Materials For A Healthy Ecological And Sustainable Built Environment

Book Description :

Principles for Evaluating Building Materials in Sustainable Construction: Healthy and Sustainable Materials for the Built Environment provides a comprehensive overview of the issues associated with the selection of materials for sustainable construction, proposing a holistic and integrated approach. The book evaluates the issues involved in choosing materials from an ecosystem services perspective, from the design stage to the impact of materials on the health of building users. The three main sections of the book discuss building materials in relation to ecosystem services, the implications of materials choice at the design stage, and the impact of materials on building users and their health. The final section focuses on specific case studies that illustrate the richness of solutions that existed before the rise of contemporary construction and that are consistent with a sustainable approach to creating built environments. These are followed by modern examples which apply some, if not all, of the principles discussed in the first three sections of the book. Provides a holistic and integrated approach to the issues associated with the selection of materials for sustainable construction Provides a thorough understanding of ecosystem services based on ecology research for built environment design Provides an original review of the impact of materials on human health Provides case studies to illustrate the points above

Book Description :

Buildings consume 40% of our planet’s materials and 30% of its energy. Their construction uses up to three million tonnes of raw materials a year and generates 20% of the soild waste stream. If we want to survive our urban future, there is no option but to build in ways which improve the health of ecosystems. Understanding the concept of ecological sustainability and translating it into practice as sustainable development is a key challenge for today’s built environment professionals. The skill and vision of those who shape our cities and homes is vital to achieving sustainable solutions to the many environmental, economic and social problems we face on a local, national and global scale. Peter Graham offers here a holistic view of ecologically sustainable building by drawing on established areas of knowledge, demonstrating their relevance to the environmentally-conscious building professional and putting the process, product and impact of building into context. Case studies illustrate how sustainable principles have been applied successfully and discussion topics are offered to stimulate thought. Building Ecology will help planners, surveyors, designers and builders to incorporate sustainability into their everyday practice by: · showing which styles of building are ecologically sustainable · providing fundamental knowledge for making decisions using the principles of ecologically sustainable building · explaining a complex subject in a clear, balanced way. Building Ecology sets out the current scientific view of how nature works and how buildings link with and affect nature. It provides fundamental knowledge for building in harmony with nature and keeping Earth’s life-supporting ecosystems healthy.

Book Description :

This book deals with the present adverse effects of using precarious building materials on the ecology and human health. Also, the detailed discussions on the novel and greener construction materials and their utilization as an alternative to the conventional harmful existing methods and materials are also presented in the subsequent chapters. This book helps to fill the research gaps in the existing prior-art knowledge in the field of sustainable construction and green building materials and methods giving due importance to ecology and health, specifically to the fields of sustainable structural engineering, sustainable geotechnical engineering, sustainable road engineering, etc. This book helps in achieving a sustainable environment through possible adoption of innovative and ecological construction practices. Hence, this book acts as a practical workbook, mainly for the academicians and practicing engineers who are willing to work toward the consecrated building industry. It is a well-established fact that the constructions of the engineering structures consume more and more earth resources than any other human activities in the world. In addition, the construction-related activities will produce several million tons of greenhouse gases, toxic emissions, water pollutants, and solid wastes. This creates a huge impact on environment and causes severe health issues on humans and animals. It is thus important to create an eco-friendly construction environment which can satisfy the ecological and health requirements.

Book Description :

Sustainable design is a collective process whereby the built environment achieves unprecedented levels of ecological balance through new and retrofit construction, with the goal of long-term viability and humanization of architecture. Focusing on the environmental context, sustainable design merges the natural, minimum resource conditioning solutions of the past (daylight, solar heat, and natural ventilation) with the innovative technologies of the present. The desired result is an integrated “intelligent” system that supports individual control with expert negotiation for resource consciousness. International experts in the field address the fundamental questions of sustainable design and landscape management: How should the sustainability of landscapes and buildings be evaluated? Which targets have to be set and which thresholds should not be exceeded? What forms of planning and governance structures exist and to what extent do they further the goals of sustainability? Gathering 30 peer-reviewed entries from the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Sustainable Built Environments provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary coverage of these issues and other aspects of sustainable building and landscape design.

