Guest Lecture to CityU (8 July 2009)

Course on Green Building, Architecture and People

Building Environmental Assessment

Dr. Sam C M Hui
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
E-mail:
E mail: cmhui@hku.hk
cmhui@hku hk
Jul 2009
Contents

• Basic Principles

• Assessment Criteria

• Assessment Methods

• Current Tools
Basic Principles

• Building environmental assessment

• Identify & evaluate the environmental effects of
b ildi development
building d l or operation
i
• Inform decision making g and p
promote sustainable
design & management
• A
An objective
bj ti assessmentt is
i a useful
f l starting
t ti
ppoint from which to make design
g and building g
improvements
Basic Principles

• Why environmental assessment?

• Provide a common set of criteria & targets
• Guide design decisions & choices
• Raise awareness of environmental issues/standards
• Recognise & encourage good practices
• Stimulate the market for sustainable construction
• Allow a verifiable method & framework
• Enable policies & regulation (e.g. certificate/label)
• Improve
p management
g & prioritization
p (incentives)
( )
 Building Activities
Issues Planning
Development
Good practices
Design
Criteria
Construction Guidelines
Operation

Environmental Environmental
Assessment Performance
Assessment Benchmarks
Methods Goals
Assessment Ratings
Tools
Basic Principles

• Scope/Scale
p of the evaluation
• Building products
• B ildi processes
Building
• Structural members/elements
• Building systems
• Single buildings
• Groups of buildings
• District,
i i urban,
b regional
i l & city
i
• New, existing & refurbished buildings
Assessment Criteria

• A broad range
g of criteria
• Qualitative issues
• Quantitative
Q tit ti issues
i
• Types
yp of criteria
• Ecological vs health-related
• Direct impacts vs indirect impacts
• Immediate vs long-term implications
• Global vs local
 - site selection
- urban design
- landscape planning

- CO2 emissions - energy performance

- acid rain - renewable
bl energy
- ozone depletion - water conservation
- rainforest depletion Environmental
Criteria & - material selection
- environmental policy Factors - recycling of materials
- transport strategy - waste management
- building maintenance - disposal & reuse

- air quality
- thermal comfort
- lighting & noise
- hazardous materials
Assessment Criteria

• Assessment process
• Examine the performance of a building or its sub-
system against
i a declared
d l d set off criteria
i i
• Usuallyy voluntary
y ((aim to stimulate the market))
• Scale of performance
• Measure & assess relative performance
• Assign ‘points’
points or ‘score’
score to various aspects
• Quantitative criteria: relative to a baseline
• Qualitative
Q li i criteria:
i i presence/absence
/ b off suchh features
f
Assessment Criteria

• Assessing multiple criteria

• Indicate the ‘best’ overall performance
• Methodology
• Cost (or monetary value $)
• Equivalence method (e.g. air/water pollution index)
• EcoCost (in common Gaia scale 0-1)
0 1)
• EcoPoint or EcoProfile
• Weighting system
• To indicate relative importance,
p , scale and urgency
g y
 Contextual factors
4
3
Process 2 Resource consumption
1
0

Longevity Ecological loadings

Indoor environmental
quality
q y

R d chart
Radar h for
f assessing
i multiple
l i l criteria
i i
 “Ecopoint” concept in
th ENVEST (environmental
the ( i t l
impact estimating) tool
(UK BRE)

One “ecopoint”
p is equivalent
q to:
- 320 kWh electricity
- 83 m2 Water: enough to fill 1,000 baths
- 65 miles
il byb articulated
ti l t d truck
t k
- landfilling 1.3 tonnes of waste
- manufacturingg 3/4 tonnes brick (250
( bricks))
- 540 tonne kms by sea freight
- 1.38 tonnes mineral extraction
- 300 miles
il off urban
b driving
d i i in
i new petrol
t l car
(Source: UK BRE)
Assessment Methods

• Common approaches
pp
• Checklists or forms
• Computer-based
C t b d methods th d
• Spreadsheet or computer programs
• Models used
• Environment model
• Product model
• Life
if cycle
l model
d l
• Data required: from simple to very detailed
Assessment Methods

