1. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Sustainable construction is the set of processes needed to deliver built assets which:
Cause minimum damage to the natural and social environment
Minimise the use of resources
Enhance the quality of life
Will be acceptable to future generations
(DETR, 1999)

2. Sustainability and the Built Environment
The six Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry (The Housing Forum)
Reduce carbon dioxide emission
Minimise pollution
Consider the Whole Life Cost of the development
Use resources to their maximum utility
Provide for integrated communities
Consult and engage existing communities

3. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry
Reduce carbon dioxide emission
28% of total energy use is within the housing sector
Of which 86% is used for space and water heating
Through effecting designs that rely on renewable energy
Specifying materials that have low Embodied Energy. i.e. energy in the form of
transportation,
manufacture and
disposal of the material
Contractors observing energy saving measures through good house keeping

4. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry
Minimise pollution
Through effective water management techniques
Effective site management to avoid pollution
Specifying non hazardous materials
Consider the Whole Life Cost of the development
Optimising the cost of maintenance
Flexibility in the use of the dwelling
Quality of workmanship

5. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry
Use resources to their maximum utility
Developing effective strategy for waste management
Designing buildings that are desirable and therefore can stand the test of time and not demolished within few years ….(achievable through customer satisfaction surveys)
Designing integrated products that minimise waste (prefabrication and modular construction)
Efficient management of trades during the construction of the facility

6. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry
Provide for integrated communities
Planning to meet the housing requirements of the whole community through:
Proper site selection
Involvement of local stakeholders
Use of local labour and professionals to help retain income within the local community

7. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Guiding principles to enhance sustainability in the Housing Construction Industry
Consult and engage existing communities
Involving the existing communities in the planning process
Maintaining level of openness through open days during the construction process

8. Sustainability/Environmental impact appraisal of alternatives
Opportunities for influence on environmental/sustainability issues in a project
Sustainability/Environmental impact appraisal of alternatives
routes, sites, technologies
new build v. re-use
Life cycle studies
Selection of advisors and design team
Feasibility
Studies
Brief writing, including environmental/sustainable targets
Stakeholder engagement
Decision to
build
Project environment policies
Innovative design solutions
Performance specifications
Outline
Designs
Environmental impact assessment
Sustainability appraisal
Public/community engagement
Planning
Permission

9. Scheme Design Tenders Construct Hand-over Commission Refurb/ Demolish
Opportunities for influence on environmental/sustainability
issues in a project
Performance specifications for systems and products
Life-cycle cost analysis
Scheme
Design
Materials/component specifications
Contractor selection based on environmental issues
Tenders
Construction planning
Environmental management systems
Waste management
Construct
Final environmental performance assessment/verification
Energy/building management systems
Hand-over
Commission
Environmental evaluation of options
Adaptation for new use
Demolition for re-cycling
Refurb/
Demolish

10. Sustainability and the Built Environment
BREEAM BRE Environmental Assessment Method
For the manufacture of building materials (life cycle analysis of materials in BREEAM Specification: The Green Guide)
design stage (BREEAM Envest and BREEAM Buildings)
during construction (BREEAM Smartwaste) and
post construction (BREEAM Buildings).
BREEAM Specification and BREEAM LCA look at the environmental impacts of construction materials.

11. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Environmental Profiles Methodology
standardised method of assessing environmental effects of building materials over life cycle
allow designers to demand reliable and comparable environmental information about competing building materials
objective and workable approach that could be developed to deal with all building materials
used in the Green Guide to Specification

12. Sustainability and the Built Environment
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Establishment of a calculation methodology: To calculate energy performance of buildings
Minimum energy performance requirements: To be set for new buildings and for large existing buildings when they are refurbished;
Energy performance certificate: To be made available whenever buildings are constructed, sold or rented out;
Inspections of boilers and air-conditioning: Regular inspections of boilers and heating systems and inspection of air conditioning systems must be established