Unit 35: Alternative Methods of Construction
W1, LO1: Examine how the construction industry
impacts on the environment, and how changes in
the industry can create broader social and
economic benefits
Dr Asal Pournaghshband (FHEA, CEng)
Spring 2022
1
2
Overview:
• Assessment criteria
• Recommended resources
• Environmental protection
• Social and economic factors
• Sustainability protocols
• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• Methods of protecting the natural environment
• Techniques within the methods of protecting the environment
• Example: Concrete as an important building construction material
• Choice of construction materials
• Legislations and management
• Student In-Class Practice
3
4 LO: 2 time constraint in-class assessment plus One Assignment at the end of
semester with deadline at 15th April 2022
Assignment issue date: 18th February 2022
Assignment Criteria: 8 Pass, 4 Merit, 2 Distinction
First half of each session: teaching and learning materials, Second half of each
session: student practice (progress monitor)
Assignment submission:
1) Be on time
2) Cover page: name of course, student name, student ID No., Submission date
3) First page: Table of content including LOs, criteria and references
4) Make sure all pass criteria concept are achieved during student practice session
5) Check for similarity on Turnitin before submission
4
Recommended resources:
COTTERELL, J. and DADEBY, A. (2012) The Passivhaus Handbook: A Practical Guide
to Constructing and Retrofitting Buildings for Ultra-low Energy Performance.
Devon: Green Books.
ELIZABETH, L. and ADAMS, C. (2005) Alternative Construction: Contemporary
Natural Building Methods. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
GARBER, R. (2014) BIM Design: Realising the creative potential of Building
Information Modelling. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
HICKEY, T. (2014) Construction Technology: Designing Sustainable Homes. Dublin:
Gill & MacMillan Ltd.
5
Recommended resources:
JONES, B. (2015) Building with Straw Bales: A Practical Manual for Self-Builders
and Architects. Cambridge: Green Books.
LAWSON, M, OGDEN, R. and GOODIER, C. (2014) Modularisation in the
Construction of Buildings. Florida: Taylor & Francis Group.
6
Links:
This unit links to the following related units:
o Unit 2: Construction Technology
o Unit 3: Science & Materials
o Unit 6: Construction Information (Drawing, Detailing, Specification)
o Unit 14: Building Information Modelling
o Unit 26: Advanced Construction Drawing & Detailing
o Unit 36: Advanced Building Information Modelling
o Unit 40: Alternative Energy Systems Design & Installation
My Email Address: [email protected]
7
Submission Format:
The submission is in the form of an individual brochure, with supporting drawings. This
should be written in a concise, formal style. The selection of font face, font size and line
spacing are left to your discretion, but the report must be readable and clear.
All drawings should be produced in an industry standard CAD/BIM application and
presented on A3 sheets. Drawings should be bound into the report.
You are encouraged to use images, graphics, charts, drawings and other material to
support your work. Any material that is derived from other sources must be suitably
referenced using a standard form of citation. Provide a bibliography using an academic
standard referencing system.
The recommended word limit is 2,000–2,500 words. Keep in mind that being clear and
concise are key features of professional documents.
8
LO1: Examine how the construction industry impacts on the environment, and how
changes in the industry can create broader social and economic benefits
9
LO1: Examine how the construction industry impacts on the environment, and how
changes in the industry can create broader social and economic benefits
1. Environmental protection:
• Features of the environment; global warming; carbon emissions; government
and national targets; construction statistics.
2. Social and economic factors:
• Government influences; construction statistics; housing statistics; affordable
homes; urbanisation; greenfield and brownfield sites.
3. Sustainability protocols:
• Passiv Haus/Passive House
• BREEAM
• LEED
• Code for Sustainable Homes.
10
1. Environmental protection:
• Features of the environment; global warming; carbon emissions
Global warming:
It refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which cause change in
climate.
This phenomenon is mainly caused by human activities which emit greenhouse
gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).
It is believed that the use of non-renewable energy has increased the carbon
concentration in the atmosphere and has also increased the Earth’s temperature.
Among all the human activities that emit GHGs, construction industry should held
responsibilities too.
11
2. Social and economic factors:
• Government influences; construction statistics; housing statistics; affordable
homes; urbanisation; greenfield and brownfield sites
construction statistics : A wide range of statistics that are currently available on the
construction industry including value of output, new orders by sector, number of
firms and total employment, and construction output price indices.
