Sustainable Living: the Role of Whole Life Costs and Values

Sustainable Living: the Role of Whole Life Costs and Values PDF

Author: Nalanie Mithraratne

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2007-09-04

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1136360700

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Achieving a sustainable building is not just a matter of design and construction: what happens once the building is occupied is absolutely critical. This book shows how the choices designers, developers and building users make impact on sustainability over the life span of the building. The authors show how a holistic approach considering costs, energy use, environmental impact, global warming potential as well as items which a usually disregarded such as finishes, furniture and appliances is needed to achieve best practice.

Whole Life Costing for Sustainable Building

Whole Life Costing for Sustainable Building PDF

Author: Mariana Trusson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-11-05

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 1317289951

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Whole life costing is now integral to building procurement, both for new buildings and major refurbishments. It is key when assessing investment scenarios for estates as well as individual buildings, and has become a tool for justifying higher capital cost items. Standard whole life costing methods combine capital cost, facilities costs, operational costs, income and disposal costs with a “single action–single benefit” approach. Costing based on this type of single attribute assessment misses out on realising value from the intricacies of the interactions buildings have with their occupants, users and the location in which they are placed. In contrast, the multi-attribute approach presented by the author of this book explains how to analyse the whole cost of a building, while also taking into account secondary and tertiary values of a variety of actions that are deemed important for the project owners and decision-making stakeholders. The process is an effective tool for presenting a good business case within the opportunities and constrains of real life. For example, it presents the interdependencies of how: Building location affects servicing strategies which impact on maintainability and control and, by extension, on occupant comfort; Material selection affects time on site, building maintainability as well as overall building quality and the environment; Building shape impacts on servicing strategies as well as operating costs. The reader will be shown how to incorporate this method of whole life valuation into standard cost models allowing for a more robust decision making process. This is done by breaking down project aims into their most basic aspects and adopting the methods of simple quantitative risk analysis, the functionality of which is based on real data. Written by an author immersed in project team collaboration to identify the interdependencies of design decisions throughout her professional life, this is the most practical guide available on the topic.

Living within a Fair Share Ecological Footprint

Living within a Fair Share Ecological Footprint PDF

Author: Robert Vale

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-09-02

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 1136456074

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According to many authorities the impact of humanity on the earth is already overshooting the earth’s capacity to supply humanity’s needs. This is an unsustainable position. This book does not focus on the problem but on the solution, by showing what it is like to live within a fair earth share ecological footprint. The authors describe numerical methods used to calculate this, concentrating on low or no cost behaviour change, rather than on potentially expensive technological innovation. They show what people need to do now in regions where their current lifestyle means they are living beyond their ecological means, such as in Europe, North America and Australasia. The calculations focus on outcomes rather than on detailed discussion of the methods used. The main objective is to show that living with a reduced ecological footprint is both possible and not so very different from the way most people currently live in the west. The book clearly demonstrates that change in behaviour now will avoid some very challenging problems in the future. The emphasis is on workable, practical and sustainable solutions based on quantified research, rather than on generalities about overall problems facing humanity.

Materials for a Healthy, Ecological and Sustainable Built Environment

Materials for a Healthy, Ecological and Sustainable Built Environment PDF

Author: Emina K. Petrovic

Publisher: Woodhead Publishing

Published: 2017-03-23

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 008100706X

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Principles for Evaluating Building Materials in Sustainable Construction: Healthy and Sustainable Materials for the Built Environment provides a comprehensive overview of the issues associated with the selection of materials for sustainable construction, proposing a holistic and integrated approach. The book evaluates the issues involved in choosing materials from an ecosystem services perspective, from the design stage to the impact of materials on the health of building users. The three main sections of the book discuss building materials in relation to ecosystem services, the implications of materials choice at the design stage, and the impact of materials on building users and their health. The final section focuses on specific case studies that illustrate the richness of solutions that existed before the rise of contemporary construction and that are consistent with a sustainable approach to creating built environments. These are followed by modern examples which apply some, if not all, of the principles discussed in the first three sections of the book. Provides a holistic and integrated approach to the issues associated with the selection of materials for sustainable construction Provides a thorough understanding of ecosystem services based on ecology research for built environment design Provides an original review of the impact of materials on human health Provides case studies to illustrate the points above