• Examples
p
• Europe:
• BREEAM-UK
BREEAM UK
• ECO-PRO (Germany)
• E P P & PIMWAQ (Fi
EcoProP (Finland)
l d)
• EQUER (France)
• ECO QUANTUM (Netherlands)
( h l d)
• Canada & USA:
• BREEAM-Canada & BEPAC-Canada
• LEED (USA)
( )
• BEES (USA) (for building products)
Assessment Methods

• Examples (cont
(cont’d)
d)
• Asian countries:
• Japan Green Building Guide & CASBEE
• Korea Green Building Rating System
• Taiwan Green Building Label
• HK BEAM
HK-BEAM
• CEPAS (HK)
• International reference model
• GBTool (Green Building Challenge)
Current Tools

• BREEAM - UK
• Building Research Establishment Environmental
Assessment Method
• Types of buildings
• Offices
• Homes (known as EcoHomes)
• Industrial units
• Retail units
• Used as a reference in many countries
• Website: www.breeam.org/
www breeam org/
Current Tools

• BREEAM - UK
• Credits awarded for a set of performance criteria
• Energy, water, pollution, materials, transport, ecology
and land use, health and well being
• Construction & building operational management
• A weighting
g g system
y is applied
pp to determine final rating
g
• Stages of building development
• Design
D i & procurementt
• Management & operation
• Post construction review
Current Tools

• LEED Green Buildingg Ratingg System

y
• Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
• By
B US G Green BBuilding
ildi Council
C il
• Current LEED standards:
• New construction & major renovation (LEED-NC)
• Existing
g building:
g operations&maintenance
p ((LEED-EB))
• Commercial interiors (LEED-CI)
• Core and shell (LEED-CS)
( )
• Schools, healthcare, retail
• Homes (LEED-H)
(LEED H)
• Neighborhood development (LEED-ND) (in pilot)
Current Tools

• LEED Green Building Rating System

• Evaluates and recognizes performance in accepted
green design
d i categories,
i including:
i l di
• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• I d
Indoor environmental
i t l quality
lit
• Innovation credits
• Website: www.leedbuilding.org
Current Tools

• LEED Green Building

g Rating
g System
y
• Whole-building approach encourages & guides a
collaborative integrated design & construction process
collaborative,
• Optimizes environmental and economic factors
• Four
F llevels
l off certification
tifi ti (up( to
t version
i 2.2)
2 2)
• LEED Certified 26 - 32 points
• Sil
Silver Level
L l 33 - 38 points
i t
• Gold Level 39 - 51 points
• Platin m Level
Platinum Le el 52+ points (69 possible)
• LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP)
 LEED Point Distribution

Indoor
Environmental
Quality Sustainable
23% Sites
22%
Materials &
Resources
Water
20%
Efficiency
Energy
gy & 8%
Atmosphere
27%

(Source: USGBC)
 Phillip Merrill Environmental Center LEED™ 1.0 Certification:
Headquarters PLATINUM
A
Annapolis,
li MMaryland
l d
Notes from the Project Team: LEEDTM was instrumental in
conveying the importance of the sustainable elements of the
design to CBF
CBF’ss Board of Trustees.

 Sustainable Sites
• Site Selection: Erected in Smart Growth Funding Area on footprint of
existing structure. 26.6 acres remain undisturbed in Land Trust.
• Educational Model: Interpretive trails & demonstrations for public
visitors
• Storm/Waste Water: All Composting Toilets & Bioretention/Wetland
• Resource Protection: Woodland, Wetland, & Tidal Water Restoration

 Water Efficiency
• Water: Rainwater Catchment & Reuse for Hand Washing & Irrigation

