SUSTAINABILITY

Question 1

Discuss embodied energy

Answer 1

1. Definition
   Energy that is consumed in order to build a given usable object
2. Examples
   Material extraction, refining, processing, transporting, and fabricating.
3. Significance
   Tend to be more energy efficient from the operational perspective

Question 2

Discuss consumed energy

Answer 2

1. Definition
   Operational energy of buildings is the energy required for maintaining comfort conditions and day-to-day maintenance of the buildings.
2. Examples
   heating and cooling, lighting and appliances and air conditioning.
3. Significance
   Can constitute 80%–90% of the total energy associated with the structure

Question 3

Discuss embodied carbon

Answer 3

1. Definition
   Carbon dioxide emitted during the construction and life span of a building. (carbon footprint)
2. Examples
   Created during the manufacturing of building materials, the transport of those materials to the job site, and the construction practices used.

Question 4

Discuss TBL

Answer 4

1. Definition
   Framework that encourages businesses and organizations to focus on three key areas: social, environmental, and economic impact.
2. Issues
   Economic: Using limited resources to achieve the desig objectives
   Environmental: energy consumption and depletion of natural resources
   Social: effect of structure on the community.
3. Benefits of maintaining all 3
   *Proactive in addressing sustainability issues.
   *Promoting transparency and accountability in all aspects of business operation.

Question 5

Discuss the LCA

Answer 5

1. Define
   Process of evaluating the impact product has on environment over all stage of its life cycle.
2. Importance
   Analyze all the steps in a product chain and see which use the greatest amount of energy
   To enable comparisons among alternative products or supply chains and to see which one create the least environmental impact

Question 6

Discuss direct and indirect emissions, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

Answer 6

1. Define
   Scope 1: emissions are greenhouse gases a company puts into the atmosphere with its own property.
   i.e) burns oil or gas to heat its buildings.
   Scope 2: emissions come from electricity the company buys from the electric grid. These are “indirect” emissions that happen at distant power plants.
   Scope 3 :emissions include all other indirect sources of greenhouse gases from the company’s operation
   i.e) day-to-day running of the company: for instance, if a company’s employees drive to work, the gasoline they burn fall

Question 7

Discuss direct and indirect emissions, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

Answer 7

1. Define & examples
   Scope 1 emissions are the greenhouse gasses that a company emits directly.
   i.e) Fuel combustion from mobile source.
   Scope 2, emits indirectly through the purchase and use of electricity, steam, heating, and cooling. Emissions from these sources occur at the facility where this energy is generated
   Scope 3 emissions are not directly controlled by a company, but they are a result of its activities. from buying products or services from a supplier, all the way through to when customers use their product or service. Scope 3 emissions are always typically the biggest of the three scopes.

Question 8

Discuss CO2 emissions from the constituents making up concrete

Answer 8

1. Contributions to CO2e
   Cement: biggest contributor . 1000kg per ton of cement
   Aggregates: 20-30% . Due to extracting, processing and transportation.
   Water: indirectly through treatment and transportation
   Admixtures: have a small contribution .
2. Mitigation
   Minimize cement content
   Improve extraction effeciency
   Optimize mix design
   Recycled aggregates
   Develop self healing concrete

Question 9

Discuss CO 2 emissions from concrete itself

Question 10

Define sustainability

Answer 10

meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It’s a balance between environmental protection, economic growth, and social well-being

Question 11

List advantages and attributes of using concrete for sustainability

Answer 11

Contributes to:
1. Standard of living
2. Concrete products lend themselves to labour intensive construction
3. Makes environmental sense
4. Special properties: thermal mass, fire resistant, water tightness, recycability, durability, low maintenance requirements.
5. Cost effective