FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND BUILT

ENVIRONMENT (FKAAB)

SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING
BFC 32703
SEMESTER 2 2019/2020

ASSIGNMENT 2

SUSTAINABILITY IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION :

CONCEPTS AND STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE

STUDENTS’ NAME:
1. FIKRI HAKIM BIN HAMZAN DF180129
2. FITRI BIN NAIM DF180057
3. MOHAMMAD SAIFUL SHAFIQ BIN MOHD JAMBRI DF180141
4. MUHAMAD KHAIRUL FIRDAUS BIN MOHD ASLAM DF180075

SECTION 7

LECTURER’S NAME:
DR. NOORLI BT. ISMAIL MARKS
 ABSTRACT

Building construction challenge, in recent years, is reduction of social, economic and

environmental impacts of buildings along with their economical nature and increasing of life
quality, and for these aims sustainable construction becomes important as building
construction has important role in sustainable development. Sustainable development in any
fields as construction and architecture defines in any words and from different point of views.
In this study by review and studying definitions and concepts of sustainability in building and
architecture sector, as sustainable design, architecture and construction, a comprehensive
definition as Building sustainability model have been presented. Also, some concept of
sustainability and the strategies to achieve sustainability in construction are presented.

Keywords: sustainable construction, review, concept, principles

1. INTRODUCTION

In general, sustainability means the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level or

avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. In
this context, sustainability seems to be a concept branding to every field ranging from global
development policy to usage of energy sources and from production planning to architectural
design in our age [1].
Sustainability is a multi-dimensional system which aims increase in life quality of all people
through healing the conditions of people with disadvantages, making valuable bonds among
people by giving importance to cooperation and social benefit, and doing reform in
economics fed from these natural resources [1]. At the same time, sustainability aims to be
able to also exist generations in the next century by protecting natural and built environment
and taking care of continuity of human beings and natural resources [2]. Concept
fundamentally aims providing equilibrium with respect to human, time, and place; in other
words, equal allocation of world resources among all nations, living things and future
generations.

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2. SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPT

Sustainability has three main components or concept called environmental protection, social
well-being and economic prosperity. Interactions among each other of effective parameters of
sustainability which are protection of environment, social well-being and economic
prosperity are demonstrated in figure 1 [3]. These three components should be taken into
consideration as inseparable parts of a whole because of their full integrations with each other
[4].

Figure 1 : Sustainability

2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Environmental sustainability means giving the world to future generation better than taken,
protecting ecological balance and natural systems from destruction [5]. It is necessity to take
into consideration ecological balance and saving in consumption of unrenewable resources.
Sustainability of a resource is dependent on ability of renewal itself at the same time. In one-
way, environmental sustainability means handing of natural resources to future generations
without destruction. Environmental sustainability requires being sensitive in the subjects of;

• Conservation of life-supports systems,

• Being saving in using unrenewable resources
• Protection of aliveness and diversity on the earth,
• Sustainable usage of renewable resources,
• Protection of cultural and historical environments
• Minimizing harm to the environment and living things

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2.2 SOCIAL WELL-BEING

Social sustainability, which is the most critical target of sustainable development, focuses on
all basic rights and equality related to be a human [4]. The most prominent one of basic right
and freedom is equality and balance among generations. Assets can be passed on to cutting
edge to continue their presences and give their well off. They will be supplied thanks to
social sustainability. There are some basic right that given;
• Increased life quality
• Provided basic requirements such as work, house, health conditions, education and
cultural activities for everyone as long-term
• Protected right to life of future generation
• Reintegrated disabled groups into society, and at the same time

2.3 ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

In current modern economic development model, it is assumed that economic activity will
increase in the market by increase in buying power of individuals and thanks to this, increase
in Gross National Product will contribute to individuals [4]. In economic process, because
production consumption balance must be set by considering ecological susceptibilities and
social fair matters, economic sustainability is one of the most important subjects of
sustainable development. A sustainable economic development requires;
• Decrease in cost via providing efficiency by decreasing energy and resource input in
production
• Creation new markets and merchandising opportunities
• Provision added value

3. STRATEGIES TO ACHEVE SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Often, in the building industry, economic and sustainability interests may be strange, and
many times stakeholders choose to pursue economic over environmental advancement.
Sometimes, they may be eager to falsely claim environmental motivation, even when
economic concerns override. These are the strategies to achieve the principle of sustainable
construction.

