This paper presents an analysis of data supplied by the US Green Buildings Council on the credits achieved by 117 LEED-certified commercial and institutional buildings. The paper quantifies several relationships, among others it explores the correlation between building energy performance, water consumption and the overall amount of points the projects has achieved. The paper also attempts to identify which credits are not usually selected by type of project, ownership, certification level and climate zone.

Denna fältstudie kommer att undersöka betydelsen av regnvattenanvändning som vattenförsörjnings alternativ. Hur kan hållbara innovativa lösningar tas fram för att lösa vattenförsörjningen på Sri Lanka? Efter lidandet av mer än 30 års inbördeskrig och efter de omfattande skadorna från tsunamin 2004, står nu Sri Lanka inför många utmaningar rörande landets återuppbyggnad. Tillgången till vatten är den viktigaste grundläggande förutsättningen för ett fungerande samhälle. I landets torra zon är det långa perioder av torka då vattenkällor sinar och inget naturligt vatten finns att tillgå. Detta trots att det under monsunen kommer tillräckligt med regn för att täcka vattenbehovet om det skulle samlas på ett optimalt sätt. Avrinningskoefficienten är här mer än 60% outnyttjat regnvatten. I ett flertal lyckade projekt har man samlat regnvatten i RWH system för senare användning. Människor i dessa områden saknar kranvatten eftersom detta område ej är täckt av vattenförsörjningsnätet. Detta gör att dessa människor har en positiv inställning till att ha RWH system..I den våta zonen, och då speciellt i Colombos stadsmiljö som denna studie handlar om, är situationen annorlunda. Här har de flesta invånare kranvatten. Det kommunala kranvattnet är högt subventionerat av regeringen vilket gör att kostnaden är låg för användarna samt ökar vattenkonsumtionen. Invånarna känner inget ansvar för vattenresurserna eftersom den gemena uppfattningen är att det är en evig källa. Majoriteten av hushållen ser inget skäl till att installera RWH på grund av den låga lönsamheten. Trots att det finns ett förordnande att det ska ingå ett RWH system, så följs inte detta. Saknande av uppföljningsplikt anges som orsak av vatten styrelsen. Kostnaden för att behandla och leverera vatten till invånarna är väldigt hög och är mycket energi krävande. Det finns ett behov av enorma investeringar för att rusta upp och bygga ut både vattenverken och vattennätet för att klara av att möta det växande invånarantalet i Colombo området. Ett annat problem är att 40% av hushållen i Colombo saknar avloppsanslutning. De leder sitt avloppsvatten direkt eller efter en septi-tank ut i jorden eller havet.Om medvetenheten kring dessa frågor ökar, samt att förhållandet mellan kranvattnets kostnad och RWH justeras med ändringar i subventionerna, kunde en hållbar lösning på vattensituationen med såväl ekonomiska som miljövinster ske.Resultatet av denna studie är att RWH får ses som ett komplement när det gäller vattenförsörjningen för hushållens del. Fokus bör istället ligga på industrier, sjukhus, skolor, kommunala byggnader och andra byggnader med stora vattenbehov och med de största möjligheterna att uppnå optimalt resultat.Studien visar också på en hållbar lösning på avloppshanteringen. Den visar DWWT och dess fördelar. / The field study will investigate the importance of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) as a water supply option. How can sustainable innovative solutions be developed to solve the water problem of Sri Lanka? Suffering from more than 30 years of civil war and damages after being struck by the tsunami 2004, Sri Lanka faces many challenges to recover and rebuilt the country. The access to water is the most important need for a civilization´s existence. In the dry zones of the island people suffer from long drought periods with dried up wells and no natural sources for water. However the rainfall during the monsoon, even in these areas, is more than enough to provide the water needs if properly collected, thus the run-off coefficient is more than 60%. Several projects with rain water harvesting in so called RWH systems have been implemented with success. Because these areas are not covered by the water supply net and therefore have no tap water, the people are very positive to having the RWH system. In the wet zones and especially in the urban environment of Colombo the situation is different. Here most of the people have treated pipe-borne tap water. The metered tap water is highly subsidized by the government which makes the cost low for the users and increases the water consumption. The citizens do not feel a responsibility to be careful with resources since the common opinion is that water is a never ending source. The majority of the households find no reasons for installing a RWH system because it´s low economic profits. Even if there is a legislation that demands all new buildings should have a RWH system not many households have installed these systems. However the cost to deliver and treat this water is very expensive for the government and demands a lot of energy. Huge investments need to be done in both the treatment plants and the pipe-line net to meet the growing population in Colombo area. Another problem is that 40% of the households today in Colombo have no sewage connection but lead their wastewater directly or after a septic tank into the ground or the sea. If the awareness regarding these concerns could be improved and the conditions between tap water costs and RWH be adjusted with changes in the subsidized system, a sustainable solution to the water situation in Colombo with both economic and environmental benefits could be found. The result from the case study is a recommendation about installing RWH as a complimentary source of water for the households. And investments in RWH systems should be focused to industries, hospitals, schools, municipal buildings and other public buildings with a high water demand and with the best possibilities for optimal results. Further the case study treats a sustainable solution to the sewage situation. It shows the Decentralized waste water treatment plant (DWWT) and its advantages.

