d) Energy – excessive usage of energy is perhaps the primary concern of sustainability. The RICS encourages the minimisation of energy in a cost effective manner, through the use of renewable energy sources and by obtaining ‘green’ energy from energy grids. The design team involved in a construction project may want to consider developing additional land with wind turbines if conditions permit and also the use of solar cells in a remote site. A passive design is always the most useful way to reduce energy expenditure. To ensure minimum energy usage, there must be minimum energy wastage and this must be designed appropriately by considering the climate and the materials used in construction. During modelling, the human factor coupled with the inhabitation of varying periods of time must be considered in order to arrive at a realistic picture of energy usage.
e) Geology – the soil is not only the link to ground water but also harbours many different species of the animal kingdom. Therefore, it is important that there is minimal damage to the soil during the construction process and that no dangerous chemicals are added which may leach into the ground water and contaminate the already scarce drinking water supplies. In the case of unforeseen contamination, the soil must be immediately treated for remediation. Similarly, if the soil is dislocated from the construction site, it must either be replaced or re-used in an off-site location.
f) Land Use – Natural land use will obviously be influenced by considerations like deforestation, soil use etc. Apart from these aspects, the effect of other building sites on the construction site itself must be examined. This should be done prior to any construction work beginning in order to ensu...
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...liminary assessment of the building plan. In this pre-assessment, the Assessor will explain the process of the BREEAM issues and credits. This is generally followed by a collaborative effort to determine which environmental aspects can be best addressed. Once this initial assessment is approved, the project is then registered under the BREEAM scheme. The project is continually monitored by the BRE and follow-up assessments are conducted of the design structure and post construction stage.
At the design stage assessment, the Assessor will test the willingness of the client to follow the standards set by the BREEAM guidelines with respect to the design ideas presented which will influence the overall BREEAM score to quite a large extent. At the final post construction assessment, the Assessor will visit the site and compare the newly constructed building against the
...e recycle system to be constantly upgraded with the latest technology when it comes on the market.
The first thing to address is the fact that the proposed construction site is located within an area that does not meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The environmental protection agency has declared the area a nonattainment area. The EPA defines nonattainment as “any area that does not meet (or that contributes to ambient air quality in a nearby area that does not meet) the national primary or secondary ambient air quality standard for the pollutant.” (Environmental Protection Agency, 2011) Since the proposed area is classified a nonattainment area special considerations must occur in order for project approval.
As the environmental problems become more and more serious these years, especially that intense negative impact that buildings in modern cities bring to the cities, the concept of Green Building is being more and more important considered by local and federal government. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a green building is one that utilizes design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and the building's occupants. Besides the more and more advanced building structure and technology, the main goal of green building is to protect the health of the occupants, save energy and reduce pollution to environment. There are many certifications of green buildings to judge whether the building meets the standard of green buildings and what environmental performance level is this building at, to help government regulators, building professionals and consumers to see better how this building can be improved and what is its impact on human beings and environment. Such green building programs include Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB Green), etc. Among them, LEED is one of the most popular certification programs that give the building credits for its environmental performance. In this essay, I will discuss the costs and benefits of different types of building projects that were certified by LEED.
The EIA Directive aims to be integrative of all interested actors and to make a wide range of projects sustainable, in order to protect the environment, enhance the quality of life and reduce any friction between planners, developers and local communities [European Union (EU), 2009]. It is a process constituted by different stages from screening to evaluating and monitoring the impacts of the project implemented (Wood, 2003).
Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objects of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimal waste, and create healthy, productive environments (“Sustainable Design”). Focusing primarily on the sustainable design principles, there are five, including: low-impact materials, energy efficiency, quality and durability, design for reuse and recycling, and renewability. As sustainability appears to become the necessary trend in architecture, the question concerning the cost versus outcome of “going green” really an investment or a waste of time and money comes to mind. With our research provided below, we believe the expenses may truly be with the investment in the end.
The present world with its sustainable resources, environment and way of life became developed. The population growth, consuming almost all the available resources, to meet people’s needs, should be a major concern. The consumption of material and energy around the world which is about to eliminate the available supply, has increased over the last two decades, especially in the built environment. In order to access other reserves of fuel, the more energy will be needed to use.
People don’t want to have a complicated way of life, they want to be simplistic and still be looking after then environment. My goal is to therefore create sustainable living but on a very simplistic bases because more often, people like to do as title as possible. In 2015 it is very important to go green, even though scientists are looking for new planets to move to, it is still very important to look after the planet that we live on now. The architecture community is aware of the importance of greener living. SANS 10400 Part X and Part XA is a SABS document that are responsible for the requirements of environmental sustainability and energy usage in a building. The document then ha tables that a building needs to comply with such as, Maximum annual consumption per building classification for each climate zone . These documents are important for creating greener buildings but they are not enough, documents such as SANS are not enough, for example electricity, the world is running out of non-renewable resources. Unrenewable resources such as coal but places such as South Africa are still running and building more coal power stations or are looking into creating Nuclear Power stations instead of infesting more into wind turbines for power. Problems like this need to be fixed not just in the county but in the homes people live in and the buildings people work in,
The physical side and the financial side have to work in a open exchange of information. The synergy of this project before it ever starts construction must come from the cooperation and adjustments made by both sides to create the best development. The physical side must take into account several things with the environmental sector. How can this site be used? What amenities or attractions can I draw from the existing environment? How can I improve the existing environment to create a more valuable development? The urban linkage must take into consideration how they are going to create their link to the surrounding environment and/or city.
... although we may never be able to understand exactly what soil failures can occur when a natural disasters take place, as time goes on and testing instruments and materials advance we will hopefully have a better understanding of what we can do to avoid soil failures and come up with a better and more sufficient method of improving the soils structure and strength permanently. While researching the information for this report I feel I have a much better understanding for construction geo-technics and foundations especially regarding the deformation, liquefaction and pile information related to this specific event. I hope to carry the information I have learned from this event into the construction field and apply them towards an authentic project that’s taking place and know that the information, regarding soils, I have given input on will be precise and accurate.
Also the land has to perk which means the land is not too wet and is safe for a structure and allows a septic tank to be installed that will function properly.
Yan, J. & Plainiotis, S. (2006): Design for Sustainability. Beijing, China: Architecture and Building Press.
The beginnings of today's green revolution can be traced back to the environmental awareness of the 1960s and European design. New construction techniques have lead to the development of innovative materials and design concepts. Green buildings are designed, constructed and commissioned to ensure they are healthy for their occupants. Successfully designed green projects can involve an extensive array of factors, ranging from the resourceful use of materials, to careful consideration of function, climate, and location.
As a result of this process, the mine sites "do not develop normal soil structure or support the establishment of a plant cover". Many mine sites have...
Gibling C. 2013. Construction Process and Post Construction Impacts of the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Memorial University.
The stages of conducting the EIA process include scoping, analysis of the impacts, finding mitigation measures and impact management, evaluation of the significance and effective implementation of the project (Wathern, 1988). The application of the EIA requires a collective approach especially carrying out the process in public projects.