Urbanization: is the process through which cities grow, and higher and higher
percentages of the population comes to live in the city.
Greenfield sites: sites which have not previously been built on. This includes the
greenbelt land around cities. Areas of land considered for urban development.
Brownfield sites: previously developed land that has been previously used, but has
subsequently become vacant, derelict or contaminated.
12
3. Sustainability protocols:
• Passiv Haus/Passive House: buildings created to rigorous energy efficient design
standards so that they maintain an almost constant temperature.
• BREEAM : (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
is a sustainability assessment method that is used to master plan projects,
infrastructure and buildings.
• LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a building certification
process developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
• Code for Sustainable Homes: is an environmental assessment method for rating
and certifying the performance of new homes.
13
Lets Discuss:
• Explain concisely the concept of sustainability in construction .
• Discuss the ways in which sustainability can be promoted in building projects
14
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
According to Brundtland Commission (1987) Definition:
• “Sustainable Development is Development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
It contains within it two key concepts:
• The concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs
of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be
given;
• The idea of limitations imposed by the state of
technology and social organization on the environment’s
ability to meet present and future needs.
15
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
• It is the ability to maintain certain reduction of natural resources in order to
maintain a good ecological balance with your environment.
16
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
Why is sustainable construction so important?
Built environment in UK accounts for:
• 47% of carbon emissions
• 1/2 of water consumption
• 1/3 landfill waste
• ¼ raw materials used in economy
When government realised importance it wrote the ‘Strategy for Sustainable
Construction’ which recognises that there is no single solution to tackling
sustainability. The Strategy focuses on the role of client and role of procurement.
17
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
Sustainability within the construction industry
o Sustainability can be viewed from the aspect of products
o From the raw source
o From how its been delivered
o While some think about the life cycle of products used.
In total the aim is to provide an overview of techniques within the methods of
protecting the natural environment
18
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
Methods of protecting the natural environment
o Legislation
o Control
o Design and specification
o Management
19
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT :
Techniques within the methods of protecting the environment
a) Energy saving technique
b) Minimisation of pollution technique
c) Design and specification technique
d) Management technique
20
Techniques within the methods of protecting the environment
21
Techniques within the methods of protecting the environment
22
What is EMBODIED CO2 OF A BUILDING MATERIAL?
It is the total amount of CO
2 produced in the extraction and transportation of
raw materials and their manufacture into the final product. It is often
expressed as CO2 per unit mass or CO2 per unit volume.(kgCO2/tonne or kg
CO
2/m3).
Example: Concrete as an important building construction material
• Concrete construction is robust and durable, provided that concrete is
correctly mixed, placed and cured.
• Concrete elements have good insulating properties (energy
conservation) and fire resistance
• Members can be cast in required shapes with in-situ or precast concrete
23
Example: Concrete as an important building construction material
• Since concrete is used in large quantities in construction, it is important
to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission in its manufacturing
process.
• Portland Cement (PC) is a vital constituent of concrete and it is often
described as an energy-demanding product. The ECO2 level for PC
(embodied CO2) is quoted as approximately one tonne per tonne of
Concrete production.
• Normal PC concrete may contain 300 kg PC per m3 (2.4 tonnes) i.e. 125
kg of PC per tonne, and, therefore, an overall impact of its ECO2 level is
low – even lower when related to building in use for its service life.
• ECO2 level for PC concrete is further reduced with reduction in use of PC
and its replacement with industrial by-products.
24
Example: Progress in the UK related to concrete material
Cement
• CO
2 emission is reduced by 20% compared to 1990 level.
Precast Product Manufacturing
• Cement replacement using industrial byproducts.
• 34% Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)
• 11% Pulverised Fly Ash. (PFA)
25
Example: Some issues concerning further promotion of sustainable concrete construction
• Clients may not be willing to bear the additional costs of sustainable
construction, especially if there is any question of adverse influence on
durability. (Especially in the difficult financial situation at present!)
• Incentives such as taxation on disposal of waste and on aggregate
extraction could continue to improve usage of recycled aggregate.
• Authoritative guidance on composite cements and usage of industrial
byproducts could assist in creating confidence.
• Structural design concerns only the compressive strength and not
usually the influence of constituents of concrete on its structural
performance.
26
Example: An Engineer’s Responsibilities
• Safety of construction (statutory responsibility) and awareness of liability.
