Week 2 – Sustainable Development

Contents

2.1 Introduction 2
2.2 Learning Outcomes 2
2.3 Principles of sustainability 3
2.4 Sustainable development 4
2.5 Construction industry and sustainability 7
2.5.1 Achieving the SDGs 7
2.5.2 Challenges for Sustainable Buildings 10
2.6 Summary 12
References 13

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2.1 Introduction
The building and construction industry contributes significantly to the depletion of resources,
affecting climate change; and hence has been incorporated in global sustainability agenda across the
globe. The sustainable built environment is fundamentally driven by the need for societies to able to
build, renovate, operate buildings and infrastructures within the available supply of natural capital
(Goodhew, 2016), which is related factors such as the depletion of finite energy sources, extractable
raw materials, and areas of land needed. This has led to the incorporation of environmental and social
aspects in the assessment of construction projects, reputed to be finance-centric (Goh et al., 2020).
Sustainable development assessment, under the flag of environmental performance is trending
towards regulation levels in different areas of the globe and it is predictable that computer models
will be prominent in the near future for the assessment of construction projects (Shen et al., 2005). It
is widely accepted that assessments that consider all dimensions of sustainability, considering the
triple-bottom line approach in civil infrastructures and the built environment in general are still
limited (Kucukvar and Tatari, 2013), although significant improvements over the last few years are
vivid. In Week 1, the key principles and factors behind climate change and global warming were
established. This week, we will review the different sustainability principles and how they relate to
the construction and building industry, globally. The principles such as triple bottom line (TBL) and
sustainable development goals are exposed and discussed in the context of sustainable construction.

2.2 Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of this week of study you will be able to:
LO1: Identify and critically assess the effects of construction on the natural environment.
LO2: Examine current research and knowledge to develop a critical understanding of sustainable
construction and innovation.

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2.3 Principles of sustainability
The forces of economic production, trade, and consumption are reshaping our planet. The
physical, chemical, and biological conditions that exist on Earth are collectively referred to as
"the natural environment". The economy is dependent on the environment for (i) the extraction
of resources to be used as inputs to production, (ii) the disposal of waste, (iii) the provision of
environmental services (Giddings et al., 2002). Nonetheless, the Earth's resources are limited,
and both the amount of useful materials that can be extracted and the ability of the natural
environment to process waste have theoretical absolute limits. The ability of the environment to
deliver resources and environmental services to the economy and society cannot be jeopardised
in the pursuit of economic growth and prosperity (Hirsch, 1976).

Our Common Future was released in 1987 by the United Nations World Commission on
Environment and Development. According to the findings of this report, "sustainable
development" is an essential factor in achieving sustained growth in the economy in the future:
“Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
(WCED, 1987) (Our Common Future, p.16). The modern definition of sustainability recognises
three principal aspects to sustainability: social, environmental and economic; known as the
triple bottom line (TBL). It is also commonly referred to as 3Ps: People, planet, and profit.
The objective of sustainable development can be thought of as maximising the synergies between
these elements through an adaptive process of trade-offs, such as that shown in Figure 1 (Barbier,
1987).

Figure 1 provides a description of the TBL and the 3Ps principles. A large circle represents the
system boundary of the environment. Within this circle, a Venn diagram contains three
overlapping circles. The three circles are titled ‘social’, ‘economic’ and ‘ecological’. The area
where the social and environmental circles overlap is titled ‘equity’; similarly, the area where the
economic and ecological circles overlap is titled ‘viable’, while the area of overlap between the
ecological and social circles is titled ‘bearable’. Hence, ‘sustainable’ is the area where all three
circles overlap. Similarly on the right image in Figure 1, the 3Ps interactions are depicted.

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 Figure 1 Conceptual model of sustainability, comprising the social, economic and ecological
principles and their overlapping dimensions within the environment (left) ; and the 3Ps concept
(right).

"Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" (Agenda 2030) was
endorsed by the 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015. In order to eradicate poverty,
safeguard the environment, and raise living standards for all people, the United Nations
established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of Agenda 2030 (UN Department
of Economic and Social Affairs, 2015) (see Figure 2, below).

2.4 Sustainable development

The term 'sustainable development' first appeared in the 1982 World Charter for Nature, which
created a code of conduct for the conservation of the world's natural ecosystems and resources.
This demonstrates that the concept of sustainable development arose from environmental
concerns (UN General Assembly, 1982). These concerns were latter addressed in ‘Brundtland
Report’ Our Common Future by the World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED) in 1987 and proposed a strategy that unified the development and the environment,
introducing the term sustainable development, and providing its current definition (Brundtland,
1987): «Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without

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compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.» In general, the
sustainable development principles aim at reconciling the two seemingly opposing ‘economic
growth’ and environmental protection and resources preservation, as described in ‘The Limit to
Growth’ (Meadows et al., 1972). Since the inception of the notion of sustainable development, it
has been evident that information, namely quantitative indicators, will play a crucial role (Hák
et al., 2016). Such indicators were adopted by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Figure 2 shows the 17 UN sustainable development goals, representing a call by all countries,
recognizing the need to spur economic growth, while protecting the planet. These goals are
interconnected, and different actors can impact their achievement. The aims should be universal,
interconnected, indivisible, planet-sensitive, and people-cantered. The SDGs are not simply
environmental; they also address economic and social growth.