Le secteur de la construction est considéré comme un des facteurs principaux qui affectent la dépense énergétique et les émissions des gaz à effet de serre. Dès lors, la valorisation de la qualité environnementale des bâtiments constitue une réponse importante aux enjeux du développement durable. Dans ce contexte, notre recherche aborde le problème de l'incertitude inhérente aux démarches HQE®, notamment dans l'évaluation de la qualité environnementale des bâtiments tertiaires. Notre étude s'appuie sur la théorie des possibilités qui présente des atouts intéressants au regard de notre problématique, notamment sa capacité à modéliser l'expertise humaine et la présentation simple et unique des incertitudes et des imprécisions sur la base d'un volume limité d'informations. Ce travail vise à associer une crédibilité à l'évaluation de la qualité environnementale du bâtiment en traitant des paramètres tant quantitatifs que qualitatifs. La modélisation des incertitudes permet aux concepteurs de mieux hiérarchiser les impacts des différents paramètres contribuant à l'amélioration de la qualité environnementale d'un bâtiment et d'identifier les informations qui nécessiteraient en priorité une instigation plus poussée afin de crédibiliser l'évaluation environnementale / It is well known that the construction sector is considered one of the main factors that affect the energy consumption and the emissions of greenhouse gases. Thus, the enhancement of the environmental quality of buildings is an important response to the challenges of sustainable development. In such context, this research discusses the problem of the uncertainty inherent in the French approach HQE®, particularly the assessment of the environmental quality of tertiary buildings. In fact, this study is based on possibility theory, which presents interesting advantages in terms of our problem, especially its ability to model human expertise or knowledge in addition to simple and unique presentation of uncertainties and inaccuracies on the basis of a limited amount of information. Moreover, this work aims to associate a credibility assessment of the environmental quality of buildings by handling two types of input parameters which are the quantitative and the qualitative ones. This uncertainty modeling offers the designers a better prioritization of the impacts of the different parameters, which thus contribute to the improvement of the environmental quality of a building, and identify the information that would require more instigation to enhance the credibility of the environmental assessment

No description available.

La résilience est la capacité à s’adapter aux menaces et à atténuer ou éviter un risque, elle peut être trouvée dans des bâtiments résistant aux dangers ou dans des systèmes sociaux adaptables (Pelling, 2003). Par conséquence, ce concept peut aussi être compris comme la capacité de reconstruire un quartier avec des composants plus solides et plus viables. Presque quatre ans après l’ouragan Katrina, la Nouvelle-Orléans est considérée comme un laboratoire à ciel ouvert. Le niveau de résilience de ses communautés peut y être examiné. L’état actuel de la reconstitution de ses quartiers diffère largement des uns aux autres. L’arrondissement historique de Holy Cross est l’un des plus vieux quartiers de la ville, cette communauté vulnérable est connue pour son patrimoine culturel, apparent non seulement dans son architecture unique, mais aussi ses relations sociales. Un des principaux défi de la reconstruction du quartier de Holly Cross est de trouver une façon de concilier la préservation du patrimoine bâti et de son tissu urbain ancien avec de nouveaux plans de développement, afin de créer une communauté durable. Cette étude examine les rôles des acteurs impliqués dans le processus de reconstruction et leur efficacité sur la création d’un Holy Cross plus durable, résistant et abordable, afin d’encourager le retour de ses résidents. Elle présente également les efforts actuels pour proposer des projets de reconstruction durables tout en préservant le caractère patrimonial du quartier. / Resiliency is the capacity to adjust to threats and mitigate or avoid harm; it can be found in hazard-resistant buildings or adaptive social systems (Pelling, 2003). Hence, it can also be understood as the ability to rebuild a neighbourhood with stronger and more viable components. Almost four years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is seen as an open laboratory in which the level of resiliency of its communities can be examined. The rebuilding status of its neighbourhoods widely differs from one to another. The historic district of Holy Cross is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city; this vulnerable community is known for its cultural heritage, apparent not only in its unique architecture but also its social relations. This research investigates the current process of rebuilding a more sustainable and resilient Holy Cross by assessing the efficiency of stakeholders involved in the reconstruction of affordable opportunities that work to encourage former residents to return. It also demonstrates the current efforts to build new sustainable projects while keeping the patrimonial style of the neighbourhood.