(Unjustifiable risk-taking is not covered by Professional Indemnity
Insurance.)
• Clients’ Interests
• Durability and service life of building
• Economy of Construction
• Earning just reward for the work under circumstances influenced by
fee competition, downturn in building industry, availability of competent
staff at affordable salaries, etc.
Changing circumstances may present difficulties in adopting sustainable
construction solutions.
27
Example: Common solutions leading to Sustainable Construction
Aim: To achieve good compromise and optimum solutions with higher level
of skills, so that there is no conflict between safety and sustainability of
concrete construction
28
Example: Reduce amount of cement in concrete
I. Blended Cements using industrial byproducts as cementitious materials, e.g.
Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) and Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS).
II. Concrete mixes with PFA or GGBS added at the mixers, along with such materials
as lime stone filler, silica fume, etc.
III. Important point to note: Increased number of cementitious materials should
require more careful mix design and consideration of compatibility of
constituents, compared with concrete made with PC only, in order to avoid any
adverse effect on durability of concrete.
29
Example: Added advantages concerning reducing cement in concrete
I. Energy saving and reduction in CO2 emission related to cement manufacture.
II. Less quarrying of minerals for manufacturing cement.
III. More compact microstructure of PFA concrete compared with that of PC Concrete
and improved resistance to chemical attack, e.g. chloride diffusion.
IV. Reduction in cost and alleviation of problems associated with storage and disposal
of industrial byproducts.
30
Choice of construction materials
An engineer has the responsibility to chose the right construction material to suit the
function of a building and its conditions of exposure to the environment.
The products used in construction need to have some accreditation; e.g. CE mark.
The difficulties arise when using innovative materials that are preferable from
sustainability point of view, e.g. industrial byproducts.
Research and development should lead to authoritative guidance on usage of such
innovative materials, which should clearly spell out limitations for using such
materials.
31
Points to consider when choosing construction materials
1. Scope for energy saving and reduction in CO2 emission.
2. Benefits for durability and structural performance.
3. Potential risks and available means for reduction in risks.
32
Example of construction materials
1. GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG (GGBS):
A by- product obtained during the manufacture of iron in
the blast furnace.
2. PULVERISED FUEL ASH (PFA): A solid material extracted
by electrostatic and mechanical means from flue gases
of furnaces fired with pulverised bituminous coal. It is
carried by the exhaust gases and recovered as “flyAsh”
with fine particles.
33
Example of construction materials
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF USING PFA:
• Concrete made with partial replacement of PC by 30% PFA of compressive
strength 40MPa results in reduction of CO2 emissions of 62.4 kg/m3 and saves
energy consumption of 134 GJ/m3 production of concrete..
34
Sustainability in Buildings
35
Achieving Sustainability:
To maximise sustainability in a Building Design a global strategy is required:
36
Legislation:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Websites for further information
• www.cat.org.uk
• www.building.co.uk
• www.lowcarbon.co.uk
• www.communities.gov.uk
46
Class activity
• To discuss and explain how you will protect the environment using Energy saving
techniques providing relevant examples
• To discuss and explain how you will protect the environment using Pollution
minimisation techniques providing relevant examples
• To discuss and explain how you will protect the environment using
Design/Specification technique. You will need to give examples of sustainable
materials
• To set site rules and discuss how you will protect the natural environment using
legislation and control technique
• To Select areas of Construction management responsibility and explain how you
will deal with identified areas of principal concern, providing relevant examples
47
48
Student In-Class Practice:
You have been employed as an architectural technician working for a large company
which specialises in alternative construction and Brown Fields developments. The
managing director of the company is seeking to expand their client base, and wishes to
have a brochure that will provide information for potential clients to understand the
context in which the company operates. As an example of what the company can
provide, you are also asked to prepare an outline design proposal for a building type of
your choice or high-rise residential /commercial buildings, utilising alternative methods
of construction.
Your brochure should highlight the following:
An overview of the development of construction and its impact on the built
environment and assessing the effectiveness of government targets and national
statistics on environmental protection. (P1)
49
Student In-Class Practice:
The impact of construction on the environment, society and the economy; and how
alternative methods of construction may incorporate these; also elucidating this by
the evaluation of how a specific alternative construction method can be utilised to
highlight this stated impact.(P2)
50
Thank you.
AssignmentTutorOnline
The post Alternative Methods of Construction appeared first on My Blog.