Figure 2 The United Nations (2015) Sustainable Development Goals. Icons representing the
following united nations sustainable development goals: 1 No Poverty, 2. Zero Hunger, 3. Good
Health and Well-being, 4. Quality Education, 5. Gender Equality, 6. Clean Water and Sanitation,
7. Affordable and Clean Energy, 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9. Industry, Innovation
and Infrastructure, 10. Reduced Inequality, 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities, 12.

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Responsible Consumption and Production, 13. Climate Action, 14. Life Below Water, 15. Life
on Land, 16. Peace and Justice Strong Institutions, 17. Partnerships to achieve the Goals.

Following the UN's guiding directives, governments around the world have developed unique,
context-specific ‘sustainable development’ goals. For example, the UK government's updated
vision for sustainable development expands on the ideas that guided the UK's sustainable
development strategy in 2005 by giving equal weight to the demands of the economy, society,
and natural environment and making use of good governance and rigorous science (HM
Government, 2005). Figure 3 shows a set of shared principles that forms the basis for sustainable
development in the UK and devolved administrations. The general approach is that sustainable
policy must respect all five principles, though some policies will place more emphasis on certain
principles than others, depending on the defining factors of evolution.

Figure 3 Guiding principles for sustainable development in the UK. Adopted from the
‘Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development).

Sustainable development recognises that the three ‘pillars’ – the economy; society; and the
environment - are interconnected. To ensure that the United Kingdom's economic growth is
robust, sustainable, and broadly shared, the government has launched a series of growth studies

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from some departments including DEFRA, DBEIS, etc. Indeed, the long-term economic success
relies on maintaining and strengthening the environmental resources that underpin it and paying
proper consideration to social needs. Similar approaches were adopted around the globe, at
national, or regional levels.

2.5 Construction industry and sustainability

2.5.1 Achieving the SDGs

The building and construction sector remains one of the most important areas for intervention to
limit the environmental impact and contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development
goals – SDGs. This sector generates around 5-10% of the global GDP and provides housing,
mobility, infrastructures, contributing to the social and economic tissues of global societies (U.
N. Environment, 2017). The building industry, along with its supporting material sectors, is one
of the largest physical and biological natural resource exploiters globally. The industry
contributes significantly to the world economy's current unsustainable development path (Spence
and Mulligan, 1995). Globally, the construction and building sector concurrently accounts for
40% of annual energy consumption, up to 30% of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions,
and 12% of all freshwater consumption; in addition, it generates up to 40% of annual solid waste
(Alawneh et al., 2019).

The construction industry has been, in particular, reviewed with reference to a framework for the
assessment of its relation with the sustainable development goal 13, SDG 13 ‘Climate Action’
(Johnsson et al., 2020). By building sustainable infrastructure projects, particularly in developing
countries, the construction industry is a crucial contributor in the worldwide drive to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals. The accomplishment of the SDGs would necessitate global
investments in sustainable infrastructure, particularly in the Global South. In communities where
building projects are carried out to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living, the
construction sector provides employment prospects for unemployed individuals. Governments
around the world ought to use the construction and building sector as a guiding force in the
development of appropriate policies and regulations (Fei et al., 2021).

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The construction and operation of buildings constitute an important part of the achievement of
SDGs. In fact, one of the most often-quoted drivers for the sustainable construction industry is
climate change and the underpinning influence, the greenhouse gas effect (Goodhew, 2016); and
hence most of the current ‘sustainability’ policy and regulations focus on the climate change and
greenhouse gas emissions. The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (2020) has
proposed a roadmap covering eight activities related to buildings: urban planning, new buildings,
existing buildings, buildings operation, appliances, materials, resilience, and clean energy, as
shown in Figure 4.

In the case of new buildings, some of the key actions to achieve sustainable, zero-emissions and
efficient-resilient buildings include (Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, 2020):
● Develop a roadmap strategy, considering energy efficiency first and whole-life carbon
assessment approach,
● Develop and implement mandatory building codes, transitioning from voluntary
codes,
● Strengthen building codes, which aspirations to achieve net zero codes by 2030,
● Minimise the need for space conditioning, prioritising the use of passive design
approaches,
● Governments leading examples, ensuring all public buildings are near-zero energy in
first instance,
● Reduce both embodied and operational carbon through materials measures and
improved operation and maintenance,
Increase awareness and information to enable consumers to make better choices and facilitate
advantageous financing.

