SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION The Benefits

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SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION- The Benefits

• Professor Peter James
• Co-Director
• Higher Education Environmental Performance
  Improvement (HEEPI)
• www.heepi.org.uk

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THE HEEPI PROJECT

• HEFCE-funded 2001-5
• Partnership with AUDE, BRE, EAUC, SCOP
• Aims- develop better and more comparable data on
  HE environmental performance- develop the
  capacity of staff with environment-related
  responsibilities
• Sustainable construction a key area

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WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION?

• Minimising environmental impacts
• Maximising user health, satisfaction and
  productivity
• Minimising whole life cost
• It doesnt have to be more expensive!

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WHY SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION?

• Prevent global warming conserve resources-
  target to reduce CO2 emissions to 20 of their
  1990 level by 2010, and 50 of their 1990 level
  by 2050
• Reflected in energy efficiency regulation- Part
  L Building Regulation- EU Energy Performance of
  Buildings Directive- Emissions Trading Scheme
• HE focus will also be increased by- Increasing
  energy, waste and water costs- Growing
  stakeholder interest- Sectoral targets?

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BEST PRACTICE AT THE NHS?

• Many similarities with HE- autonomous entities,
  envt not integral
• Firm targets for 2010- cut primary energy
  consumption by 15 from a base year of March 2000
  
• 35-55 Gj/100 m3 for all new capital developments
  and refurbishments
• 55-65 Gj/100 m3 for existing facilities
• Achieve a NEAT excellent rating for all new
  build, and very good for refurbishment

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BENEFITS

• Reduced operating costs
• Insurance against future energy price increases
  and environmental regulations
• Other intangible operational benefits- improved
  productivity and performance, reduced absenteeism
  health problems
• An enhanced reputation

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BENEFITS

• minimal increases in upfront costs of about 2
  to support green design would, on average, result
  in life cycle savings of 20 of total
  construction costs - more than ten times the
  initial investment- The Costs and Financial
  Benefits of Green Buildings, A Report to
  Californias Sustainable Building Task Force

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ACHIEVING BENEFITS

• Integrated planning
• Site orientation
• Well insulated, air tight structure
• Natural daylight and ventilation
• Effective controls and sub-metering
• Appropriate glazing, shading and materials
• Energy efficient lighting and appliances
• Appropriately (down) sized equipment
• Efficient water use
• Renewable energy (with grants)

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BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES

• Nottingham Jubilee campus
• Gloucestershire Oxstalls campus
• Newcastle Devonshire building
• Coventry library
• Oxford chemistry laboratory
• Edinburgh Kings building

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NEXT STEPS

• Gain high level support
• Appoint sympathetic architects
• Environmental brief/code of practice
• BREEAM assessment- and accreditation?
• An environmental voice on design teams

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COVENTRY LANCHESTER LRC
Architect Alan Short Associates Cost m2
1,333 Features vertical wells for natural light
and air supply and removal, supplemented by
perimeter ventilation stacks Awards SCONUL 2002
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NEWCASTLE DEVONSHIRE BUILDING
Architect The Dewjoc Partnership Cost m2
2,188 Features automatic motorised Brise
Soleil, "The Green Guide" building materials,
heat from the office spaces and cold rooms is
rejected into the cooling water circuit -
rejected into a 40,000 litre geothermal water
tank through a plate heat exchanger Awards
BREEAM Excellent
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GLOUCESTERSHIRE OXSTALLS
Architect Feilden Clegg Bradley Cost m2
??? Features Reclaimed site, thermodeck mass
cooling, glass atrium, solar shading, The
waveform roof lets in northern light, roof level
PV installation is designed to generate 30 of
the electrical use in the building. Awards
Civic Trust 2003 sustainability award