Assessing the sustainability of construction products can help to identify particular characteristics and benefits which can then assist decision makers by allowing comparisons between products. Existing mechanisms and tools to make such assessments are associated to project-level assessments or have a bias towards environmental issues, rather than incorporating social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. The growing popularity of sustainability rating schemes and standards has created an imbalance for product manufacturers that are increasingly seeking ways to gain competitive advantage on the basis of producing more sustainable products. Aggregate Industries, a construction products manufacturer and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) therefore instigated this Engineering Doctorate (EngD) to address this lack of a holistic sustainability assessment methodology for construction products for manufacturers. The EngD research developed a sustainability assessment framework for ready-mixed concrete. The development of the framework was influenced by existing assessment schemes such as the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and Ceequal (The Sustainability Assessment Scheme for Civil Engineering projects). The BRE BES 6001 Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products was also a factor in this research complimented by primary research. The assessment framework addresses a range of sustainability issues such as community engagement (social), waste (environmental) and whole life cost (economic) amongst others tailored to ready-mixed concrete. These issues are assessed against three product life cycle stages; raw materials; manufacture and use. The outputs of the framework will then inform the manufacturer about areas for improvement and present a profile of each product for a given manufacturing site in a more holistic way than current methods allow. The trialling of the assessment framework both in the UK and Canada has shown that the output of the EngD is a viable mechanism to assess the sustainability of concrete from a manufacturer s perspective. This research has given Aggregate Industries an opportunity to evaluate current objectives and targets within the business and helped to shape the future sustainability strategy. Aspects of the framework are also being considered for inclusion in the future development of the BRE s BES 6001 Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products. This EngD has also identified an emergent need for a shift in future focus from individual products to a systems level assessment approach. Product sustainability tends to focus on the embodied impacts whereas the sustainability of construction systems has a much broader focus over the entire life cycle of the system. This area of work will require further research.

This Bachelor thesisis  a  comparison  of  two  different  concrete  forms  viewed  from  a sustainable perspective by using a Multi Criteria Decision Making(MCDM)method. Sustainability  is  a  broad  concept,  often  degraded  in threepartswhich  are  financial-,environmental-and  socialsustainability. This Bachelor thesisstrives  to  determine what sustainability is when it comes to monolithic concrete casting in Sweden. In this Bachelor thesissustainabilityhas   been   degraded   in threeparts,   financial-,environmental-and work environmental sustainability.Although,the  two  different  forms  fill  the  same  function,  they  differ  in  many  areas. The first one, TRIO,is made of steel and plywoodand is heavy, loud, with a big area and in need of a crane to be able toassemblethe form. The second one, DUO,is made from the composite  materialPolytech  and  isalmost  soundless,  with  a  smaller  area and lightweight tobe able to be used without crane.    The purpose of the MCDM-methodis to create a tool with the purpose of facilitating the  choice  of  concrete  forms  for  monolithic  casting  while  taking  sustainability  into account.   The   tool   is   to   ease   the   decision   in   building   production   for   both  the contractor and for designers. The Bachelor thesisis a case study with both qualitative and quantitative methods.To make  a  fair  comparison  between  the  two forms  in  this Bachelor thesis,a  fictitious project  is  created toevaluate  different  criteria  for  sustainability  in  design  and production. This is doneunder the same premises to be able to obtain an equivalent result.In the fictitious project it turned out that TRIO was the best choice from work environment and economic sustainability, from environmental sustainability it turned out that DUO was the best. Furthermore, it has been difficult to obtain full validity in the MCDM method, all criteria have not been fulfilled inthe environmental field. The environmental area has been the most difficult to investigate and to obtain relevant data in.MCDM has good opportunities to provide great benefit if there were more standardized data to put into it. In this work, very much work was done for a small result.

The project describes the design of a new town hall in the new proposed urban structure on the site of a dilapidated complex of military barracks in Brno in Cerna Pole. It derives the mass of the town hall from the proposed urban structure in an exposed corner of the area. Its volume solution reflects the openness and transparency of the town hall building, its structural and material solution speaks about social responsibility and the intention to "lead by example".

