This project aimed to investigate factors that help architects and designers to evaluate thesustainability of their ideas in the early stage of building design through Life Cycle Thinkingin a more simplified and comprehensible way. In order to achieve this goal, the author tookadvantage of valuable tools for ideation, realization and validation that are used in aninnovation process. The findings helped the author to realize what are the needs of thearchitects and designers to be able to step into the road of sustainability and raise theirknowledge about how to bring Life Cycle Thinking into their design process. Analyzingempirical findings and the competitors made it clear that some features, which are actuallydemanding attention from architects and designers, are missing in the current existingsolutions. As a result, a digital ideation tool was brought to this project through UserInterface (UI) Design. The noted solution is an add-on feature which is compatible and can beadded to the current digital tools and other Building Information Modelling (BIM) softwarefor a better fulfillment of architects and designers requirements.

A technique is presented for estimating hourly and seasonal energy consumption profiles in the building sector at spatial scales down to the individual taxlot or parcel. The method combines annual building energy simulations for cityspecific prototypical buildings and commonly available geospatial data in a Geographical Information System (GIS) framework. Hourly results can be extracted for any day and exported as a raster output at spatial scales as fine as an individual parcel (

The global urban population is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years, leading to an increase in housing demand that is not always met with adequate supply of quality housing. In the low-and middle-income context of Kenya, this gap has led to the proliferation of sub-standard housing implementations, with significant social and environmental impacts. However, attention is rarely paid to sustainable housing design practices in Kenya, understood here as climate responsive and socially integrated adaptations, despite their proven capacity in other developing countries for reducing environmental impacts while making housing more affordable. The city of Nairobi presents potential for alternative trajectories of development in the construction industry as one of the fastest growing urban areas in the region with unique climatic conditions that are underutilised and understudied in the building sector. This thesis explores, through the perspectives of local actors, the potentials and challenges of implementing affordable housing in Nairobi by using sustainable, locally based strategies. This was achieved through desktop research, semi-structured interviews with key actors from across government, academia, and industry backgrounds, as well as a field visit to a development site. The collected data was then analysed qualitatively through a thematic content analysis and triangulated to extract relevant learnings. The key findings of this research are that there is a lot of potential in Nairobi for locally adapted housing strategies to respond to affordable housing issues and provide low-cost and high-quality alternatives due to its climatic conditions and socio-cultural traditions. Yet there are some structural challenges in terms of policy framing and local perceptions of sustainability that limit the implementation of such practices in the Nairobi housing sector. This thesis adds to the critical discussion of adequate affordable housing by providing a holistic view of the differing or overlapping perspectives in the field, deriving potentials of the local context, and providing an understanding that could help guide the housing industry in the direction of resilient and inclusive housing opportunities. The study suggests the need for further research into the implementation of sustainable and affordable housing in the context of Nairobi, as well as the wider regional context. / Den globala stadsbefolkningen förväntas växa snabbt under de kommande åren, vilket leder till en ökad efterfrågan på bostäder som inte alltid möts av ett tillräckligt utbud av kvalitetsbostäder. Bland Kenyas låg- och medelinkomsttagare, har denna klyfta mellan efterfrågan och utbud av bostäder lett till att informella bosättningar och bostäder av undermålig kvalitet har blivit allt vanligare. Detta har en betydande inverkan på miljön, men ändå ägnas sällan uppmärksamhet åt hållbara bostadsmetoder i Kenya, trots att de har visat sig kunna minska miljöpåverkan i andra utvecklingsländer samtidigt som de löser problem med överkomliga priser. Staden Nairobi har potential för alternativ utveckling inom byggbranschen, eftersom denär ett av de snabbast växande stadsområdena i regionen, en viktig knutpunkt för handel, transport, kommunikation och innovation, och har unika klimatförhållanden som är underutnyttjade och understuderade inom byggsektorn. Mer lokalt anpassade bioklimatiska och klimatsmarta byggnadsstrategier kan spela en grundläggande roll när det gäller att tillgodose efterfrågan på lämpliga bostäder till överkomliga priser i Kenya, bland annat genom att anpassa de byggda formerna till det lokala sammanhanget. I den här artikeln undersöks möjligheterna och utmaningarna med att skapa överkomliga priser i Nairobi med hjälp av hållbara, lokalt förankrade strategier, från perspektivet av lokala nyckelaktörer inom byggbranschen. Detta uppnåddes genom skrivbordsforskning, semistrukturerade intervjuer och ett fältbesök på en byggarbetsplats, vars uppgifter sedan triangulerades för att få fram relevanta uppgifter. De viktigaste resultaten av denna forskning är att det finns en stor potential i Nairobi för lokalt anpassade bostadsstrategier att lösa problemen med bostäder till överkomliga priser och tillhandahålla billiga och högkvalitativa alternativ givet klimatförhållandena och de sociokulturella traditionerna. Det finns dock vissa strukturella utmaningar som begränsar genomförandet av sådana lösningar och som måste åtgärdas för att de ska bli relevanta och motståndskraftiga inom bostadssektorn i Nairobi. Denna avhandling bidrar till litteraturen genom att ge en helhetsbild av de olika eller överlappande perspektiven på området, genom att härleda potentialer från den lokala kontexten och genom att ge en förståelse som förhoppningsvis kommer att hjälpa vägleda bostadsbranschen i riktning mot motståndskraftiga och inkluderande bostadsmöjligheter. Den ämnar även att bjuda in till ytterligare forskning om genomförandet av hållbara och prisvärda bostäder i Nairobi och i ett bredare regionalt sammanhang, samt uppmanar till ett nytt sätt att betrakta stadsutvecklingen, trots de problem som finns när det gäller att genomföra den på ett hållbart sätt.