 Energy and Atmosphere

Owner: Chesapeake Bay Foundation
• Domestic Hot Water: Thermomax-Solar Technology
• Energy: Exceeds ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-1989
90 1 1989 by 50%
Project Team: Architect: SmithGroup, Inc.
• HVAC: Natural Ventilation and Desiccant Dehumidification & Heat
Engineer: SmithGroup, Inc. Recovery
P.Manager: Synthesis, Inc. • Controls/Monitoring: Building Energy management System, “Green
Contractor: Clark Construction Group Light” notifies staff to open windows when outside conditions comply
Consultant: Janet Harrison
Harrison, Architect • Power Source: 30% Renewable with Geo Geo-Exchange
Exchange & Photovoltaics
• Lighting: Daylight Harvesting and time clock lighting controls
Building Statistics: • Rapidly Renewable: Bamboo, cork and linoleum floorings
Completion Date: November, 2000 • Recycled Content: Metal roofing and siding, acoustic ceiling, ceramic
Cost: $6.36 M tile, and MDF cabinetry
Si
Size: 30 600 gross square ffeett
30,600
 Materials and Resources
Footprint: 12,000 square feet
• Structure: Rapidly Renewable-Paralam Post, Beam, and Truss system
Construction Type: 3B, Two Stories over Open Parking
• Envelope: Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) R-20 walls, R-30 roof
Use Group: Business(B), Assembly(A-3), Storage(S-2)
Lot Size: 33 acres  Indoor Environmental Qualityy
Annual Energy Use: 23 kBtu/sf/year • Indoor Environmental Quality: CO2 and VOC monitors.
Occupancy: 90 Staff • Furniture: Small, open offices allow for communal space. Systems
furniture allows flexible layout to accommodate “churn”
(Source: USGBC)
Current Tools

• LEED 2009 ((or LEED v3))

• Launched in April 2009
• LEED 2009 for
f New
N Construction
C t ti andd Major
M j
Renovations addresses 7 topics:
• Sustainable Sites (SS)
• Water Efficiency (WE)
• Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
• Materials and Resources (MR)
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
• Innovation in Design
g (ID)
( )
• Regional Priority (RP)
Current Tools

• LEED 2009 ((or LEED v3)) ((cont’d))

• LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major
Renovations certifications are awarded according
to the following scale:
• Certified 40–49
40 49 points
• Silver 50–59 points
• G ld 60–79
Gold 60 79 points
i t
• Platinum 80 points and above
• Maximum possible points = 110
• 100 base points; 6 possible Innovation in Design and 4
Regional Priority points
Current Tools

• LEED 2009 ((or LEED v3)) ((cont’d))

• LEED Green Associate (all rating systems)
• LEED Accredited
A dit d Professional
P f i l
• Building Design + Construction (BD+C)
• Interior Design + Construction (ID+C)
• Homes
• Operations + Maintenance (O+M)
• Neighborhood Development (ND) (available in 2010)
• Further information:
• US Green Building Council, www.usgbc.org
www usgbc org
• Green Building Certification Institute, www.gbci.org
Current Tools

• CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment

System for Building Environmental
Effi i
Efficiency),
) Japan
J
• Tool 0: Pre
Tool-0: Pre-design
design Assessment Tool
• Tool-1: DfE (Design for Environment) Tool
• Tool-2: Eco-labeling Tool
• Tool-3:
Tool 3: Sustainable Operation and Renovation
Tool
• Website:
W b it www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/
ib j /CASBEE/
 CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency)

(Source: IBEC, Japan)

(Source: IBEC, Japan)
(Source: IBEC, Japan)
(Source: IBEC, Japan)
 Korea’s Green Building Rating System Criteria
(multi residential building)
(multi-residential
Section Resource Environ- Quality of Longevity Process Contextual
C
Consump- mental
t l I d
Indoor F t
Factors
tion Loadings Environ.

