Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
impacts) would become the primary contributor to the total
through-life environmental impact. In turn this would be
expected to bring a greater focus in design on issues such as
the optimal service life and on other through-life perspectives.
Accordingly, it is necessary to understand the environmen-
tal assessment methodologies which are employed, how they
operate and influence design decisions. It is especially import-
ant to recognise the potential bearing they could have, either
beneficial or adverse, on aspects of through-life behaviour of
the building or asset concerned.
The key environmental issues are listed in Table 1 of
BRE Report 502
Sustainability in the Built Environment: An
Introduction to its Definition and Measurement
(Atkinson
et al
., 2009), which also makes observations about the import-
ance to humans of the key environmental issues listed.
The practical ways of addressing sustainability measure-
ment and delivery which were developed by the pioneers of
sustainability assessment in the built environment focus on the
key issues in terms of their economic impacts, environmental
impacts and social impacts.
The resulting environmental assessment methodologies that
have been developed have sought to achieve a balance between
simplicity in the operation of the methodology with clar-
ity, transparency, accuracy and the validity of the procedures
involved with respect to the underlying scientific issues.
The environmental assessment methodologies have typically
been developed with extensive stakeholder engagement and
peer review. This has not been a simple task and as understand-
ing of the scientific issues improves, it is expected that these
methodologies will continue to evolve with the goal of recon-
ciling and achieving a balance between all of the key issues,
which are inextricably linked. In essence, society and the con-
struction industry are still at the start of this journey. However,
it is clear that these methodologies and tools are already hav-
ing a significant influence on design procedures and the design
solutions that are being adopted. As noted above, as measures
to reduce the through-life operational energy used achieve their
objective, the balance will change between the environmental
impacts derived from operational activities and those associ-
ated with the construction (i.e. embodied impacts).
The UK has played a leading role in developing the prin-
ciples of sustainable construction since 1990, when the BRE
Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM - see www.
breeam.org) was launched. BREEAM, the world's first envir-
onmental assessment method for buildings, was the result of
many years of collaborative development of codes, standards
and toolkits by a network of organisations working with the
UK government, agencies, industry and universities.
Over the years the regulatory and voluntary framework for
sustainable construction in the UK has evolved and devel-
oped greater sophistication. Details of the main regulatory
requirements relating to sustainability in the UK and the vol-
untary codes and standards that lie alongside them are listed
in Table 2 of BRE Report 502 (Atkinson
et al
., 2009), which
presents these mapped onto the key stages and activities in the
construction life-cycle. All of these factors have had a bearing
upon the design solutions adopted, and these influences can
only be expected to increase in the future.
In addition to the growing BREEAM family of standards and
related tools (see
Figure 5.11
), other significant environmental
assessment standards and tools used in the UK include:
CSH - Code for Sustainable Homes (refer www.planningportal.
■
gov.uk).
■
The Green Guide to Specification
(Anderson
et al
., 2009) (www.
thegreenguide.org.uk).
CEEQUAL - the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality
■
Assessment and Award Scheme (www.ceequal.com).
DQI - the Construction Industry Council's Design Quality
■
Indicator (www.dqi.org.uk; see also Box 5.3 above).
These are supported by other initiatives, schemes and standards
such as those dealing with environmental profiling of materi-
als and construction products using life-cycle analysis (LCA)
data, and those concerned with supply chain management and
responsible sourcing. These include:
BES 6001:
BRE Environmental and Sustainability Standard:
Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction
Products
(BRE Global, 2008).
BES
■
Methodology for Environmental Profiles of
Construction Products: Product Category Rules for Type III
Environmental Product Declarations of Construction Products
(BRE Global, 2010).
BS 8902:
6050:
■
Responsible Sourcing Sector Certification Schemes for
Construction Products Specification
(www.bsi-global.com).
FSC - the Forest Stewardship Council scheme (www.fsc.org).
■
■
Internationally a number of other environmental assessment
methodologies and standards have been or are being devel-
oped. These include
BREEAM International (www.breeam.org).
■
Green Globes (www.greenglobes.com).
■
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (www.
■
usgbc.org/leed).
Green Star (www.gbca.org.au/green-star).
■
CASBEE - Comprehensive Assessment System for Building
■
Environmental Efficiency (www.ibec, www.jp/casbee/english and
www.greenbuilding.ca).
BS EN ISO 14001:2004:
Environmental Management Systems
■
(www.bsi-global.com).
European Commission Mandate M350: Integrated environmental
■
performance of buildings (www.cen.eu).
The above are complemented by a range of sustainability
related initiatives variously aimed at influencing the economic,
