green buildings: an approach towards pollution prevention abhilash vijayan charanya varadarajan...
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GREEN BUILDINGS:GREEN BUILDINGS: An Approach towards An Approach towards Pollution PreventionPollution Prevention
Abhilash Vijayan
Charanya Varadarajan
Department of Civil Engineering
University of ToledoAir Pollution Research Group
IntroductionIntroduction Since the Industrial Revolution the world has witnessed
incalculable technological achievements
population growth
corresponding increases in resource use
“Side effects” of all the activities and achievements include:
pollution, landfills at capacity, toxic waste, global warming, resource
and ozone depletion, and deforestation
All these efforts are straining the limits of the Earth’s “carrying capacity”— its ability to provide the resources required to sustain life while retaining the capacity to regenerate and remain viable.
Construction
Population Vegetation
Air Quality Climate
Transportation Watersheds
1/6 of the world’s1/6 of the world’s freshwater withdrawalsfreshwater withdrawals
1/4 of world’s1/4 of world’s wood harvestwood harvest
2/5 of world’s2/5 of world’s material & energy flowsmaterial & energy flows
Building Industry- FactsBuilding Industry- Facts
50
40
40
35
30
25
16
0 10 20 30 40 50
Percentage
Ozone depleting CFCs in Use
Municipal Solid Waste to Landfills
Global Energy Use
Global CO2 Emissions
Raw Materials Consumption
Timber Harvest
Fresh Water Withdrawals
Environmental and Economic Impacts of Buildings
Compiled from:Worldwatch Paper #124
Building Industry in USBuilding Industry in US Represents more than 50 percent of the nation’s wealthRepresents more than 50 percent of the nation’s wealth New construction and renovation activity amounts to New construction and renovation activity amounts to
approximately $800 billionapproximately $800 billion Represents 13 percent of the GDPRepresents 13 percent of the GDP Employs over ten million peopleEmploys over ten million people C&D debris comprise approximately 15 to 30 percent of all waste disposed
of in landfills
The resources required to create, operate, and replenish this level The resources required to create, operate, and replenish this level of infrastructure and income are enormous, but diminishingof infrastructure and income are enormous, but diminishing
To remain competitive and continue to expand and produce profits To remain competitive and continue to expand and produce profits in the future, the building industry has to address the in the future, the building industry has to address the
Environmental and Economic consequences of its actionsEnvironmental and Economic consequences of its actions
SustainabilitySustainability
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Development that meets the needs of the present Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needsgenerations to meet their own needs
(The Brundtland Commission,1987)(The Brundtland Commission,1987)
SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGSSUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
A “Cradle-to-Cradle” ApproachA “Cradle-to-Cradle” Approach
Working Principles
Application of Sustainability
Pre-Design On-Site Design Construction O&M
Material Selection
Building Program
Project Budget
Team Selection
Partnering
Project Schedule
Laws, Codes
& Standards
Research
Site Selection
Site Analysis
& Assessment
Site Development
& Layout
Watershed
Management &
Conservation
Site Material
& Equipment
Environmentally
Conscious
Construction
Preservation of
Features &
Vegetation
Waste Mgmt
IAQ Issues
Source Control
Practices
Passive Solar
Design
Materials &
Specification
Indoor Air
Quality
Maintenance Plans
Indoor Quality
Energy Efficiency
Resource Efficiency
Renovation
Housekeeping &
Custodial Practices
Application of Sustainability –Application of Sustainability – A Superior Technology A Superior Technology
Effect of SustainabilityEffect of Sustainability
Best Building Form
Solar & Energy Efficient Design
Improved Indoor Air Quality
Usage of Green Materials
Proper Mechanical Systems
Efficient Lighting
Proper Testing & Maintenance
Advanced Features of a Sustainable Building
Green Materials Materials, production, use and disposal must Materials, production, use and disposal must
be safe for the planet. Most of the materials be safe for the planet. Most of the materials have specific range of conditions in which they have specific range of conditions in which they best work best work
Sustainable building materials have the Sustainable building materials have the following features:following features:• Durable and easily maintainedDurable and easily maintained• Less processing requiredLess processing required• Low odorLow odor• Low emittingLow emitting• Cost-effectiveCost-effective• AestheticAesthetic
Economics of Economics of Green BuildingsBuildings
Reduction in lighting energy requirements by at least 50 percent
Cut heating and cooling energy consumption by 60 percent
Reduced water consumption by up to 30 percent or more
Lower building operating expenses through reduced utility and waste disposal costs
Lower on-going building maintenance costs, ranging from salaries to supplies
Increase worker productivity by six to 16 percent
Higher property values and potentially lower lenders’ credit risk
Higher building net income
New economic development opportunities
Benefits of Sustainable Benefits of Sustainable ConstructionConstruction
Sustainable construction makes wise use of all the natural resources and a 50% reduction in energy use
Improves occupant health, comfort, productivity, reduces pollution and landfill waste that are not easily quantified
A sustainable building may cost more up front, but saves through lower operating costs over the life of the building
Building is designed as one system rather than a collection of stand-alone systems with the help of the integrated system approach
•Further research
•Successful examples of Sustainable buildings
•Newer, efficient and healthier technologies
•Availability of computer software programs to identify and evaluate options for a building project
•Governmental support
•An active participation from every sector of the society
Future of Sustainable Buildings
Case Study- The Dalles Case Study- The Dalles Middle School (Oregon)Middle School (Oregon)
((Source: http://www.energy.state.or.us/school/thedalles.pdfSource: http://www.energy.state.or.us/school/thedalles.pdf
Problem:Problem: Poorly built middle school Poorly built middle school
in a landslide areain a landslide area In 1955, to meet the In 1955, to meet the
sudden influx of students, sudden influx of students, temporary facilities were temporary facilities were constructed with an constructed with an expectant life of 20 years, expectant life of 20 years, but were used for 45 yearsbut were used for 45 years
By 2000, the State Fire By 2000, the State Fire Marshall closed down the Marshall closed down the facility with the decision to facility with the decision to build a new schoolbuild a new school
Building Design
Heating and cooling are a large part of the energy use of a school building
The high temperature ground water from the landslide area was used to provide both heating and cooling using geothermal principles
It is one of the first schools in the nation that is heated and cooled with the very ground water that caused the landslides
LightingLighting
Daylighting & Daylighting &
Skylighting-Skylighting- Incorporated
lots of natural light to reduce the need for electric lighting and the associated increase in the air conditioning load
Energy efficient fluorescent T5s installed in classrooms
Natural VentilationNatural Ventilation
Operable windows pull fresh air into one side of the classroom, while ventilation stacks pull the air out on the opposite side of the classroom
At extreme temperatures, automatic backup mechanical ventilation systems used
Application of Concepts of Application of Concepts of SustainabilitySustainability
Use of paints and sealers with low or no-volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Reclaimed ground water to irrigate the ball fields. Exterior lighting directed downward to reduce
night light pollution Mechanically zoned science classrooms to avoid
exposure to hazardous chemicals Stained the concrete walls to blend with the
colors of the natural landscape Use of ceiling tiles produced from 75 percent
post-consumer recycled waste
ResultsResults High performance school building
emerged that will prevent pollution, save energy, natural resources and money
60 percent cost reduction in energy expected
Students performed better with the skylights and windows that bring natural, non-glare light inside the classroom
Improved Indoor Air Quality and occupant comfort due to no-VOC emissions from building materials