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3.1 PROCUREMENT

Procurement is defined as products or services which minimize or provide positive

environmental impacts through the factoring of environmental concerns into major
purchasing strategies, policies and directives [6]. Green procurement incorporates ecological
contemplations with the blend of cost and quality into the procurement process. For example,
green procurement involves the purchase of sustainable technologies, products and services
for water, energy, waste and material efficiency, such as recycling, in council buildings,
facilities, offices, works and fleets.
The aims of promoting green procurement are to reduce the adverse environmental, social
and economic impacts of purchased products and services throughout their lives. Practical
obtainment looks past the direct front expense to settle on buying choices dependent on the
whole lifecycle of the items and administrations consideration which includes costs,
environmental and social risks and benefits, and broader social and environmental
consequences.

3.2 SITE OR ENVIRONMENT

The construction phase gives continuity to what was conceived and projected at the earlier
stage. Many companies have not devoted sufficient attention to the interference caused by
construction sites, which also have significant impacts, such as inconveniences to the
neighbourhood pollution, impacts of the construction site and the consumption of resources.
These interferences caused by the construction site affect society at the local level, including
workers, neighbourhoods and ecosystems, and at a global level, affecting society as a whole,
especially in relation to pollution [7]. Table 1 describes some environmental impacts that may
occur during the construction phase [8].
Table 1 : Potential environmental impacts during the construction phase.
Removal of buildings Generation of a large volume of waste when the structure is of
reinforced concrete with mortar finishing.
Storage and handling of Chemical contamination of the soil due to incorrect storage and
materials handling of materials.
Consumption and wastage Accelerated depletion of mineral deposits and natural resources.
of resources
Air quality Non-renewal of air directly impacts the health of the worker,
causing discomfort, damage to health, drowsiness, and loss of
reaction capacity, asphyxia, or even death.

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3.3 MATERIALS SELECTION

Steel, concrete and timber are unequivocally the three most commonly used materials in
sustainable construction practices. To fully comprehend sustainable construction material
selection processes, the commonly used materials need to be thoroughly investigated. For
such purpose, three buildings were selected and carefully analysed. The three buildings were
traditional high rise approximately 18 levels residential structures in Sydney, Australia [9].
Their age is less than 20 years whereas their material composition consisted of Concrete,
Steel and Timber. Nonetheless, the main structural elements of the said buildings were a
combination of concrete and steel, with timber being utilized for low load bearing structural
elements. All three structures were constructed on deep concrete footing and reinforced
foundations of end bearing piles with some friction piles utilized as well. The analysis of the
three buildings was based on the specific materials which were actually used in these three
independent sites. Since steel, concrete and timber were the major materials used in these
structures, their particular usage and convention require careful analysis. Subsequently, to
further demonstrate the utilization of these three materials, tables were developed to exhibit
their usage as shown hereinafter. As a basis of comparison, Material Selection Factors MSF
were utilized.

3.4 WASTE PREVENTION

Prevention and reduction approaches are the primary effort in reducing waste generated in
construction. Prevention provides financial benefits because it reduces the excessive purchase
of construction materials and averts the need to remove wastes from site. Two of the methods
that can be used at this stage are:

• Ensuring that construction materials are ordered according to needs to prevent

oversupply on site
• Ensuring proper storage and handling of construction materials to minimise
generation of damaged materials/waste

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Segregation is another method that can be used to prevent and reduce construction waste.
Segregation is a process implemented at source whereby waste is segregated into specific
types of materials. The aim of segregation is to increase the potential of construction waste
material for re-use and recycling, and indirectly, to reduce the disposal of waste to landfill
[10].

3.5 RECYCLING

Recycling secondary raw materials generally requires a series of processes, of which

recognition, sorting, size reduction, and separating are the most important. Housing or
construction demolition rubble must first have the iron, wood, mastic, bitumen, cardboard,
chipboard, plastics, aluminium, zinc, copper etc, removed before the aggregate from the
rubble crusher is suitable for use as secondary material, Asphalt and concrete from broken-up
road paving is also contaminated with road dirt, salt and oil residues etc. that must be
removed before the recycling process can begin.
During the past decades, mechanical reprocessing systems have largely replaced manual
processes, primarily in the metal sector but also for construction and demolition waste. Not
only the recycling sector, but also the government, came under increasing pressure to
implement design for recycling. Design for recycling means;
• using fewer materials
• using parts that can be easily dismantled
• marking all the plastic parts used so that they can be readily identified during
dismantling and can be easily separated for further processing

3.6 ENERGY

Energy efficiency is regarded as a benchmark of energy utilized to supply a service. By

making improvement to the energy efficiency, the public will receive and save more energy
from the energy used [11]. Energy efficiency is the essence towards achieving sustainability
in the society, and it is also broadly acknowledged as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions [12].