Denna studie undersöker hur det kan bli lönsamt för fastighetsägare och fastighetsinvesterare att investera i miljövänliga och hållbara byggnader. Dessutom fokuserar arbetet på hållbara byggnader och vad som sker i fastighetsbranschen som gynnar hållbarheten. Studien har genomförts med hjälp av en kvalitativ ansats. Resultatet och analysen grundas på semistrukturerade intervjuer med kunniga aktörer inom fastighetsbranschen. De som har blivit intervjuade har kunskaper inom hållbarhet och representerar fastighetsföretag i både den privata och publika sektorn. Med hjälp av svaren från respondenterna, det teoretiska ramverket och analysen, har det kunnat framställs ett svar för frågeställningen.  Resultatet visar att det finns fördelar med att investera i hållbara byggnader. Är byggnaderna miljöcertifierade kan fastighetsbolag erhålla gröna lån, bättre finansiella villkor, förbättrad företagsbild och kontroll över byggnaden. Det finns även ekonomiska fördelar med att investera i hållbara byggnader, vilket kan vara flera konkurrensfördelar. Fastighetsbolag kan reducera energiförbrukningen med hållbara byggnader och som ett resultat spara stora summor kapital. Dessutom leder detta till minskning av driftkostnader och underhållskostnader. Förutom fördelarna som hållbara byggnader kan tillföra, visar resultatet att strategier har en viktig roll för att uppnå hållbarhet och framgång. Strategic fit och CSR är även värdefulla koncept som beaktas för att kunna uppnå mål som företag har. / This study explores how investing in environmental and sustainable buildings can be profitable for real estate owners and investors. In addition, it focuses on sustainable buildings and what is happening in the real estate sector to promote sustainability. The study has been conducted using a qualitative approach. The results and analysis are based on semi-structured interviews with knowledgeable actors in the real estate sector. The interviewees have knowledge of sustainability and represent real estate companies in both the private and public sectors. With the help of the answers from the respondents, the theoretical framework and the analysis, it has been possible to produce an answer to the question. The results show that there are benefits to investing in sustainable buildings. If the buildings are environmentally certified, real estate companies can obtain green loans, better financial conditions, improved corporate image and control over the building. There are also economic benefits to investing in sustainable buildings, which can be a competitive advantage. Real estate companies can reduce energy consumption with sustainable buildings and as a result save large amounts of capital. This can also lead to a reduction in operating and maintenance costs. In addition to the benefits that sustainable buildings can bring, the results show that strategies play an important role in achieving sustainability and success. Strategic fit and CSR are also valuable concepts that are considered in order to achieve the goals of companies.

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.

Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This project proposal looks at the construction of a high school for the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation in South Africa using ecological design principles and Vastu Architecture as guiding strategies. The document discusses the need for sustainable development in relation to the built environment. The mechanisms, objectives and reasons for existence of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation are also discussed. The proposal also introduces the science of Vastushastra as a science that can benefit human beings on both material and spiritual levels. The proposal lists the various alternative technologies that are available to make the built environment more sustainable and then goes further to present the relevant technologies that will be used in the project.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The professional team play a critical role during the design phase to ensure the implementation of a green building design, but in what way do they differ from a traditional design team? The research seeks to determine, whether the professional team members need to be specifically alert to green building principles and willing to learn and apply green building principles through an investigation of a commercial project case study. The research design embraces a qualitative approach through the gathering of data on the case study, where project information was examined and the professional team members interviewed. To reinforce the project specific information, professionals in the construction industry were canvassed for their opinions on the awareness of professional team members, and their willingness to learn and apply, green building principles on commercial projects seeking green star rating. The findings from the case study indicate that a non-traditional, integrated design approach stimulated the professional team‟s alertness and willingness to learn and apply green building principles to great success, as the project achieved a four star green rating. The survey found that professional‟s perceived green buildings to have a positive impact on the environment and if possible reverse the harmful effects that conventional buildings have on the environment. Furthermore, professional team‟s early involvement is highly imperative to achieve a green star accreditation. The green design process requires continuous input and sharing of information from all professional team members. The respondents who were surveyed indicated a positive attitude towards developing their awareness and willingness to learn and apply green building principles. Knowledge of green star rating requirements for commercial developments in South Africa as well as general green building principles, allow professional team members to gain a competitive edge over more traditional practitioners in the building sector. In addition, professional members who are aware and alert to green building are at a better position to successfully implement a green building design, consequently minimising the negative impact buildings have on the environment and ensure sustainability.

A racionalização do uso da água é necessária para contribuir com a redução do desperdício e com o uso consciente. A cidade de São Paulo se encontra em nível crítico de escassez de água, devido ao aumento da população, da demanda e da falta de tratamento dos efluentes, realizando a captação de água para abastecimento em bacias hídricas cada vez mais distantes. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar o uso racional da água em edifícios de escritórios, verificando os procedimentos, métodos, técnicas, tecnologias e práticas adotadas para a racionalização do recurso. Descreve alguns conceitos sobre conservação da água; qualidade da água; uso potável e não potável; consumo; medidas de economia; substituição de fontes: aproveitamento de água pluvial; lençol freático; poço artesiano; reúso de água; certificação ambiental. O processo de certificação ambiental em edifícios tem contribuído com medidas de incentivo e conscientização do uso racional da água. Entre os selos certificadores ambientais observados estão o LEED; AQUA; SELO CASA AZUL CAIXA; e o processo de etiquetagem PROCEL EDIFICA na bonificação para a redução de consumo de água. Estudos de casos foram realizados, comparando o uso racional da água em um edifício de escritórios certificado pelo selo LEED com nove casos de edifícios de escritórios não certificados, situados em uma mesma região na cidade de São Paulo. Foram observadas as técnicas, procedimentos e tecnologias utilizadas em cada caso, e avaliados os benefícios da certificação ambiental para o uso racional da água, com objetivo de realização de análises comparativas qualitativas e quantitativas entre os casos. Por fim, a conclusão do trabalho destaca procedimentos que auxiliam no desenvolvimento de projetos de edifícios de escritórios para o uso racional da água. / In order to reduce water waste and encourage consumption awareness it is necessary to develop a rational use of water supply. The city of São Paulo currently faces a critical level of water, with scarcity due to population and demand growth, and lack of wastewater treatment, capturing a getting water from increasingly distant supply watersheds. This research aims at analyzing the rational water use in office buildings, checking procedures, methods, techniques, technologies and practices adopted for resource rationalization. Some the concepts of water conservation, water quality, potable and non potable water consumption, saving measures; font substitution: use of rainwater, groundwater, artesian well, reclaimed water, environmental certification are herein included. The environmental certification process for buildings has contributed with incentives and awareness of water conservation. Among the environmental certification seals we have the LEED, AQUA, CASA AZUL CAIXA SEAL, and the labeling process PROCEL EDIFICA to rebate water consumption. Case studies were conducted, comparing the rational use of water in an office building certified by the LEED, with nine cases of non-certified office buildings located in the same region in the city of São Paulo. Techniques, procedures and technologies used in each case were observed and were assessed the benefits of the environmental certification for the rational use of water, with objective of carrying out comparative the qualitative and quantitative analysis between cases. This paper finally presents procedures have been described to assist projects development of projects of office buildings seeking a more rational use of water.