Criteria - energy (8) - airborne - air quality - adapt- - design & - location &
- land (3) emissions (10) ability (5) construction trans-
(Number)
- water (2) (17) - thermal - mainten- process (6) portation (1)
- materials - solid waste quality (4) ance of - building - loadings on
(4) -visual perform- operations immediate
(7) ance ((6)) planning
p g ((7)) g
surroundings
- liquid quality (7)
waste (4) - noise & (4)
- other acoustics (3)
loadings (2) - controll-
controll
ability of
system (2)

Total(102) 20 27 26 11 13 5

* Source: Green Building Council of Korea (www.gbc-korea.co.kr)

Current Tools

• Taiwan Green Buildingg Label

• Nine sets of assessment criteria/indicators:
• 11. Biodiversity
• 2. Greenery
• 3 W
3. Water
t retention
t ti
• 4. Energy efficiency
• 5. Carbon
b di dioxide
id reduction
d i
• 6. Waste reduction
• 7. Indoor environment
• 8. Water resources
• 9. Wastewater and garbage
Current Tools

• Taiwan Green Building Material

• General
• Healthy
• Recycling
• High-performance
• Ecological
• Website: www.cabc.org.tw/gbm
www cabc org tw/gbm
Current Tools

• HK-BEAM
• Previous versions:
• Version 1/96R - for new office designs
• Version 2/96R - for existing office buildings
• V i 3/99 - for
Version f new residential
id ti l buildings
b ildi
• Hotel Building Environmental Assessment Scheme
(HBEAS)
• Issues covered:
• Global issues & use of resources
• Local issues
• Indoor issues
Current Tools

• HK-BEAM
• New versions 2004:
• HK
HK-BEAM
BEAM 4/04 New Buildings
• HK-BEAM 5/04 Existing Building
• Approach
A h
• Site aspects
• Materials aspects
• Energy use
• Water use
• Indoor environmental q
quality
y ((IEQ)
Q)
• Innovation & performance enhancements
Current Tools

• HK-BEAM
• Weighting system to reflect
• Relative importance of criteria
• Relative areas of the spaces
• Overall
O ll assessment grade
d (IEQ must meet min.
i %)
• Platinum 75% (Excellent) min. IEQ 65%
• Gold 65% (Very Good) min. IEQ 55%
• Silver 55% (Good) min. IEQ 50%
• Bronze 40% (Above average) min. IEQ 40%
• Website: www.hk
www.hk-beam.org.hk
beam.org.hk
Current Tools

• Comprehensive
p Environmental Performance
Assessment Scheme (CEPAS) for Buildings
• A consultancy study is commissioned by
Buildings Department to develop this scheme
• Currently
l under
d consultation
l i andd internal
i l review
i
• Buildingg types:
yp
• Residential
• Non-residential
Non residential
• Applications: new buildings, major addition &
alternation existing buildings
alternation,
Building life cycle stages for CEPAS

(Source: Executive Summary for CEPAS)

Performance categories for CEPAS

Resource IEQ
Use

Building

Building
Loadings Amenities

Site Site
Impacts Amenities
Context

Neighborhood Neighborhood
Impacts Amenities

Physical
y Human

(Source: Executive Summary for CEPAS)

Current Tools

• GBTool
• GBC (Green Building Challenge) for 19 countries
• Issues
I considered
id d
• Resource consumption (R)
• Environmental loadings (L)
• Indoor environmental quality (Q)
• Quality of service (S)
• Economics (E)
• Pre-operations management (M)
• Architectural q
quality
y ((? not included))
Source: http://greenbuilding.ca/GBIC.htm
Source: http://greenbuilding.ca/GBIC.htm
Current Tools

• Green Building Challenge (GBC)

• An international process, initiated by Canada
• Examples of green buildings in the world
• GBC 1998 (Vancouver, Canada)
• GBC 2000 (Maastricht, the Netherlands)
• GBC 2002 (Oslo,
(Oslo Norway)
• See conference proceedings & GBC CD
Current Tools

• Building environmental assessment is

evolving & attracting more and more attention
• The need to measure performance and set
pperformance targets
g
• Current issues:
• Assessment at design stage (potential performance)
• Actual operation and management of buildings
• Green building labelling
Video Presentation

• Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’ss First Green Building
• Location: Pennsylvania, USA
• Completion: 1999
• Description: [videorecording,
[videorecording 27 min.]
min ]
• http://www.gggc.state.pa.us/building/scrob.html