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Next, energy efficiency refurbishment and retrofit will help minimize the gas emission of
greenhouse gases and the reduction has led to the energy efficiency of buildings. The
constructed environment points to 30-40% of global energy consumption and connected
greenhouse gas emissions, enabling any industry to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas
emissions [13].

3.7 BUILDING & MATERIALS REUSE

The construction materials generated should be re-used on site or salvaged for re-use to the
greatest extent possible. Disposal should only be considered as the ultimate alternative. Some
examples under this initiative are shown in Table 2 [14]. Re-use of construction waste
generated from renovation and demolition activities using the deconstruction method is
highly recommended.
Table 2 : Examples of re-use of waste material in construction
Top soil Material can be used for landscaping
Formwork Formwork from concrete work can be used repeatedly before disposal
Aggregate and Aggregate and concrete waste from hacking activities can be re-used
concrete for embankment on soft soil around construction sites

Deconstruction is a process whereby building components are dismantled carefully to salvage

components for re-use and recycling. This technique also can be included in the method
statement by determining the specific components to be used. Indirectly, this technique will
increase the re-use and recycling rate of the project.

3.8 HEALTH AND SAFETY

Sustainability has been focused on the use of such resources as the materials being
incorporated in the built environment and the energy consumed in the process of
manufacturing the materials or their installation. Construction practices can have direct and
indirect human health effects for construction workers. On construction sites, toxic
substances are present in numerous products, such as paints, solvents, wood preservatives,
pesticides, adhesives and sealants. Even with careful management, some of these substances
are released into the air, soil, and water, and many are hazardous to workers.

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The sustainability and green building movement could set itself apart by taking a proactive
stance on construction worker safety and health. It is simply an aspect of the construction
process that has been ignored. This would render sustainability more holistic and would
heighten the stature of those projects that satisfied sustainability criteria because they gave
appropriate consideration to construction worker safety and health. Redesigning the
construction process for sustainable production should involve setting health, safety, and the
environment as production design parameters, thus integrating occupational and
environmental health and safety in the design and evaluation of the construction process [15].

3.9 INDOOR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY

Improving the indoor environment quality at home and in the workplace will generally
enhance well-being and reduce the likelihood of ill-health. Through the implementation of
passive design principles, good indoor environment quality also leads to energy savings due
to reduced energy demands for heating, cooling and artificial lighting. Table 3 show the
quality of an indoor environment is commonly defined through the following main factors:
Table 3 : Factors to for improved Indoor Environment Quality
Ventilation The ideal layout features openable windows located in opposite walls,
which creates a breeze path to let in fresh air and flush out stale air.
Thermal comfort Thermal comfort describes the temperature and humidity range in which
humans feel comfortable. This range can fluctuate by many degrees and
percentages, depending on activity levels, clothing, annual seasons and
personal preferences.
Product choice Many materials used in the fit-out and construction of homes and
commercial buildings contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
which pose serious health risks to building occupants.
External views In office buildings, views can reduce eyestrain for computer workers; in
residential buildings views provide a sense of connectivity.
Internal noise considering the inclusion of acoustic insulation to internal and external
levels walls, double glazing to windows, landscaping that buffers traffic noise
and a good balance of internal hard and soft finishes.
Daylight Good access to natural light is essential to occupant wellbeing and
employee performance.

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4.0 CONCLUSION

The purpose of the current study was to discuss the concept of sustainability and review the
strategies to achieve the principle of sustainable. As conclusion, concept of sustainability
summarized in three category that main and essential aims in each one is presented.
Environmental protection, social well-being and economic prosperity should have in every
construction in order to achieve sustainability. Next, there are nine strategies that should
follow to achieve the principle of sustainable construction. The strategies are procurement,
site or environment, materials selection, waste prevention, recycling, energy, building and
materials reuse, health and safety, and indoor environment quality. All of the strategies are
described to make sure all the strategies well understood. All of the concept and strategies
should have in every construction in this country in order to achieve sustainability.

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