish on the floor, countertop, wall, or piece of furniture. Similar to adhesives and binders, finishes must also be used with care. They can emit high levels of harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can be dangerous to human health and the environment. Lower VOC finishes are preferable, and all spaces where finishes are applied should be well ventilated. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the state of the air within a space. A space with good indoor air quality is one that is low in toxins, contaminants and odors. Good air quality possible when spaces are well ventilated (with outside air) and protected from pollutants brought into the space or by pollutants off-gassed within the space. Strategies used to create good IAQ include bringing in 100% outside air, maintaining appropriate exhaust systems, complying with ASHRAE Standard 62.1, utilizing high efficiency MERV filters in the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, installing walk-off mats at entryways, prohibiting smoking with the space and near operable windows and air intakes, providing indoor plants, and using only low- emitting / non-toxic materials and green housekeeping products. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ Low VOC VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are toxins found within products (paints, adhesives, cleaners, carpets, particle board, etc) and that are released into a space’s indoor air, thus harming its quality. Low VOC products are those that meet or exceed various standards for low-emitting
- 34. BLOG BOOK 34 materials. Low-emitting standards include Green Seal, SCAQMD, CRI Green Label Plus, Floor Score, etc. http://www.wbdg.org/resources/greenproducts.php?r=mou_rc Moisture Control Moisture control is the process of regulating where, when and how much water and water vapor collect in a building. Mold and other air borne contaminates develop when there is too much moisture. Ventilation Ventilation is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to control temperature; remove moisture, odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, and carbon dioxide; and to replenish oxygen. Ventilation includes both the exchange of air to the outside as well as circulation of air within the building. It is one of the most important factors for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality in buildings. SICK BUILDING SYNDROME Sick building causes are frequently pinned down to flaws in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Other causes have been attributed to contaminants produced by outgassing of some types of building materials, volatile organic compounds (VOC), molds, improper exhaust ventilation of ozone, light industrial chemicals used within, or lack of adequate fresh-air intake/air filtration. SBS, also known as tight building syndrome is the condition in which at least 20 percent of the building occupants display symptoms of illness for more than two weeks, and the source of these illnesses cannot be positively identified. Symptoms of SBS may include headache; fatigue and drowsiness; irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; sinus congestion; and dry, itchy skin. Quality IEQ can be provided through 1. Value aesthetic decisions 2. Providing thermal comfort 3. Supply adequate levels of ventilation and outside air 4. Prevent airborne bacteria, mold, and other fungi 5. Use materials that do not emit pollutants or are low emitting 6. Use materials that do not emit pollutants or are low emitting 7. Create a high-performance luminous environment
- 35. BLOG BOOK 35 Commissioning The process that focuses on verifying and documenting that the facility and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the Owner's Project Requirements. This means testing all systems (HVAC, lighting controls, domestic hot water systems, etc.) to ensure they function as intended. Proper commissioning saves energy, reduces risk, and creates value for building operators. It also serves as a quality assurance process for enhancing the delivery of the project. http://energy.gov/eere/femp/commissioning
- 36. BLOG BOOK 36 12. Cutting Edge Technology In the present time, green buildings are gaining momentum in United States and in many parts of World. Every building specially commercial and institutional buildings in US are constructed according to high performance green building codes, suggested by US Green Building Council (USGBC). But there is no long term vision for the high performance green building and this slow down the progress of sustainable environment. To stimulate the progress we need to introduce some cutting edge technology in sustainable construction. This would be very helpful for the future development of high performance green building. Passive survivability Weatherconditionsare veryunpredictable.Buildingsmustbe designedtoprotecttheiroccupantsfrom any natural disasterssuchas heatwaves,hurricanes,flood,drought,vulnerabilityof electricityandfuel distributionsystemearthquake etc.passivesurvivabilityisatermusedfor buildings.Thiswordhascome fromUS and because of hurricane Katrinain2005 It tellsushow the buildingsshouldbe designedto protectits occupantsfromany natural disastersorany services(suchaspower,energy,heatingfuel, water,or terrorism) breakdownforanyextendedperiodof time.Thisbuildingsmustactas a refugee for the occupants.Buildingsmusthave certainkeyfeaturesthatensure passivesurvivabilityof the building.Thiskeyfeaturesinclude propercoolingsystem, natural ventilation,thermal insulation, daylighting, highefficiencythermalenvelope,passivesolardesign.Differentregionshave different approachesto passive survivabilityanditdependsonclimate of thatregionandnatural hazardsin that region. For more visit: https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/docs/for_partners/bbd_presentations/2008/Passive%20Survivabili ty_Wilson.pdf Cutting edge in urban development There are variouscuttingedge strategiesforthe urbandevelopmentsome of themare 1. By offeringtax rebatestothose whomake theirpropertygreen,throughsolarpanel,rainwater harvestingetc. 2. Introducingbike lanes 3. Introducingtoolstoreduce numberof cars on road 4. Update buildingcodes 5. use lesscarbonemittingmaterial 6. Implementandenforce aminimumgreenspace to-buildingratio. 7. Investigate whethersome energyintensivegoodscouldbe 3D-printedlocally. 8. Create an urbangarden to increase local foodproduction.