The motivation for development of energy efficiency and implementation of novel advanced materials applied in buildings can be traced to increasing energy costs in conjunction with an enhanced environmental awareness among people. This doctoral dissertation presents contributions towards sustainable building, where factors such as building technology, energy efficiency in buildings, workers' health issues during construction measures, and certain economic considerations for renovation of buildings have been considered. The research study aims to provide a knowledge base for motivating building owners to renovate buildings based on energy efficiency and improved indoor environment. The initial phase of the research study identifies a detailed description of common drivers, expected in renovation projects by building owners. In the second phase, an information base is identified which may facilitate the bidding processes for decision makers by means of technological, social and economic aspects. The aforementioned information base can also contribute to attentive decisions regarding sustainable renovation and energy saving measures. A strategy was developed within the Renovation Workshop of Riksbyggen, in order to promote energy saving measures concurrent with major renovations in residential buildings. This operational decision support process was applied in a tenant owners' cooperative in Sweden. The objective of this process was to showcase and more importantly to implement energy saving measures, based on knowledge transfer between different parties involved in the renovation project. For the conducted case study, this process was shown to be of great importance when decisions regarding energy saving measures in conjunction with scheduled renovations are being planned. A unique case study was conducted on two of the most commonly used environmental certification programs for buildings in Sweden; Environmental Building (Miljöbyggnad) and GreenBuilding. Following a granted access to a limited database of submitted applications to Sweden Green Building Council, the most common mistakes in these were identified and categorized. This study contributed to further understanding about the level of ability among building consultants, comprehension of environmental certification, and enhancement of the ability to produce high-quality calculations concerning building-related energy usage. In addition, this insight can provide a basis for planning of continuing education of consultants within the field of building technology. For a church building, a study was conducted subsequent to an exchange of an existing electric coil heating system to a hydronic ground source heat pump system. Analyses of the energy demand and energy signature, prior to and after installation were carried out. The replacement of the original heating system with a ground source heat pump system for the church building constitutes a reduced energy consumption level of approximately 66%, at the average outside temperature of -2.30 °C. This study demonstrated that data from a detailed electric bill can be utilized in order to obtain the energy signature of the building and henceforth assess the energy savings. One aspect of the research, examined the decision making process related to sustainable renovation and refurbishment in buildings. The utilized methodology identified three distinct phases in order to instigate an engagement in sustainable renovation, by means of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. In particular, the attitudes of stakeholders in Sweden, Denmark and Cyprus to sustainable building were studied through three separate case studies. Within the framework of this study, it was identified that building physics and durability are among the most important drivers for energy renovation. The results provided an insight into the renovation process in the aforementioned countries and identified that drivers such as improvement of indoor air quality and elimination of moisture in the building envelope are also of crucial importance. Another aspect of the conducted research highlights workplace accidents occurring within the Swedish construction sector. The purpose of this study was to serve as a useful tool to track the working environments of construction workers in order to reduce health and safety issues within the construction sector. The findings of this research suggest that despite laws, regulations or additional factors that seek to ensure a safe and healthy environment for construction workers, the Swedish construction work force still faces challenges. Moreover, it is identified that construction workers participating in the study call for additional measures to ensure occupational health and safety. Improved knowledge of economic performance and technical results of renovations can contribute to a snowball effect, with more property owners recognizing the value of energy aspects and thus provide an increased level of energy savings. / <p>QC 20140127</p> / A Concept for promotion of sustainable retrofitting and renovation in Early Stages (ACES)