&lsquo / Green Buildings&rsquo / play an important role to increase the implementation of sustainable strategies in the construction industry. Although there is a process of change within Turkish building environment towards implementation of green strategies nowadays, limited research has been conducted to search the reasons that drive the market and the important barriers that block the green building movement. This thesis is intended to fill this gap in the literature and contribute to the field of knowledge regarding green building construction in Turkey. The results shall benefit both government and market practitioners for the development of green building market. The data presented in this thesis are mainly obtained from a comprehensive questionnaire survey developed based on a deep literature search. The questionnaire is completed by professionals who have an interest on this topic or who have involvement in green building projects. In order to analyze the gathered data, a variety of statistical methods are used and the results are evaluated in detail. In addition to questionnaire survey, six case study green building projects in Turkey are examined and so a snapshot picture of current situation of the green movement is taken. Accordingly, financial considerations, faced difficulties and lessons learned are explained. The findings shall assist in understanding the real needs for green building development in Turkish construction sector. Finally, recommendations for government and researchers are presented so as to steer the construction sector in the direction of sustainability.

Abstract Introduction: This thesis focuses on the housing situation and sustainability in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. According to a report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, approximately 25% of Manila's population resides in substandard living conditions and informal settlements. The thesis is based on a case study conducted on the Estero De San Miguel pilot project, where a Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) study was carried out on the housing project. The findings revealed that relocating people from slums to the housing project and providing them with a home led to an improvement in the quality of life and sustainability in the project area. The aim of the study was to conduct a POE and assess the quality of life and identify areas for improvement in future low-budget projects. Method: The research methods are based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Interviews were conducted with architects and other key individuals involved in the project. Surveys were administered to residents, and personal observations were made regarding the quality of life. Plan analysis and area analysis were also conducted. Results: The case study resulted in answers obtained through surveys administered to the residents in the area and interviews with key personnel involved in the project, providing responses to the research questions. Analysis: The Estero De San Miguel Pilot Project (EDSM) has made a significant impact on improving the quality of life and sustainability within the project area. Previously, informal settlements were typically reconstructed outside the city center, resulting in limited access to employment, education, and social services. The residents lived in poverty within these informal settlements, with their needs neglected by both society and the government. Since relocating to the EDSM housing project, 72% of the residents have experienced notable improvements in their lives. This project has provided them with an opportunity to enhance their quality of life and foster a stronger, more supportive community. Discussion: The method, with its specific limitations, in this case study yields results that align with the study's purpose and thereby addresses the research question of the thesis. There is a strong correlation between the findings and the theoretical framework.