Sustainability in Energy and Buildings 2018

Sustainability in Energy and Buildings 2018 PDF

Author: Prasad Kaparaju

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-11-30

Total Pages: 500

ISBN-13: 3030042936

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This book contains selected papers from SEB-18, the Tenth International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, which was organised by KES International and Griffith University and held in Gold Coast, Australia in June 2018. SEB-18 invited contributions on a range of topics related to sustainable buildings and renewable energy, and explored innovative topics regarding intelligent buildings and cities. Applicable areas included the sustainable design and of buildings, neighbourhoods and cities (built and natural environment); optimisation and modelling techniques; smart energy systems for smart cities; green information communications technology; and a broad range of solar, wind, wave and other renewable energy topics. The aim of the conference was to bring together researchers and government and industry professionals to discuss the future of energy in buildings, neighbourhoods and cities from a theoretical, practical, implementation and simulation perspective. In addition, SEB-18 offered an exciting opportunity to present, interact, and learn about the latest research in Sustainability in Energy and Buildings.

Technologies for Sustainable Urban Design and Bioregionalist Regeneration

Technologies for Sustainable Urban Design and Bioregionalist Regeneration PDF

Author: Dora Francese

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-02-22

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1317330773

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This book explores the role of technology in ecological urban design and regeneration. Part I provides theoretical and methodological insights into technological approaches that offer optimum respect to existing cultural and natural environments, while offering minimum impact and carbon footprint. Parts II and III provide contextualised examples that demonstrate the use, or proposal of, sustainable technologies and solutions for regenerating parts of the urban and peri-urban. The case studies offer insights from the Mediterranean and the Middle East in a diverse range of spaces, from central urban squares, oblique cities, urban waterfronts, decaying suburbs, to peri-urban areas such as touristic waterfronts, former industrial areas, hyper-commercial areas, humid zones and parks.

Unravelling Sustainability and Resilience in the Built Environment

Unravelling Sustainability and Resilience in the Built Environment PDF

Author: Emilio Jose Garcia

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2017-03-27

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 1317242971

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In this timely book, Emilio Jose Garcia and Brenda Vale explore what sustainability and resilience might mean when applied to the built environment. Conceived as a primer for students and professionals, it defines what the terms sustainability and resilience mean and how they are related to each other and to the design of the built environment. After discussion of the origins of the terms, these definitions are then compared and applied to case studies, including Whitehill and Bordon, UK, Tianjin Eco-city, China, and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, which highlight the principles of both concepts. Essentially, the authors champion the case that sustainability in the built environment would benefit from a proper understanding of resilience.

Green CITYnomics

Green CITYnomics PDF

Author: Kenny Tang

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-09-08

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 1351279424

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Today, more than half of the world's population are living in cities that are now contributing 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. They cover less than 3% of the earth's surface. And urbanization continues apace. With such a massive carbon footprint, it is vital that cities are part of the solution. Despite this, scarcely any consideration has been given to the potential impact of climate change on urban dwellers, especially in the developing countries and burgeoning megacities of Africa, Asia and Latin America, where a wide variety of environmental and development challenges are likely to further exacerbate their vulnerability to climatic effects. Green CITYnomics presents a rich set of contributions by a highly diverse group of 45 of the world's leading urban experts on climate change. In particular, it illustrates the desire some cities are already demonstrating in engaging in this war. Standing still is not an option. Budgets have to be fought for; minds have to be won over; old, untenable and unsustainable ideas and solutions must be challenged; green and sustainable solutions must be given the chance to develop and to prove themselves. Each of the cities and urban centres discussed – from Hong Kong to Dresden; from Mexico City to Qatar – are, in their own ways, heroes and examples to us all. This book provides a compelling manifesto for the world's cities in their "Urban War against Climate Change". It is essential reading for climate scientists, national and local policy-makers and scholars worldwide.

Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment

Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment PDF

Author: Liangzhu Leon Wang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-09-04

Total Pages: 2933

ISBN-13: 9811998221

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This book is a compilation of selected papers from the 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (COBEE2022), held in Montreal, Canada, in July 2022. The work focuses on the most recent technologies and knowledge of building energy and the environment, including health, energy, urban microclimate, smart cities, safety, etc. The contents make valuable contributions to academic researchers, engineers in the industry, and regulators of buildings. As well, readers encounter new ideas for achieving healthy, comfortable, energy-efficient, resilient, and safe buildings.