Syfte: Syftet med detta arbete är att välja ett alternativt miljöcertifieringssystem som passar bättre för industriellt byggande av träsmåhus och även beskriva vilken nytta systemet har för både miljön och för trähusföretag inom industriellt byggande.Metod: Arbetet är baserat på kvalitativ metoder och där med används metoderna litteraturstudie, intervjuer och dokumentanalys. En fallstudie har utförts på ett planerat projekt där en teoretisk certifiering av Miljöbyggnad har tillämpats. Detta har utförts med hjälp av intervjuer och litteraturstudie. För att kunna utföra en fallstudie har ett antal dokument analyserats som samlats in från Götenehus AB.Resultat: Resultatet redovisar skillnaderna på systemen när det kommer till teknik och administration. Författarna utgick sedan från relevanta faktorer och intervjuer som resulterade till att Miljöbyggnad valdes till det system som passar bättre för trähusföretag inom industriellt byggande. Resultatet av fallstudien som utfördes på byggnadsobjektet Riddersholm visade vilken nytta för miljön en teoretisk tillämpning av Miljöbyggnad har, exempelvis reducerat värmeeffektbehov. Studien visar även på nyttan för trähusföretag inom industriellt byggande som exempelvis att det stärker företagets varumärke.Konsekvenser: Med hjälp av certifieringssystemen blir det en mer underlättande process att förhålla sig till när man jobbar med miljöfrågor. Införandet av detta kan leda till många fördelar för företagen, då de får visa sig utåt och kan där med påvisa att de har ett miljötänk från start. Alla företag har inte den kompetensen inom området och behöver därför få en mjukstart för att komma in i det.Begränsningar: Arbetet har begränsats till de fyra vanligaste systemen i Sverige. En fallstudie har begränsats till området "Energi" i Miljöbyggnads som innefattar fyra indikatorer "Energianvändning", "Värmeeffektbehov", "Solvärmelast" samt "Energislag". / Purpose: The purpose of this work is to make a proposal for an alternative environmental certification system that fits better for industrial building of wooden houses and also describe the benefits the system has for both the environment and industrial construction companies.Method: The work is based on a qualitative approach, using the methods literature study, interviews and document analysis. A case study has been carried out on a planned project where a theoretical certification of environmental construction has been applied. This has been done through interviews and literature studies. In order to carry out the case study, a number of documents have been collected from Götenehus AB and analysed.Findings: The result reports the differences between the four systems when it comes to technology and administration. The authors then took consideration of relevant factors and conducted interviews in the choice of Miljöbyggnad for the system that fits better for industrial single-family-building companies. The outcome of the case study, that carried out on the construction project Riddersholm, shows the benefits for the environment a theoretical application of Miljöbyggnad has, for example reduced heat power requirements. The study also shows the benefits for industrial single-family-building companies, such as strengthening the company's brand.Implications: With the help of certification systems, the process to deal with environmental issues gets easier. The introduction of this can lead to many benefits for companies, as they may turn outwards and can prove that they have an environmental thinking from start. All companies do not have the skills in the field and therefore need a soft start to get into it.Limitations: The work has been limited to the four most common systems in Sweden. A case study has been confined to Miljöbyggnad energy area, which includes the first four indicators.

The theory of sustainable development has received worldwide acceptance, and is characterised by the protection of environmental quality, social justice and economic development to ensure a quality of life for future generations. The concepts of sustainable development have transcended to all aspects of society, including the built environment through the Habitat Agenda and building sustainability rating tools. The thesis investigates the implications of sustainable development on how it relates to the building construction industry in South Africa. The study sought to evaluate the extent of consideration and motivation for the incorporation of sustainability criteria in building design, using the case of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity wet collection facility in Grahamstown. The goal of the thesis was achieved by evaluating sustainability considerations and barriers to adoption of sustainability criteria in the design of the SAlAB building, the rating of the building against the LEED ™ criteria, and evaluation of the applicability of the LEED ™ in the South African context. The importance of the research emanates from the fact that, despite the proliferation of sustainable development and sustainability rating tools in the world, there is no widely used building sustainability rating tool in South Africa, even though the country is industrialising with a very active built environment. The study therefore contributes to the body of knowledge necessary for the implementation of a building rating tool in the country, through an understanding of barriers to implementation. The research method used in the study was a case study with the intention of obtaining the design professional's considerations and challenges in the context of designing the SAIAB building. The case study used multiple data collection methods, with primary information obtained from interviews of professionals involved in the design of the building, whilst additional information was from analysis of technical drawings and review of literature on the subject. The findings of the research showed that there is an understanding of sustainability and consideration in the building industry even though there is no targeted intent to meet sustainability goals. The barriers to building sustainability were identified as lack of regulation, incentives, access to land, awareness, availability of professional codes and standards, economic costs and capacity. These barriers translated into a relatively low score, a silver rating for the SAlAB building when using the LEEDTM rating system. The implications of the findings suggests a need for the development of a comprehensive building sustainability rating tool suited for the South African context, with performance standards and a technical manual to support it. This should however be done in an environment where sustainability goals are supported by regulation and incentives have been developed.

