APRIL 2013 |www.opp-connect.com WORDS | Gordon Miller Build green


We all know that we should built sustainably – the question that often pops up is the how. Gordon Miller covers some of the most important areas a developer should be looking at when creating a new build


powered. I will also discuss building materials, ie their origin either as raw materials, recycled ones or reused items and how that fi ts into the larger sustainability landscape. One last caveat: where in the


Eco Issues | Sustainability


qualifi cation – not least in terms of my credibility to comment upon it. Let’s deal with that element fi rst. I have never built so much as a shed, let alone a house. I have never ‘developed’. I am, however, a licensed BREEAM assessor, and have been writing about the built environment for 20 years. Next, developing sustainably means many things to a lot of people. Just some of the elements that impact on, and are impacted by, sustainability are the buildings themselves; the business operation; and the society and environment affected and infl uenced by the development activity. Within each of those areas one person’s idea of exemplary practice might be another’s minimum requirement. Universal standards of best practice include ISO14001, BREEAM, and LEED.


T So, in 1,000 words or less, while


I cannot hope to do justice to the subject in any depth, I will outline what I feel are some of the key elements to develop a building sustainably. One further caveat: I recognize that the business case is a missing ingredient of what I discuss. Without that, in context, the picture I paint could be construed as idealistic. I hope you’ll fi nd that while not every aspect is practical it provides pointers worthy of consideration.


I’m going to deconstruct a building


(let’s say a house). Its workings, ie its mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), and its external requirements e.g. how it is heated/cooled and


he phrase “to develop sustainably” requires immediate and full


world you are developing is hugely signifi cant to your needs. For example, is your primary challenge heating or cooling? In the Northern hemisphere it’s generally heating. In the Southern hemisphere and equatorial ‘belt’ it is all about cooling. What macro energy issues impact where you are developing – is grid access possible? Can you sell back to it, or do you have to be independent? PassivHaus standard is increasingly regarded as the sustainability holy grail in the Northern hemisphere. Look it up online, but in summary it’s all about providing the optimum living conditions by producing an air tight envelope – high levels of wall and roof insulation and no thermal bridges (ties, steel supports, balconies etc) – to prevent interior coldness. On the fl ip side, to ensure changes of air necessary for a healthy human habitat, mechanical air ventilation and heat recovery is a requirement. The obvious benefi t is there is almost no space heating requirement. Heating bills can be reduced to next to nothing – a great selling feature in these times of energy security worries and ever-increasing bills. Conversely, overheating can be an issue that requires mechanical cooling. Some residents complain their homes become stilted as ‘natural’ air changes from draughts, open windows are either designed out or negate the benefi t. In hot climates, natural ventilation


is the desirable energy, environmental and cost-effective option. It begins with optimizing the orientation of the building for solar benefi t and to benefi t from natural breezes, followed by the designing in of shading (brise soleil), and air fl ows to take in the natural elements. Such work is stock in trade for architects who will computer model (known as BIM) to ensure the best possible outcome. Next, let’s look at the P of MEP:


plumbing. Greywater (shower, hand, clothes and dish wash as opposed to blackwater – effl uent) recycling is de


Gordon Miller is the Co-founder of leadership organisation Sustain Worldwide (www.sustainworldwide.com). He is a licensed BREEAM International Assessor, consults on sustainability to developers, and contributes to national newspapers including the Financial Times and The Guardian. gordon@sustainworldwide.com


riguer for the sustainable developer. Designed in at build phase, it’s no real technical challenge these days. Rainwater harvesting is similarly expected and achievable. Blackwater treatment, cleaning and reuse warrants best practice status. Powering and heating/cooling the building from renewable sources – solar, wind, hydro, biomass, ground and air source – rather than fossil fuel – earns foremost sustainability credentials. The theory is well established, the technology and materials (eg solar pv and thermal panels) are effective and effi cient;


“While not every aspect is practical, I hope you’ll fi nd it provides pointers for consideration”


but the biggest challenge for an un-integrated resort development is 24/7 availability and reliability, and the diffi culty and expense of power storage. As an example, one can install solar pv (electricity generation) and thermal (hot water) panels on roofs, or in an adjacent area if space permits, and when the sun is shining you have all the power and hot water required. When the sun goes down, so does the resource – unless you have stored any unused power that has been generated. Two issues: storage batteries are expensive and the technology is not as robust. The alternative, often a diesel (fossil fuel) back up, defeats the ambition and is noisy and costly. Lastly, let’s look at building


materials. For the highest sustainability credentials, the hierarchy is reuse and recycle and if


you need to procure new, do so from renewable sources. For example, if there’s an existing building onsite, can it be reused? Recycle what you can: roof tiles, window frames etc, and reuse, salvage or trade them – don’t simply landfi ll. If you have no option but to raze a building, can the rubble be used for aggregates for the new building or infrastructure? Sourcing new materials from sustainable sources is increasingly achievable. For example, FSC accredited timber is the label to seek, adobe brick can be sourced or made on site (cf AlmaVerde), lime mortar can be sourced from reputable suppliers. Recycled, reconstituted and locally produced furniture, organic (non-VOC) paints and so on are all available, increasingly on a wider scale and not always at a huge premium.


Conference To hear fi rst hand how several sustainability leaders are delivering exemplar developments, attend the London Global Green Leader conference on 19 June 2013 Southbank, Central London. The one-day event will champion the innovative design and sustainable development of London’s landmark buildings to deliver reputational, legislative and marketability effi ciencies for property investors, developers and users. Acclaimed speakers from sector leading organisations and companies include those invited from Arup, British Land, Buro Happold, Harrods, Legal & General Property, London Legacy Development Corporation, London Transport, M&S and University of Bath. www.sustainworldwide.com/ london-global-green-leader- conference-2013.html


BUSINESS


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