- 37. BLOG BOOK 37 The challenges According to Chrissna du Plessis, a research architect from national building research institute of South Africa, there are three main challenges in defining the future of built environment. These challenges are: 1. Taking the next technology leap 2. Reinventing the construction industry 3. Rethinking the products of construction Taking the next technology leap Technology plays a great role in development, assisting and even accelerating changes. The challenge is to foster technology whose benefits are great and impacts are low. There are three general approaches for the built environment 1. Vernacular vision 2. High technology approach 3. Biomimetic model Vernacular vision, uses historical wisdom and cultural knowledge to design buildings in contrast the high-technology approach generally follows the path of current trends in society. By developing new technologies all our problem such as resource problem, carbon problem can be solved. New technologies can bring changes in energy, water, material, design and home health. REINVENTING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The construction industry need to be changed to meet the future challenges of building. Today’s mind set of owners is to build the building at the lowest possible cost due to this quality, design and material receives minimal attention. Changing the mind-set of this cast of actors is an enormous challenge. There are several changes such as education, technology, policy, incentive, and construction process which can bring change in the mind set of people. RETHINKING THE PRODUCT OF CONSTRUCTION As buildings are segregating by type such as residential, commercial, industrial, cultural etc. people are now forced to travel from one point to another to meet their daily requirements. A
- 38. BLOG BOOK 38 new concept of urbanism is changing this concept and mixing building types and uses. The aim is that all daily needs must be available within ten minute of walk from the home. Let us now look at the present advancements in high performance green building movement. There are various fields in which high performance green building has made significant developments in past decades. These fields are 1. Green building standards 2. Net zero built environment concept 3. The living building challenge 4. Environmental product declaration 5. Carbon accounting for the built environment High performance green building standards There are many green buildings standards which are introduced after the development of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in the United Kingdom. One such standard is ASHRAE 189.1-2009 which is based on LEED. This standard is basically for the design of high performance green building except low rise residential buildings. Another green building standard is ANSI/GBI 01-2010, it was developed using ANSI standards development process and is based on the Green Globes building assessment system. There is one green building code also which is gaining momentum since 2009, it is International Green Construction Code (IgCC), it is also based on LEED building assessment system. This code was developed as a model building code for new and existing commercial buildings. Net zero built environment Now a days the idea of net zero environment is developing very rapidly. Net zero environment basically focuses on the use of natural resources by the human being for their survival. According to net zero built environment, for the energy purpose the human being can use photovoltaic to convert solar radiation into electricity. This can be designed to generate at least the same amount of energy which they consume in a year. In this way they can create a net zero energy building (NZEBs). The second concept is net zero water. According to this concept buildings can be designed to reduce and reuse and water. Rainwater can be used for irrigation, gardening, washing utensils etc.
- 39. BLOG BOOK 39 Living building challenge Living building challenge is the most difficult building assessment system. The LBC require many stringent measure such as net zero energy, net zero water, and processing of sewage on site. Unlike other building assessment system, LBC either offers the certificate to the building or just reject there is no intermediate level of certification. Environment product declaration Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardized way of quantifying the environmental impact of a product intended for construction. It is provided by the third party system. It has developed a sense of competition among the producers to develop eco-friendly products. It becomes very helpful for the life cycle assessment of building. Carbon accounting for built environment The amount of energy consumed by built environment is increasing day by day. This energy comes from combustion of fossil fuels and as a consequence, an increase in energy consumption also tends to increase the carbon footprint of the activity. This led to change in climatic condition of environment. Due this reason many building are now constructed before doing the carbon accounting for that building. Building using renewable energy for all its need can reduce the carbon footprint to a great extent. Other ways of reducing carbon footprint are by reusing of existing buildings and material.