Book Description :

The open access book discusses human health and wellbeing within the context of built environments. It provides a comprehensive overview of relevant sources of literature and user complaints that clearly demonstrate the consequences of lack of attention to health in current building design and planning. Current designing of energy-efficient buildings is mainly focused on looking at energy problems and not on addressing health. Therefore, even green buildings that place environmental aspects above health issues can be uncomfortable and unhealthy, and can lead to public health problems. The authors identify many health risk factors and their parameters, and the interactions among risk factors and building design elements. They point to the need for public health specialists, engineers and planners to come together and review built environments for human wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The authors therefore present a tool for holistic decision-making processes, leading to short- and long-term benefits for people and their environment.

Book Description :

This book highlights the design, use and structure of blockchain systems and decentralized ledger technologies (B/DLT) for use in the construction industry. Construction remains a fragmented change-resistant industry with chronic problems of underproductivity and a very low digitization factor compared to other fields. In parallel, the convergence, embedding and coordination of digital technologies in the physical world provides a unique opportunity for the construction industry to leap ahead and adopt fourth industrial revolution technologies. Within this context, B/DLT are an excellent fit for the digitization of the construction industry. B/DLT are effective in this as they organize and align digital and physical supply chains, produce stigmergic coordination out of decentralization, enable the governance of complex projects for multiple stakeholders, while enabling the creation of a new class of business models and legal instruments for construction.

Book Description :

This volume consists of 52 peer-reviewed papers, presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing (SDM-19) held in Budapest, Hungary in July 2019. Leading-edge research into sustainable design and manufacturing aims to enable the manufacturing industry to grow by adopting more advanced technologies, and at the same time improve its sustainability by reducing its environmental impact. The topic includes the sustainable design of products and services; the sustainable manufacturing of all products; energy efficiency in manufacturing; innovation for eco-design; circular economy; industry 4.0; industrial metabolism; automotive and transportation systems. Application areas are wide and varied. The book will provide an excellent overview of the latest developments in the Sustainable Design and Manufacturing Area.

Book Description :

This complete guide to the evaluation, selection, and use of sustainable materials in the landscape features strategies to minimize environmental and human health impacts of conventional site construction materials as well as green materials. Providing detailed current information on construction materials for sustainable sites, the book introduces tools, techniques, ideologies and resources for evaluating, sourcing, and specifying sustainable site materials. Chapters cover types of materials, both conventional and emerging green materials, environmental and human health impacts of the material, and detailed strategies to minimize these impacts. Case studies share cost and performance information and lessons learned.

Book Description :

It is clear that the climate is changing and ecosystems are becoming severely degraded. Humans must mitigate the causes of, and adapt to, climate change and the loss of biodiversity, as the impacts of these changes become more apparent and demand urgent responses. These pressures, combined with rapid global urbanisation and population growth mean that new ways of designing, retrofitting and living in cities are critically needed. Incorporating an understanding of how the living world works and what ecosystems do into architectural and urban design is a step towards the creation and evolution of cities that are radically more sustainable and potentially regenerative. Can cities produce their own food, energy, and water? Can they be designed to regulate climate, provide habitat, cycle nutrients, and purify water, air and soil? This book examines and defines the field of biomimicry for sustainable built environment design and goes on to translate ecological knowledge into practical methodologies for architectural and urban design that can proactively respond to climate change and biodiversity loss. These methods are tested and exemplified through a series of case studies of existing cities in a variety of climates. Regenerative Urban Design and Ecosystem Biomimicry will be of great interest to students, professionals and researchers of architecture, urban design, ecology, and environmental studies, as well as those interested in the interdisciplinary study of sustainability, ecology and urbanism.

