General, Sustainable Technology & Construction

Question 1

345. Why is sustainability important to construction?

Answer 1

• From energy use to emissions, the construction industry has a huge impact on the environment. The construction industry accounts for 36% of world wide energy usage and 40% of Co2 emissions.
• Construction can also result in hazardous waste, and the improper disposal of such waste can result in pollution that effects not just the environment but also the health of the people living in that area. Examples such as asbestos, bituminous product & contaminated soils (either already contaminated or contaminated through the construction process.

Question 2

346. What do you mean by sustainable development?

Answer 2

• Is defined with the Brundtland report as – Sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• The 3 pillars of sustainability are social, environmental and economic.

Question 3

347. Can you define social, environmental and economic considerations in relation to sustainability?

Answer 3

Social – The development should respond to the needs of the wider community. For example, a failure might be a fast food restaurant being built next to a school, whereas a library being constructed next to a university would be considered more socially sustainable.
Environmental – Preventing harmful and potentially irreversible impact on the environment by the careful use of natural resources, minimising waste and energy, protecting and enhancing the environment. Where possible. A measure of the carbon footprint of a building.
Economic – Efficient use of resource, including labour and ensuring the design and construction meets the current and functional needs of the users. Does the development represent overall value for money.

Question 4

348. How do you measure sustainability?

Answer 4

• Can be measured by assessing performance for social, environmental and economic principals.
• Can also be measured using one of the construction sustainability assessments (BREEAM, SKA, LEED or CEEQUAL)

Question 5

349. What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 5

• The Paris agreement sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2oc and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5oc.
• Under the Paris Agreement, each country must determine, plan and regularly report on the contribution that it undertakes to mitigate climate change.

Question 6

350. What measures does your company take in relation to stainability?

Answer 6

• Travel hierarchy – public transport, car share, hire vehicle own car
• Promotes the use of electric cars
• Recycling points
• Light on timers & LED lights
• Minimising travel

Question 7

351. Name some technology available to help meet Part L of the building regs (conservation of fuel and power)?

Answer 7

• Wind turbines
• Photovoltaic cells
• Ground and air source heat pumps
• Rainwater harvesting
• Solar thermal water heating
• Green roofs
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
• Increase insulation – Reduce heat loss through building fabric.
• Solar Shading
• Natural ventilation

Question 8

352. Can you explain what green roof are?

Answer 8

• Green roofs, also know as sedum roofs, grass roofs or living roofs are roofs that are partially or wholly covered with plants and vegetation.
• The vegetation is usually planted over a drainage membrane that sits on top of the roof, along with additional layers such as root barriers and waterproofing products.

Question 9

353. What is a U-value?

Answer 9

• U-values measure how effective a material is as an insulator
• The lower the U-value the better the material is at heat insulator.

Question 10

354. How do photovoltaics work?

Answer 10

• PV convert sunlight into electricity
• Photons strike the cells, electrons are knocked loose from atoms
• Positive and negative electrical conductors capture the electrons in the form of current
• The energy is stored in batteries or immediately used to power something

Question 11

355. How does a soakaway work?

Answer 11

• Soakaways are mainly created as a solution for standing surface water
• They consist of a large hole or pit that receives surface water from a drainage pipe and helps the water to slowly percolate through the soil reducing the risk of flooding as this can help remove surface water but also slows the flow of water into sewers and or rivers.

Question 12

356. How do ground source heat pumps work?
     Ground source heat pump systems are made up of a ground loop (a network of pipe buried underground) and a heat pump at ground level. Fluids are pumped round the ground loop which absorbs the naturally occurring heat stored in the ground, the liquid is compressed and goes through a heat exchanger, which extracts the heat and transfers it to the heat pump. The heat is then transferred to the heating system in the building.

Question 13

357. How does rainwater harvesting work?

Answer 13

• This involves collecting rainwater from a buildings roof or other surface such a permeable pavements
• The rainwater then passes through a filter, which eliminate debris, and is stored in a tank
• The saved water can then be pumped to places where it is needed. Domestic or commercial applications include:
  o Flushing toilets
  o Washing machines
  o Washing vehicles
  o Gardening and irrigation
  o Cleaning