School of Built Environment Engineering

Department of Architectural / Civil Engineering

Assignment Brief

BTEC Units Only:

Programme Title Construction & the Built Environment
BTEC Unit # 37 BTEC Unit Title Environmental Assessment &
Monitoring
BTEC Unit Code R/615/1423 BTEC Credit Value 15
BTEC Unit Level 5

All Units:
HTU Unit Code 40401362 HTU Unit Title Environmental Assessment &
Monitoring
Academic Year 2022-2023 Semester Spring

Learner Name:
Instructor Leen Hiasat
Internal Verifier Eng. Tala Damra
Assignment 2/ R/615/1423
Reference Number
Assignment Title The 5th International Sustainability Symposium - Presentation
Assignment Brief 1
Version
Hand-Out Date 08/05/2023
Hand-In Date 19/06/2023
Formative 31/05/2023
Assessment Dates
Summative 19/06/2023
Assessment Date

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Introduction and Guidance
The construction industry is one of the least sustainable industries in the world, using
around half of all the resources that humankind consumes. Yet society depends on
construction to grow; making it increasingly important to find ways to reduce its
impact. Environmental assessment methods were conceived in order to drive improvements
in the built environment. They provide common methodologies that enable the
environmental impact of buildings and building products to be measured,
evaluated and reduced.
This unit explores the important role that environmental assessment and monitoring plays in
reducing the environmental impact of the built environment.

Learning Outcomes & Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcome
LO3 Evaluate the features and
drivers behind different
environmental assessment
methods.
LO4 Carry-out an environmental
assessment on a building,
comparing its performance with
similar buildings
Pass Merit Distinction
P5 Compare industry M3 Analyse the
standard building- various environmental
level environmental assessment methods
assessment methods and their approaches
and identify their towards reducing a
particular areas of building’s impact.
emphasis.
P6 Evaluate different
methods of evaluating
the environmental
impact of materials D3 Critically evaluate
and components, and how environmental
how these relate to assessment methods
building level respond to different
schemes. environmental
P7 Assess the M4 Examine how the concerns and improve
environmental results of the the performance of the
performance of a environmental building.
given building using assessment can be
an industry standard used to improve the
environmental environmental
assessment method. performance of the
P8 Compare a given building.
building’s
environmental
performance with
other similar
buildings.

The Scenario

You are a specialized researcher in the field of sustainability. You are participating in a conference
entitled “The 5th International Sustainability Symposium” with the theme of this year “The
Construction Industry” that will be held between 18th – 22nd of June 2023, in the Conferences Palace
located in the Dead sea area in Jordan.
The paper you have submitted to the conference was accepted, therefore, you will have to perform a
presentation during the conference dates. In the presentation you will have to show case an
environmental assessment of a public building that you have carried out. First, by visiting, observing,

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 and documenting through photos the current situation of the building, and then by performing an
environmental assessment method on it and providing ways to improve its performance.

Submission: An environmental assessment presentation that evaluates the different assessment

methods and shows a case study of an environmentally assessed building that you have worked on
as a researcher.

In this presentation you will provide an evaluation of the different environmental assessment
methods, by comparing the standard building-level assessment methods, and evaluating the
environmental impact of materials and components. You will also analyse the different methods and
their approaches towards reducing a building’s impact.
You are also asked to present a case study of your work that shows how you performed an
assessment on a public building by using one of the standard environmental assessment rating
systems. You should also provide a comparison for it with other similar buildings. Examining the
assessments' results, you should show the knowledge on how to improve the environmental
performance of the building. Finally, you should be able to evaluate critically the relation between
the environmental assessment methods and their respond to different environmental concerns, and
their help in improving the performance of the building.

Submission Format
The final submission should be a document (1 pdf file):

- An environmental assessment presentation which includes:

- The different environmental assessment methods and
- The environmental assessment of the chosen building
(Text + Visuals no more than 40 pages, and can be presented within 15 minutes period).

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a particular form of cheating. Plagiarism must be avoided at all costs and students who
break the rules, however innocently, may be penalised. It is your responsibility to ensure that you
understand correct referencing practices. As a university level student, you are expected to use
appropriate references throughout and keep carefully detailed notes of all your sources of materials for
material you have used in your work, including any material downloaded from the Internet. Please
consult the relevant unit lecturer or your unit tutor if you need any further advice.

Learner Declaration

I certify that this assignment has been fully explained and understood by me:

Learner Name Registration #

Learner Signature Date

Recommended Resources

Textbooks
BERGE, B. (2009) The Ecology of Building Materials. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge.

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HALLIDAY, S. (2008) Sustainable Construction. 2nd ed. Oxford: ButterworthHeinemann.
KUBBA, S. (2012) Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction: LEED, BREEAM, and Green Globes. 1st ed.
Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Websites
www.breeam.com BRE-BREEAM (General Reference)

www.usgbc.org Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (General Reference)

www.gbca.org.au/green-star Green Building Council Australia – Green Start

(General Reference)

usdm.upc.gov.ae Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council – Estidama

(General Reference)

www.passivehouse.com Passive House Institute

(General Reference)