Book Description :

Sustainable Construction Materials: Sewage Sludge Ash, part of a series of five, aims to promote the use of sustainable construction materials. It is different from the norm, with its uniqueness lying in the development of a data matrix sourced from over 600 publications and contributed by 1107 authors from 442 institutions in 48 countries from 1970 to 2016, all focusing on the subject of sewage sludge ash as a construction material, and systematically analyzing, evaluating, and modeling the information for use in cement, concrete, ceramics, geotechnics, and road pavement applications. Related environmental issues, case studies, and standards are also discussed. The book helps users avoid repetitive research and save valuable resources, giving them more latitude to explore new research to progress the use of sustainable construction materials. It is structured in an incisive and easy to digest manner. As an excellent reference source, the book is particularly suited for researchers, academics, design engineers, specifiers, contractors, developers, and certifying and regulatory authorities who seek to promote sustainability within the construction sector. Provides an extensive source of valuable database information supported by an exhaustive and comprehensively organized list of globally published literature spanning 40-50 years, up to 2016, with 5000 references Offers an analysis, evaluation, repackaging, and modeling of existing knowledge, encouraging more responsible use of waste materials in construction Presents a wealth of knowledge for use in many sectors relating to the construction profession

Book Description :

Until recently, much of the development of building materials has predominantly focused on producing cheaper, stronger and more durable construction materials. More recently attention has been given to the environmental issues in manufacturing, using, disposing and recycling of construction materials. Sustainability of construction materials brings together a wealth of recent research on the subject. The first part of the book gives a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the sustainability of the following building materials: aggregates; timber, wood and bamboo; vegetable fibres; masonry; cement, concrete and cement replacement materials; metals and alloys; glass; and engineered wood products. A final group of chapters cover the use of waste tyre rubber in civil engineering works, the durability of sustainable construction materials and nanotechnologies for sustainable construction. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Sustainability of construction materials is a standard reference for anyone involved in the construction and civil engineering industries with an interest in the highly important topic of sustainability. Provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the sustainability of a variety of construction materials ranging from wood and bamboo to cement and concrete Assesses the durability of sustainable construction materials including the utilisation of waste tyre rubber and vegetable fibres Collates a wealth of recent research including relevant case studies as well as an investigation into future trends

Book Description :

How do we design in a climate emergency? A new social and ecological prerogative demands appropriate material choices, a re-invention of construction and evolving building programmes that look at lifecycle, embodied energy and energy use. Highly illustrated with practical information and simple explanations for design ideas, this book is the perfect introduction to sustainable design for architecture students. It presents key concepts in relation to the embodied energy of construction, material properties and environmental performance of buildings in an accessible way. In explaining the principles and technologies by which we heat, cool, moderate and mitigate, it demystifies environmental design as a technical exercise and enables students to create sustainable buildings with impact. Keep this sourcebook with you. Features: Amphibious House (Baca Architects), Ashen Cabin (HANNAH), Bunhill 2 Energy Centre (Ramboll, Cullinan Studio, McGurk Architects and Colloide), Cork House (Matthew Barnett Howland, Oliver Wilton and Dido Milne), Dymaxion House (Richard Buckminster Fuller), Eastgate Centre (Mick Pearce), Neuron Pod (Will Alsop – aLL Design and AKT II), Quik House (Adam Kalkin) and Tension Pavilion (StructureMode and Weber Industries). Covers: Acoustics, bamboo construction, biopolymer, bioremediation, CLT, climatic envelope, computational fluid dynamics, earthen architecture, fabric formwork, hempcrete, insulation, mycelium biofabrication, paper construction, passive solar heating, pneumatic structures, solar geometry, tensegrity structures, thermal mass and more.

Book Description :

Sustainable Built Environment is a component of Encyclopedia of Technology, Information, and Systems Management Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Environmental conservation and technological innovation are two principal forces that drive the building industry toward the future. Technological innovation offers many opportunities to make buildings more dynamic and comfortable, and occupants more comfortable and productive. The necessity of environmental conservation, on the other hand, compels all types of developments and human activities to be environmentally responsive. The content of the Theme on Sustainable Built Environment is organized with state-of-the-art presentations covering several topics: Urban Design ; Emerging Issues in Building Design; Environment, Energy and Health in Housing Design; Culture, Management Strategies, and Policy Issues in the Sustainable Built Environment; Using Technology to Improve the Quality of City Life; Urban and Regional Transportation, which are then expanded into multiple subtopics, each as a chapter. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Book Description :

