Construction For A Sustainable Environment

Sustainable Construction Technologies: Life-Cycle Assessment provides practitioners with a tool to help them select technologies that are financially advantageous even though they have a higher initial cost. Chapters provide an overview of LCA and how it can be used in conjunction with other indicators to manage construction. Topics covered include indoor environment quality, energy efficiency, transport, water reuse, materials, land use and ecology, and more. The book presents a valuable tool for construction professionals and researchers that want to apply sustainable construction techniques to their projects. Practitioners will find the international case studies and discussions of worldwide regulation and standards particularly useful. Provides a framework for analyzing sustainable construction technologies and economic viability Introduces key credit criteria for different sustainable construction technologies Covers the most relevant construction areas Includes technologies that can be employed during the process of construction, or to the product of the construction process, i.e. buildings Analyzes international rating systems and provides supporting case studies

Basic principles : "Sustainability" in context -- Principle 1 : Keep healthy sites healthy -- Principle 2 : Heal injured soils and sites -- Principle 3 : Favor living, flexible materials -- Principle 4 : Respect the waters of life -- Principle 5 : Pave less -- Principle 6 : Consider origin and fate of materials -- Principle 7 : Know the costs of energy over time -- Principle 8 : Celebrate light, respect darkness -- Principle 9 : Quietly defend silence -- Principle 10 : Maintain to sustain -- Principle 11 : Demonstrate performance, learn from failure -- Sustaining principles, evolving efforts.

This book uses theories, hypotheses, policies, practical insights and case studies to introduce and elucidate green building materials for sustainable construction. Cement is the most widely used building material in construction; however, it is not sustainable, being responsible for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions and consuming huge quantities of energy. In order to limit the ecological damage, sustainable building materials are needed. Ecosystems are a source of important lessons and models for transitioning the built environment onto a sustainable path that opens options for sustainable building material in construction. The book provides a guide for readers seeking knowledge on sustainable building materials with the potential to lower environmental impact by reducing CO2 emission throughout the building’s lifecycle. The book is motivated by recent rapid advances in sustainable building materials production, including green building materials made of industrial by-products and recycled wastes, earth materials, plant-based materials, microbial-based materials or supplementary cementitious materials, to reduce the environmental impacts of traditional building materials. Discussing the development and applications of various sustainable building materials, including related case studies, and addressing the environmental issue with a holistic and systematic approach that creates an ecology of construction for sustainability in infrastructures, it offers promising solutions to achieve renewable and sustainable building materials for the future.

This monograph offers analyses of construction activities using various key concepts and assessments of sustainable development, and provides students and researchers with methodologies and design aspects for the sustainable development of the built environment. Additionally, the book demonstrates various national and international policies for assisting architects, engineers and policy makers in understanding the relevant decision-making approaches to sustainable development in construction. The book begins by reviewing the background of sustainability and sustainable development. The focus then turns to the effects of climate change on the built environment, including impacts of energy and carbon emissions, as well as constraints on water and waste management. The remaining chapters discuss the necessary approaches to achieve sustainable waste management, energy efficient building design, and resilience and adaptation in the built environment In eight chapters, the book encourages readers to think independently, logically and objectively about the complex issues presented by the applications of sustainable development in construction, including resource efficiency, environmental impacts, human health, building economics and social development.

The classic reference for high-performance green building delivery systems No longer just a buzzword, sustainable construction is going mainstream and soon will be the norm. Revised to reflect the latest developments of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and other tools, Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery, Third Edition guides construction and design professionals through the process of developing commercial and institutional high-performance green buildings in today's marketplace. Charles Kibert provides an introduction to green building, covering the theory, history, and state of the industry as well as best practices in building procurement and delivery systems. From green building and Green Globes assessments to building hydrological systems and materials and product selection, this comprehensive text covers all of the factors involved with sustainable construction. In a clear and accessible writing style, Kibert addresses issues so that the reader can think critically and independently as part of the cutting edge in green building. The Third Edition includes up-to-date coverage of: The latest developments leading up to LEED version 4 Carbon neutral design and carbon accounting Green Globes and international building assessment systems The Living Building Challenge Environmental product declarations (EPDs) as the norm for green building products The trends in net-zero energy building design and policies Broad enough to cover the needs of faculty and students and detailed enough to serve as a professional reference, Sustainable Construction, Third Edition is a must for the builder/owner and construction manager looking to take advantage of the opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the designer looking to be LEED certified, or anyone interested in sustainability.

What makes building materials sustainable? How to reduce the amount of embodied energy in building constructions? And how does a Life Cycle Analysis work? These are questions which are becoming increasingly more common in the context of sustainable construction. The DETAIL Green Book "Sustainable Construction Techniques" offers a thorough guide to ecological building design and sustainable construction methods, which will be particularly valuable for architects. The authors provide an overview of the most relevant databases and certification standards for building products and illustrate how a Life Cycle Analysis is conducted. They also identify key ways of optimising the planning process in line with ecological criteria, while offering advice for the selection of building materials and elements. Detailed documentation from five buildings constructed in Europe and North America serve to illustrate the associated assessment processes in this book.

Sustainability is a key issue and its impact on the construction industry, as one of the major users of the Earth's resources, is starting to take hold. This book deals with sustainability as it affects the construction industry, looking at the techniques and issues which designers, engineers, planners and construction managers will have to deal with in their day-to-day activities. It covers methods of analysis such as environmental impact assessment and cost-benefit analysis as well as topics on design and energy regulation and conservation. The book is an important introduction to the subject for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students. Given the importance and novelty of the subject, professionals in the construction industry will also find the book valuable.

The past fifty years have seen rapid development of public and governmental awareness of environmental issues. Engineers and scientists have made tangible contributions to environmental protection. However, further theoretical and practical developments are necessary to address mankind’s growing demands on the environment. Construction for a Sustainable Environment includes recent developments relating to construction and the environment, including: (1) engineered disposal of wastes; (2) treatment of contaminated and derelict land; (3) sustainable construction and infrastructure; (4) supporting the natural environment. Construction for a Sustainable Environment presents clear evidence that common sustainability issues are encountered throughout the world and that only a concerted, international and interdisciplinary approach can tackle these issues.