In an age where the sharing economy has proliferated as a preferred means of travel in the tourism industry, and the accommodation sharing platform Airbnb has risen to the forefront, there is much criticism and discussion about the need for such nascent platforms to operate in alignment with sustainable development. Currently, economic benefits for the host and guest lie at the core of Airbnb’s sustainability appeal, while few concrete steps have been taken to advance environmental and social values. Many have proposed a green rating system and sustainability-oriented search filters as a means to propagate these values and catalyze a necessary paradigm shift within the sharing economy. Through the lens of green architecture and construction, this study analyzes the extent and manner in which sustainability features and amenities are promoted by hosts on Airbnb in the high-desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico. This case study approach selects and intriguing destination that is not only characterized by a long history of earthen building traditions by the Tiwa people, but was also the birthplace of the world-renowned, off-the-grid Earthship concept. An analysis of all active Airbnb listings was compared with a more targeted analysis of off-the-grid listings to reveal that hosts more often than not frame their sustainability features and amenities in terms of visitor comfort, convenience, and enjoyment. For instance, the valorization of earthen adobe building for its authenticity and cultural appeal in lieu of its energy efficient and natural qualities. This indicated a high level of unexploited potential, wherein hosts could enhance their listing’s sustainability appeal and educational value through reframing these features to potential guests, and off-the-grid listings could benefit from implementing and promoting sustainable practices and emphasizing the local culture. Most importantly, after quantitively analyzing the features that arose, this study assembled the content basis for a theoretical green rating system and sustainability search filters that could be applied to Taos as a localized system, or merely provide insight to other destinations and the Airbnb platform as a whole.

China has adopted Sustainable Development as a national strategy for all industries. In civil construction sector, sustainability is regarded as the development of Green Building in China. Since 2000, China has introduced a series of policies and laws to promote Green Building. Green Building was defined as buildings that are “energy-efficient, land-efficient, water-efficient, and material-efficient” and emit “minimal pollution” in during its entire life cycle, and meets a specified standard for indoor environment at the same time. However, energy efficiency is the central issue of current Green Building development in China, while issues of resources and pollution are neglected, which is partly due to China’s energy structure. Social and economic aspects are also always ignored. The main aim of this thesis is to map pathways towards more comprehensive frameworks for how residential areas in China could be constructed in a more sustainable way in hot –summer and cold-winter area. Case study was the main method used to examine the specifications of Green Residential Building in China. This paper offers a general overview of the current green trend in China and presents a specific analysis on three cases to search for the proper approach for China’s unique situation by three specific cases representing three types of Green Building: Modern Vernacular Architecture, Eco-office and Mass-housing, according to their features in scale, location and function. This paper then presents a specific integrated sustainability analysis of the Landsea Housing Project in Nanjing, a hot-summer/cold-winter zone. Hammarby Sjöstad, a cutting edge project in Stockholm, is also discussed as a reference area from which experiences can be drawn for China. The aim was to improve the framework for construction of residential buildings in China in a more sustainable way, from energy efficiency to integrated sustainability. The paper also discusses the relationship between the economic growth and energy consumption in the fast-growing situation, presents several scenarios depicting energy and comfort and makes suggestions for China. The roles of government, developers and residents are also addressed. The paper argues that an adaptive and holistic approach, which must be expanded from both spatial scale and temporal span, should be established for the Green Residential Building development in China, as an effective way to meet the sustainability goal. / QC 20101013