While urban settlements are the drivers of the global economy and centres of learning, culture, and innovation and nations rely on competitive dynamic regions for their economic, social, and environmental objectives, urban centres and regions face a myriad of challenges that impact the ways in which people live and work, create wealth, and interact and connect with places. Rapid urbanisation is resulting in urban sprawl, rising emissions, urban poverty and high unemployment rates, housing affordability issues, lack of urban investment, low urban financial and governance capacities, rising inequality and urban crimes, environmental degradation, increasing vulnerability to natural disasters and so forth. At the regional level, low employment, low wage growth, scarce financial resources, climate change, waste and pollution, and rising urban peri-urban competition etc. are impacting the ability of regions to meet socio-economic development goals while protecting biodiversity. The response to these challenges has typically been the application of inadequate or piecemeal solutions, often as a result of fragmented decision-making and competing priorities, with numerous economic, environmental, and social consequences. In response, there is a growing movement towards viewing cities and regions as complex and sociotechnical in nature with people and communities interacting with one another and with objects, such as roads, buildings, transport links etc., within a range of urban and regional settings or contexts. This comprehensive MRW will provide readers with expert interdisciplinary knowledge on how urban centres and regions in locations of varying climates, lifestyles, income levels, and stages development are creating synergies and reducing trade-offs in the development of resilient, resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, liveable, socially equitable, integrated, and technology-enabled centres and regions.

Book Description :

Soak up carbon into beautiful, healthy buildings that heal the climate "Green buildings" that slash energy use and carbon emissions are all the rage, but they aren't enough. The hidden culprit is embodied carbon — the carbon emitted when materials are mined, manufactured, and transported — comprising some 10% of global emissions. With the built environment doubling by 2030, buildings are a carbon juggernaut threatening to overwhelm the climate. It doesn't have to be this way. Like never before in history, buildings can become part of the climate solution. With biomimicry and innovation, we can pull huge amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and lock it up as walls, roofs, foundations, and insulation. We can literally make buildings out of the sky with a massive positive impact. The New Carbon Architecture is a paradigm-shifting tour of the innovations in architecture and construction that are making this happen. Office towers built from advanced wood products; affordable, low-carbon concrete alternatives; plastic cleaned from the oceans and turned into building blocks. We can even grow insulation from mycelium. A tour de force by the leaders in the field, The New Carbon Architecture will fire the imagination of architects, engineers, builders, policy makers, and everyone else captivated by the possibility of architecture to heal the climate and produce safer, healthier, and more beautiful buildings.

Book Description :

Modern Apartment Design provides guidelines to the design of modern apartment buildings as well as a summation of current cutting-edge practice in engineered timber construction. The book covers a brief history of apartment buildings around the world, with a broad outline of different types of apartment blocks. It has a strong focus on the design and actual construction of apartment buildings, especially those utilising mass timber, such as cross-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber. It also features six Case Study chapters from industry-leading practitioners in the area, enabling best practice in architecture and engineering of these new apartment building types to be more widely understood and propagated worldwide. The fully illustrated, full-colour case studies span the globe and include: Clearwater Quay in Christchurch, New Zealand (Pacific Environments NZ); Wynyard Central East 2 in Auckland, New Zealand (Architectus); Dalton Works in London, UK (Waugh Thistleton Architects); Mjøstårnet, Brumunddal, Norway (Voll Arkitekter); Brock Commons Tallwood House student housing in Vancouver, Canada (Acton Ostry Architects); and Regensbergstrasse apartments in Zurich, Switzerland (Dreicon). The book will be of great interest to architects and architecture students.

Book Description :

The impact of building materials and construction methods on the health and wellbeing of occupants is often underestimated. This book is an essential guide to understanding and avoiding hazardous materials and poor air quality in buildings. The author covers a range of issues beginning with an explanation of how buildings work and how this influences the health of occupants and users. The text covers: Ventilation, air conditioning and indoor air quality Damp and mould Asthma and respiratory problems Cancer and endocrine disorders Radiation and radon Hazardous building materials used in construction Indoor air quality and emissions Ecological alternatives and approaches and remedies for ‘sick’ buildings The book also guides the reader through the confusing world of regulations, EU and international guidelines and certifications, and provides a critical analysis of different theories of healthy buildings and philosophies. Written in a clear and accessible style, this book provides indispensable advice and information to anyone wishing to better understand healthy buildings and materials. It is essential reading for architects, surveyors, public health professionals, facilities managers and environmentalists.