A racionalização do uso da água é necessária para contribuir com a redução do desperdício e com o uso consciente. A cidade de São Paulo se encontra em nível crítico de escassez de água, devido ao aumento da população, da demanda e da falta de tratamento dos efluentes, realizando a captação de água para abastecimento em bacias hídricas cada vez mais distantes. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar o uso racional da água em edifícios de escritórios, verificando os procedimentos, métodos, técnicas, tecnologias e práticas adotadas para a racionalização do recurso. Descreve alguns conceitos sobre conservação da água; qualidade da água; uso potável e não potável; consumo; medidas de economia; substituição de fontes: aproveitamento de água pluvial; lençol freático; poço artesiano; reúso de água; certificação ambiental. O processo de certificação ambiental em edifícios tem contribuído com medidas de incentivo e conscientização do uso racional da água. Entre os selos certificadores ambientais observados estão o LEED; AQUA; SELO CASA AZUL CAIXA; e o processo de etiquetagem PROCEL EDIFICA na bonificação para a redução de consumo de água. Estudos de casos foram realizados, comparando o uso racional da água em um edifício de escritórios certificado pelo selo LEED com nove casos de edifícios de escritórios não certificados, situados em uma mesma região na cidade de São Paulo. Foram observadas as técnicas, procedimentos e tecnologias utilizadas em cada caso, e avaliados os benefícios da certificação ambiental para o uso racional da água, com objetivo de realização de análises comparativas qualitativas e quantitativas entre os casos. Por fim, a conclusão do trabalho destaca procedimentos que auxiliam no desenvolvimento de projetos de edifícios de escritórios para o uso racional da água. / In order to reduce water waste and encourage consumption awareness it is necessary to develop a rational use of water supply. The city of São Paulo currently faces a critical level of water, with scarcity due to population and demand growth, and lack of wastewater treatment, capturing a getting water from increasingly distant supply watersheds. This research aims at analyzing the rational water use in office buildings, checking procedures, methods, techniques, technologies and practices adopted for resource rationalization. Some the concepts of water conservation, water quality, potable and non potable water consumption, saving measures; font substitution: use of rainwater, groundwater, artesian well, reclaimed water, environmental certification are herein included. The environmental certification process for buildings has contributed with incentives and awareness of water conservation. Among the environmental certification seals we have the LEED, AQUA, CASA AZUL CAIXA SEAL, and the labeling process PROCEL EDIFICA to rebate water consumption. Case studies were conducted, comparing the rational use of water in an office building certified by the LEED, with nine cases of non-certified office buildings located in the same region in the city of São Paulo. Techniques, procedures and technologies used in each case were observed and were assessed the benefits of the environmental certification for the rational use of water, with objective of carrying out comparative the qualitative and quantitative analysis between cases. This paper finally presents procedures have been described to assist projects development of projects of office buildings seeking a more rational use of water.

Accommodating the continued increase in energy demand in the face of global climate change has been a worldwide concern. With buildings in the US consuming nearly 40% of national energy, a concerted effort must be given to reduce building energy consumption. As new buildings continue to improve their efficiency through more restrictive energy codes, the other 76.9 billion square feet of current building stock falls further behind. The rate at which current buildings are being retrofit is not enough and better tools are needed to access the benefits of retrofits and the uncertainties associated with them. This study proposes a stochastic method of building energy model calibration coupled with a monthly normative building simulation addressed in ISO 13890. This approach takes advantage of the great efficiency of Latin Hypercube Sampling and the lightweight normative building simulation method, to deliver a set of calibrated solutions to assess the effectiveness of energy conservation measure, making uncertainty a part of the modeling process. A case study on a mixed-use university building is conducted to show the strength and performance of this simple method. Limitations and future concerns are also addressed.