Sustainable Built Environment

Dr. Sam C M HuiDepartment of Mechanical Engineering

The University of Hong KongE-mail: cmhui@hku.hk

MECH1010 – Engineer in Societyhttp://www.hku.hk/bse/mech1010/

Mar 2008

Built Environment

• Built environment is everything that has been made by humans to modify the spaces in which we live and work• Ranges from the large-scale civic surroundings to

the personal places• May be residential, commercial, industrial,

schools, parks, roads and highways• Include architectural design, building engineering,

interior design, landscape design, town planning and urban design

"We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us."

(Winston Churchill)

Built Environment

• Scope of the built environment• Economy• Environment• Social

• Possible impacts, such as on• Quality of life, economic goals• Climate, bio-sphere, global resources• Air quality, water and ground pollution• Land use, waste, local resources

Built Environment

• Our world today has limited resources

• Excessive use of materials is not only wasteful of natural products, but also costs money

• There is a need to promote “sustainable development” in our society/planet

• Two key questions to ask ourselves:• What is sustainable development?• How to make the built environment sustainable?

Built Environment

• The Brundtland Report (Our Common Future)• “S.D. is development which meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.” – World Commission on Environment and Development.

• Two important concepts• Needs – maintain an acceptable life standard• Limits – within the carrying capacity of

supporting ecosystems and resource base

Supportingecosystems andresource base

Human needs anddevelopment

Ecological footprint (hectares/person) *:- world average = 2.3- USA = 10.3- Hong Kong = 6.0- China = 1.2[* Source: Friends of theEarth (HK)]

WasteSupply

Carrying capacity and ecological footprint

Built Environment

• One day in HK (popul. = 6.97 million) [1999]• Fresh water consumption = 358 litre/person• Electricity consumption = 13.9 kWh/person• Food consumption:

• Vegetables 1,100 tonnes; fruits 1,800 tonnes• Live pigs 6,200 heads; live cattle 170 heads• Live poultry 190 tonnes; fresh eggs 200 tonnes• Freshwater fish 120 tonnes; marine fish 170 tonnes

• Solid waste production = 18,040 tonnes

Sustain-able Future?

Built Environment

• How to make the built environment sustainable?• Achieve a balance among economy, environment

and social• Promote sustainable design and operation of

buildings which consider• Economy and efficiency of resources

• Life cycle design

• Human well-being

Economy

Environment

SocietyEconomicSustainabilityGrowthDevelopmentProductivityTrickle-down

Social SustainabilityCultural IdentityEmpowerment

AccessibilityStability

Equity

Environmental SustainabilityEcosystem integrityCarrying capacityBiodiversity

Human Well Being

Three dimensions of sustainability

Building life cycle and sustainable construction

Construction

Operation & maintenance

Demolition/Disposal

Design

Waste management

Recycle Reuse

Materials and systems

Reduce Select

Pre-BuildingPhase

BuildingPhase

Post-BuildingPhase

Energy issues Water conservation

Efficiency Renewable Reduce Recycle

Designers

Contractors

Users

- CO2 emissions- acid rain- ozone depletion- rainforest depletion

- energy performance- renewable energy- water conservation

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

- material selection- recycling of materials- waste management- disposal & reuse

- environmental policy- transport strategy- building maintenance

- site selection- urban design- landscape planning

EnvironmentalCriteria &Factors

UpstreamUpstream DownstreamDownstream

Bldg. materials

Energy/fuels

Fresh water

Consumer goods

Solar radiationWindRain

Used materials

Combustion by- productWaste water

Garbage

HeatPolluted airGround water

Resource and material flow in the building ecosystem

Avoid “sick building syndromes” by maintaininggood indoor air quality

What is it?

Ans.: A sustainable washing machine(Benefits: save energy and water, reuse materials, promote human exercises)

Built Environment

• Video presentation:• A democratic building (17 min.) [AV

725.1209421 D3]• The Greater London Authority's headquarters (GLA

Building)• To study the aims, design and implementation of an

environmentally considered building• Contributors:

• Richard Banks, CIT Group (the client)• David Kong, architect with Foster and Partners• Sara McGowan, building services engineers with Ove Arup• Macolm Turpin, structural engineer with Ove Arup

London City Hall GLA Building

(Source: www.london.gov.uk/gla/)

Built Environment

• Role Model – Mechanical Building Services Engineer: Sara McGowan• Young Women Engineer of the Year 2003, UK• Uses science & art to design modern buildings• Further info:

• Sara McGowan: Case Study (PDF)• A day in the life... Sara McGowan• Snapshots - Sara McGowan, Engineer• Video online (from Vega Science Trust) (14 minutes)

• http://www.vega.org.uk/video/programme/53

Be a creative and ‘green’ engineer! THANK YOU