Book Description :

Smart Technologies and Design for Healthy Built Environment connects smart technology to a healthy built environmentthat builds upon the sustainable building movement.It provides an overall summary of the state-of-the-art technologies that are applied in the built environment. The book covers a broad spectrum of smart technology categories ranging from dynamic operability, energy efficiency, self-regulating and self-learning systems, and responsive systems. The foreseeable challenges that are associated with smart technologies are discussed and outlined in the book. Firstly, this book provides a snapshot of state-of-the-art smart technologies being applied in the built environment. It covers a broad spectrum of smart technology categories, ranging from dynamic operability, energy efficiency, self-regulating and self-learning systems, to responsive systems. Secondly, this book provides in-depth analysis of the four primary components of health (biological, physical, physiological and psychological); their effects on wellbeing and cognitive performance are introduced as well. Thirdly, it connects smart technologies to those health-influencing factors by reviewing three completed smart building projects. This book can also serve as a basis for education and discussion among professionals and students of diverse backgrounds who are interested in smart technologies, smart building, and healthy building. Smart Technologies and Design for Healthy Built Environment serves as the basis for education and discussions among professionals and students who are interested in smart technologies, smart building and healthy building, as it bridges the gap between smart technologies and a healthy built environment. The book also provides a foundation for anyone who is interested in the impact of smart technology on the health of built environment.

Book Description :

Sustainable Design for the Built Environment marks the transition of sustainable design from a specialty service to the mainstream approach for creating a healthy and resilient built environment. This groundbreaking and transformative approach introduces sustainable design in a clear, concise, easy-to-read format. This book takes the reader deep into the foundations of sustainable design, and creates a holistic and integrative approach addressing the social, cultural, ecological, and aesthetic aspects in addition to the typical performance-driven goals. The first section of the book is themed around the origins, principles, and frameworks of sustainable design aimed at inspiring a deeper, broader, and more inclusive view of sustainability. The second section examines strategies such as biophilia and biomimicry, adaptation and resilience, health and well-being. The third section examines the application of sustainability principles from the global, urban, district, building, and human scale, illustrating how a systems thinking approach allows sustainable design to span the context of time, space, and varied perspectives. This textbook is intended to inspire a new vision for the future that unites human activity with natural processes to form a regenerative, coevolutionary model for sustainable design. By allowing the reader an insightful look into the history, motivations, and values of sustainable design, they begin to see sustainable design, not only as a way to deliver green buildings, but as a comprehensive and transformative meta-framework that is so needed in every sector of society. Supported by extensive online resources including videos and PowerPoints for each chapter, this book will be essential reading for students of sustainability and sustainable design.

Book Description :

Synergistic Design of Sustainable Built Environments introduces and illustrates a novel systems approach that fosters both design excellence and a leap toward a more biocentric (ecologically sustainable) design paradigm. The book provides a deeper understanding of the theories and principles of biocentric design and offers detailed descriptions of the synergistic design process of integrating theories and principles into practice. It also presents extensive thermal and visual built environment design strategies, along with qualitative and quantitative information that designers can use to generate feasible solutions in response to varying climate and occupant comfort. Features: Examines the principles and practices of the synergistic design (a fusion of anthropocentric and biocentric) of sustainable built environments and how they relate to practical applications. Presents climatic data and its analysis along with sun-path diagrams for numerous cities to aid in the design of sustainable built environments in multiple regional contexts. Includes numerous case studies of sustainable built environments in varying climatic zones. Explains how renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydro, fuel cells) can be successfully integrated in the built environment. This forward-thinking and highly illustrated book will be an invaluable reference to all those concerned with sustainable built environments and related architectural issues.