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 Figure 4 The current status and recommended actions on 08 sectors of the buildings sector
(Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, 2020).

Similar guidelines exist for the infrastructures such as the ‘Transforming Infrastructure
Performance: Roadmap to 2030’ of the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority. Equivalent
roadmaps exist in other countries across the globe. Sustainable buildings construction industry

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has been related to the TBL, with reference to environmental, economic, and social approaches
and practices (Zhang et al, 2011) (Table 1).

Table 1. The desirable practices in the construction and buildings sector (adapted from Zhang et
al., 2011).
TBL approaches Practices in construction and buildings industry
Environmental Reducing waste through careful design and construction
Careful land use including protecting green spaces and reuse of land
Minimising the risk of flooding
Minimising operational energy consumption of buildings
Minimising the impact of development on ecosystems
Use of whole-life principles in the design, construction, and management
Choosing solutions that have the lowest practical life-cycle impact
Reducing the use of water and other resources
Minimising the carbon footprint of a buildings
Economic Enhancing skills and employment through design and construction
Using whole-life costing as a critical criterion in the decision-making
Use of contractors/sub-contractors/suppliers with sustainable practices
Social Meeting basic human needs for shelter, comfort, health
Development that seeks to benefit society
Enhancing community health and wellbeing
Designing for adaptability in function, technology, and climate

2.5.2 Challenges for Sustainable Buildings

Sustainable development practice in the building and construction industry faces challenges on
three fronts: social, economic, and technological.

Economic Challenges
1. Cost: Sustainable development is admittedly more costly than conventional construction
since eco-friendly materials and technologies are more expensive. Increased capital costs

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 associated with installing energy-saving equipment or green technologies discourage
sustainable design. In addition, higher maintenance expenses, as seen by contractors, are
a deterrent.
2. Time: At the contractor’s level, cost increases might result in longer approval periods and
project delays, which reflects poorly on the company's reputation.

Technological Challenges
1. Unfamiliarity with Green Technology: The familiarity with green technology among
engineers and architects in the construction industry has not kept pace with the rise in
awareness. Therefore, although the technical experts may be familiar with the relevant
technology, the technique remains uncertain.
2. Technical Difficulties During Construction. This is a spinoff of the main issue we
discussed earlier. Even if a firm commits to using certain environmentally friendly
technology, delays in the project's completion could result from unforeseen technical
issues. So, the total cost of the project increases as a result.
3. Lengthy Approval Process: Insufficient and unclear regulations surrounding sustainable
development exist in many jurisdictions around the world. Background checks lengthen
the clearance process, there are no obvious incentives that could sway the contractor, and
there are no clear rules for providing environmentally friendly plans. As a result,
developers view all of these factors as a collective risk and move at a more moderate
pace when adopting them.

Social Challenges
1. Resistance to Change: In general, human psychology is resistant to change. We have an
inherent bias for everything radically novel, which is more visible than ever in
sustainable development (Batel and Devine-Wright, 2015). Frances Cairncross,
Environment Editor at The Economist, UK, aptly summarises this conflict by stating,
"Consumers only consider "green" when purchasing a restricted range of products. In
addition, some "green" items do not perform as well as non-green products, such as
detergents, but cost consumers more (Clarke et al., 1994). Thus, the lack of information

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 about the benefits of sustainability in construction within the common people leads to
lesser investors in buildings. People do not consider the long-term benefits of living
green, hence post-construction occupancy is low.
2. Lack of Integrated Design: Sustainable development projects largely function in smaller,
independent specialty organisations nowadays. For instance, the MEP consultant may
estimate the building's layout and orientation without consulting the architect. This
causes back-and-forth between the two departments, increasing project time and costs.
This lack of an integrated design process is one of the crucial reasons why adoption of
sustainable buildings is slow (Wong, 2015).

In order to overcome these obstacles, an innovative strategy that places greater emphasis on the
end user is required. At this point, the Triple Bottom Line principle enters the picture and
becomes relevant.

2.6 Summary
The preceding sections present an overview of sustainability principles, sustainable development
and their applications to the construction and building industry. While the majority of study has
focused on the environmental aspects of sustainable construction, it is crucial that construction
industry professionals recognise that sustainable construction incorporates environmental,
economic, and social sustainability aspects of the triple bottom line theory. There is a global
movement for industries to adopt sustainable practices. The aforementioned obstacles and
difficulties provide an overview of some of the variables that can influence sustainable practices.
Sustainable buildings and infrastructure remain inextricably interconnected with other principles
such as circular economy and green building. The assessment of sustainability of buildings and
infrastructures integrates tools such as life cycle assessment, environmental rating schemes,
etc.

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References
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