ARP572 Sustainable Architecture Lecture 01 PDF

SEMINAR IV Sustainable Architecture A responsible approach to environmental and human health Prepared by: Nour Saad Eddine Architecture Department...

SEMINAR IV Sustainable Architecture A responsible approach to environmental and human health Prepared by: Nour Saad Eddine Architecture Department Ramez G. Chagoury Faculty of Architecture, Arts and Design N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Sustainability ‘Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainability, World Commission 1987 Is the ability to maintain a process continuously over time. It majorly aims to prevent the depletion of natural resources, so that they will stay available for the long term. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture The 3 dimensions for a sustainable future Are also known as ESG are the environmental, social and economic pillars These pillars or principles are the standards used for assessing the impact and sustainability of a company's activities. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Environmental sustainability is the ability to preserve and protect the natural environment and resources over time through appropriate practices and policies, in order to meet the present needs without compromising the availability of resources in the future. Factors influencing environmental sustainability Several factors impact the environmental balance, such as: Water, air and soil pollution Climate change The biodiversity loss The overexploitation of natural resources N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture What goals should we aim to achieve? To achieve environmental sustainability, a few number of key goals must be achieved, including: Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Increase the energy production from renewable sources. Raise awareness on the issue of environmental sustainability. Among the practices of great importance for sustainability, it is essential to conserve natural resources, such as water, soil, forests, wildlife and natural habitats, to ensure the ecological balance and the availability of these resources for future generations. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Social sustainability Focuses on the well-being of people and communities. Social sustainability aims to create inclusive societies, to reduce inequality, preserve social cohesion and justice and ensure long-term well-being for all people. In order to achieve social sustainability, the promotion of systems and policies that would reduce social and economic inequalities play an important role in ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for all members of society. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Economic sustainability is the approach where the economic activities are conducted in a way to preserve long-term economic well-being. It aims to create a balance between social equity, resource efficiency, economic growth and financial stability. Responsible management of economic resources is of significant importance as it implies and ensures: The minimization of environmental impact Social and economic equity A more resilient and challenge-capable economy N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Sustainable Architecture Is to design and construct buildings with minimum negative impact on both human health and the environment. It introduces innovative strategies to building design and construction, prioritizing the use of renewable energy resources, eco-friendly materials and methods to reduce CO2 emissions. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Sustainable Architecture You may think that green architecture and sustainable architecture are synonymous terms, but in reality they are not: Green architecture encompasses construction practices aim to reduce environmental and climate impact. However, sustainable architecture goes beyond minimizing environmental impact. It also aim to enhance the quality of life for those who use the structure and economic sustainability. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The- difference-between-sustainable-and-green-buildings-II-The- objectives-II1_fig1_336743431 N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Green Building vs. Sustainable building Retrieved from: https://www.differencebetween.net/green-building-vs-sustainable-building/ N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Sustainable buildings Are the result of sustainable architecture. For example, many sustainable designs incorporate natural elements, such as promoting natural light and green spaces, which could boost mood, productivity and reduce stress levels. Sustainable buildings are designed energy efficient, durable and cost-effective in the long term. Fun fact: sustainable architecture traces back to ‘building biology’, a field of building science that traces back to Germany in the 1970s. One of its pioneers was Karl Ernst Lotz, who described the home as a “third skin” in 1975. He emphasized that a building’s bio-ecological construction should protect us while allowing interaction with the outside environment. Decades later, we know these buildings as sustainable buildings. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Need for Sustainable Architecture According to the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR), a report published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), the buildings and construction sector significantly contributes to global climate change, recording for about 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the report, in 2022, the building sector was responsible for 34% of global energy demand and 37% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Need for Sustainable Architecture Building GHG emissions: historical based on IEA data and future emissions based on two IEA scenarios (sustainable development, and net zero emissions), IMAGE Lifestyle- Renewable scenario and Resource Efficiency and Climate Change-Low Energy Demand scenario (RECC-LED). Retrieved from: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/figu res/chapter-9/figure-9-3 N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Need for Sustainable Architecture Other environmental impacts of buildings and construction include resource depletion, pollution and biodiversity loss. Construction impacts may last for decades and affect the lives of current and future generations. With such a significant impact, leaders and policymakers must recognize the built environment as a key agent of change, acknowledge the role of efficient design, construction, retrofit, reduce material consumption through sufficiency, material substitution and electrification in combination with low emissions sources in order to achieve deep emissions reductions. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Benefits Can be generally categorized into; environmental, economic and social benefits. Environmental Benefits Protect the Ecosystem Reduce Emissions Improve Air and Water Quality Conserve Water Reduce Waste Streams Conserve Natural Resources Control Temperature N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Benefits Can be generally categorized into; environmental, economic and social benefits. Economic Benefits Reducing energy consumption, and improving water efficiency will: Reduce Operating Costs Optimize the Building’s Life Cycle Increase Property Value N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Benefits Social Benefits Improving indoor environmental quality will: Improve Occupants Comfort and Health Create an Aesthetically Pleasing Environment Increase Occupants Overall Morale Improve Worker Productivity N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Phases of Sustainable architecture Sustainable approaches for green building design should be considered at three major phases - Pre-Building - Building - Post-Building N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Pre-Building Phase Including site selection, building design, and material processes up to but excluding installation. Examine and assess the environmental consequences of the building’s design, orientation, impact on the surrounding environment, and materials used. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Pre-Building Phase At this designing phase, we should analyze: Examine and assess the environmental consequences of the building’s design, orientation, impact on the surrounding environment, and materials used. And choose the suitable scenario that limits the consumption of non renewable resources. For example choosing the building material can be critical and we should analyze: - How the chosen materials would impact the environment? For instance, for wood; harvesting trees could result in deforestation; And mining mineral resources like sand, gravel, and limestone for concrete, disturbs the natural environment; even the transport of these materials can be a highly polluting, depending on their weight and distance from the site. Besides, the manufacturing of building products also consumes energy and emits environmental pollution: for example, steel and aluminum production demand a high level of energy. Thus these factors should be taken into consideration and alternative material should be chosen, local materials for instance. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Building Phase Considering sustainable strategies in construction and operation processes reduces the environmental impact of resource consumption Besides, the long term health effect of the building environment on its occupants is considered. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Post-Building Phase Old used materials may become resources for other buildings or waste to be returned to nature. The sustainable design approach focuses on reducing construction waste by recycling and reusing packaging and excess material. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Passive design To light, heat and cool spaces, natural resources such as sun, wind and shade could be used. Passive design utilizes these resources by taking account the specific location and climate conditions of a site. Buildings are oriented according to the movement of sun and wind, and the building envelope (walls, floor, roof and windows) is carefully designed to control where and when the sun, breeze and shade enter the house all through the year. Retrieved from: https://greenhome.osu.edu/passive-design N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Passive design Depending on the site conditions and geographic location, a building designed with good passive approaches can be thermally comfortable throughout the seasons, without the need for additional heating and cooling. Retrieved from: https://greenhome.osu.edu/passive-design N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Energy efficiency Heating, cooling, lighting, heating water and ventilation are the largest energy consumers in a building. By limiting their demand, the energy consumption and therefore ongoing carbon emissions of a building can be reduced. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Energy efficiency Passive design principles that have been previously discussed provide the foundation for such an energy-efficient design: for instance, the use of high- quality materials, products and construction ensure that it is well insulated, ventilated and airtight. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Energy efficiency The energy efficiency or thermal performance of a building can be measured using computer modelling to determine how much energy it consumes. A better thermal performance is detected as the recorded energy demand is reduced. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Life cycle carbon footprint The aim of sustainable architecture is to create buildings that have a low More than one third of building-related carbon carbon or carbon neutral emissions globally correspond to embodied carbon (Source: footprint over the course of Global Status Report, 2017). its life — from construction to operation and maintenance. In order to assess the carbon footprint and environmental impact of a building, the embodied and operational carbon of a building throughout their life cycle should be measured. And in order to achieve a low carbon footprint, a building must be have low carbon emission in both embodied and operational carbon. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Life cycle carbon footprint Embodied carbon is the emissions associated with the production, transport and installation of materials, while operational carbon refers to the emissions associated with operating a building, such as energy needed for heating, cooling, cooking and domestic hot water. Embodied carbon emissions are attributed to materials throughout their life cycle (Adapted from: EN 15978:2011) N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Reductionism Reductionism is a way to limit the carbon footprint of a building. Every square metre of house has financial and environmental consequences; thus, the need of every space, product and material is questioned and should be considered. Through a reductionist approach, redundancies are eliminated to reduce the energy consumption, carbon footprint and cost of a building. By building less, a building can be cheaper and simpler to build and run, and as energy efficient and carbon neutral as possible. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Material impact and waste Every material used significantly contributes to a building’s embodied carbon footprint and should be considered, as the manufacturing, transport and installation of that material emits greenhouse gases. In addition to the waste associated with the installation and use of new materials. Conceptual Diagram of Building Material Life Cycle Arrows represent building material sources (blue) and both general (black) and circular (green) material life cycle processes and value chains. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Conceptual-Diagram- of-Building-Material-Life-Cycle-Arrows-represent-building- material_fig2_346372319 N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Material impact and waste Sustainable approaches minimizes the environmental impact and waste of materials through considered selection and use: by prioritizing recyclable materials; choosing locally sourced materials; and incorporating construction techniques that make a building easier to adapt, reuse and eventually dismantle. Conceptual Diagram of Building Material Life Cycle Arrows represent building material sources (blue) and both general (black) and circular (green) material life cycle processes and value chains. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Conceptual-Diagram- of-Building-Material-Life-Cycle-Arrows-represent-building- material_fig2_346372319 N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Local environment The overriding principle of sustainable architecture is to respect the environment. Sustainable approaches minimize their impact on nature and resources, and make a positive contribution to a neighborhood and the local environment. By valuing the outdoors as much as the indoors, smaller sustainable houses enjoy the benefits of more surrounding landscaped area: on site, stormwater can be absorbed; vegetation can be planted; and the heat island effect can be reduced. Besides, for a smaller building, lower energy demand puts less stress on resources. Image retrieved from: https://architects.zone/introduction-to-sustainable- architecture/ N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Longevity Buildings should be designed and built to last. Versatile design, quality construction and durable materials will not only reduce the building cost over time, but also ensure that it ages well. Making repairs and maintenance uncomplicated and worth doing will extend the building’s life. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Budgeting and affordability Although there is lots of valuable technology that presents an upfront investment, a sustainable design doesn’t need to be an expensive house. Prioritizing sustainability in the budget will result in an energy efficient and better economical design that yields greater savings over time. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Budgeting and affordability A building with a well-insulated and air-tight envelope is cheaper to operate and will rationalize the ongoing cost for the building’s life. A smaller, smarter floor plan limits material and construction costs, and can result higher upfront investments, such as double glazing, solar PV arrays and durable materials that require less maintenance. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Principles of Sustainable architecture Health and wellbeing Sustainable architecture, through its design promotes certain intangible qualities that human beings enjoy, for instance; thermal comfort, natural light and ventilation, outdoor views and good air quality. It’s the structure that doesn’t only looks and feels good, but actively contributes to our wellbeing. N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024 Sustainable Architecture Thank you  N. Saad Eddine Fall 2024