Steigende Leichtbauanforderungen führten in den vergangenen Jahren zu einer verstärkten Weiterentwicklung neuer Leichtbauwerkstoffe und besonders leistungsfähiger Verfahrenstechnik für die Umsetzung leichter Automobilkomponenten in Großserie. Im Fahrzeuginterieur konnten sich naturfaserverstärkte Kunststoffe erfolgreich etablieren, die in Form flächiger Wirrfaserhalbzeuge zu formgepressten Verkleidungselementen verarbeitet werden. Für die Auslegung derartiger Verkleidungsbauteile ist eine monolithische Leichtbauweise charakteristisch, bei der zur Gewährleistung erforderlicher mechanischer Eigenschaften die minimalen Halbzeugflächenmassen bauteilabhängig im Bereich 1200–1400 g/m2 liegen. Zur Erschließung weiterer Leichtbaupotenziale stellt die Anwendung der Sandwichverbundbauweise eine aussichtsreiche Leichtbaustrategie dar, die aufgrund des Fehlens anforderungsgerechter Materialkonzepte bisher kaum Berücksichtigung fand. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Entwicklung eines ganzheitlichen Leichtbaukonzepts in neuartiger Sandwichbauweise, welches die Anforderungen hinsichtlich der Formgebung und Bauteilstabilität erfüllt und eine signifikante Reduktion der Flächenmasse unter 1000 g/m2 gestattet. Die verfahrenstechnische Grundlage bildet eine neuartige durchgängige Prozesskette, wobei leichte Naturfaser-Polypropylen-Hybridvliesstoffe in Kombination mit einer Kunststoffschaumfolie in einem kontinuierlichen Prozess zu einem Sandwichhalbzeug und anschließend in automatisiertem Formpressverfahren zu einem komplex geformten Bauteil verarbeitet werden. Durch eine umfangreiche Charakterisierung der einzelnen Prozessschritte entlang der gesamten Prozesskette werden in zugehörigen Sensitivitätsanalysen optimale Fertigungsparameter ermittelt und bei der Herstellung eines Technologiedemonstrators validiert. Darüber hinaus wird am Beispiel dieses Technologiedemonstrators erstmalig ein integrativer Simulationsansatz erarbeitet, der umformbedingte lokale Änderungen der Flächenmasse und der resultierenden Werkstoffkennwerte bei der numerischen Steifigkeits- und Festigkeitsanalyse berücksichtigt. Abschließend erfolgt im Sinne einer ganzheitlichen Betrachtung die Beurteilung potenzieller Umweltwirkungen der entwickelten Sandwichverbundtechnologie sowie die Untersuchung einer verfahrenstechnischen Lösung zur stofflichen Wiederverwertung von Produktionsreststoffen und Altbauteilen.:1 Einleitung 2 Problemstellung und Zielsetzung 3 Leichtbau im Fahrzeuginterieur 4 Neues ökologisches Leichtbaukonzept für Interieur-Verkleidungselemente 5 Beschreibung der Prüfmethoden 6 Werkstoffmechanische Betrachtung einer Referenzstruktur 7 Halbzeugentwicklung und -optimierung 8 Bauteil- und Verfahrensentwicklung 9 Struktursimulation von neuartigen Mikrosandwich-Bauteilen 10 Vergleichende Ökobilanzierung 11 Stoffliche Wiederverwertungsstrategie für Altbauteile 12 Zusammenfassung / Rising lightweight requirements have led in recent years to an intensified development of new lightweight materials and high-performance processing technologies for the implementation of lightweight automotive components in a large scale production. For trim parts in the automotive interior, natural fiber-reinforced plastics in the form of nonwovens, are successfully established. To fullfill the mechanical requirements, the most common design of such parts is monolithical with an component specific area weight of the semi-finished products between 1200–1400 g/m2. A promising strategy for generating further lightweight potentials are sandwich constructions, which are currently rarely used in the automotive interior, due to the lack of suitable material concepts. The aim of this work is the development of a new sandwich-based lightweight concept, that fullfills the requirements in terms of formability and component stability, by permitting a weight reduction of the semi-finished product below 1000 g/m 2 at the same time. The part production is based on a novel process chain, where light NF-PP hybrid nonwovens are continuously processed with a polymeric foam foil to a semi-finished product, that is formed afterwards to complex parts in a compression molding process. The optimal processing parameters along the entire process chain are determined by sensitivity analyses, and validated by a technology demonstrator. In addition, the technology demonstrator will be used for the development of a novel simulation approach, where local changes of the area weight in the forming process and the resulting material properties are taken into account for a numerical analysis of stiffness and strength. Finally the potential environmental impact of the new sandwich-based lightweight technology and a possible method for material recycling are investigated.:1 Einleitung 2 Problemstellung und Zielsetzung 3 Leichtbau im Fahrzeuginterieur 4 Neues ökologisches Leichtbaukonzept für Interieur-Verkleidungselemente 5 Beschreibung der Prüfmethoden 6 Werkstoffmechanische Betrachtung einer Referenzstruktur 7 Halbzeugentwicklung und -optimierung 8 Bauteil- und Verfahrensentwicklung 9 Struktursimulation von neuartigen Mikrosandwich-Bauteilen 10 Vergleichende Ökobilanzierung 11 Stoffliche Wiederverwertungsstrategie für Altbauteile 12 Zusammenfassung