BUILT ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY

AND ADAPTATION

Presented by
Ar. Madeeha Altaf
Why is it important to make built environment
sustainable?
Why did this idea of “sustainable building”
come up?
BUILT ENVIRONMENT

 “The built environment dominates humanity‟s impact on

nature and it is the major contributor to climate change,
resources depletion, waste, over-consumption, damaged human
health, and other significant problems. The best route to
approaching a sustainable future is to make the built
environment sustainable.”
BUILDINGS….

 The basic reason for having buildings at all is to provide shelter

against the climate.
 As our ancestors moved north from the temperate Africa,
hundreds of thousands of years ago, not only did they have to
put on warmer clothes but they also had to build stronger
buildings that would protect them from the heat of the deserts
and the cold of the northern climates.
BUILDINGS AND CONSUMPTION OF
RESOURCES

 Building activities globally use about 50% of the material resources,

40–45% of energy, 40% of water, 60% of fertile land and 70% of
wood used by the mankind. The known oil fields will be emptied in
40 years and gas resources in 60 years.
 Buildings, as they are designed and used today contribute to serious
environmental problems because of excessive consumption of
energy and other natural resources. There exists a close connection
between energy use in buildings and environmental damage because
of energy-intensive solutions being used to construct and operate a
building. The demands for buildings‟ heating, cooling, ventilation, and
lighting cause severe depletion of environmental resources.
 It is estimated that the building sector is responsible for around 30%
of global GHG emissions
 According to IPCC‟s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
assessment report, energy consumption from buildings and related
emissions may double or even triple by mid-century due to several
key trends such as urbanization and life style changes.
 However, buildings can be designed to meet the occupant's need for
thermal and visual comfort at reduced levels of energy and
resources consumption. According to estimates, 30 to 80% of
building energy consumption can be reduced through energy
efficient measures.
 Efficiency in new constructions can be achieved by adopting an
integrated approach to building design involving architects, engineers,
contractors and clients, with full consideration of opportunities for
reducing building energy demands.
HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY IN
ARCHITECTURE?

Sustainability in built environment

requires understanding of
economic, environmental and social
impacts of design and planning
decisions made during life cycle of
a project, from inception to
termination.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

 Buildings use resources (energy, water, raw materials, etc.), generate

waste (occupant, construction, and demolition), emit harmful
atmospheric emissions, and change the function of land, and the
ability of that land to absorb and capture water into the ground.
 Climate conscious' or 'bioclimatic' or 'energy-efficient' or
'sustainable' architecture are the terms extensively being used in
building industry. A green or sustainable building is a building that
can maintain or improve:
The quality of life and harmonize within the local climate, tradition,
culture
The environment in the region
Conserve energy, resources and recycling materials
Local and global ecosystem throughout the entire building life-cycle
  A sustainable building, or green
building is a result of a design
SUSTAINABLE
philosophy whichBUILDING
focuses on
increasing the efficiency of
resource use such as energy,
water, and materials (resource
efficient). while reducing building
impacts on human health and
the environment
(environmentally responsible)
throughout a building's life-cycle:
from planning to design,
construction, operation,
maintenance, renovation, and
demolition
The operating energy of a building is “the
amount of energy that is consumed by a
building to satisfy the demand for heating,
cooling, ventilation, lighting, equipment, and
appliances”
Buildings and Energy Consumption in context of
Pakistan

 Geographical location of the Pakistan shows that 70% of the country

remains sunny and hot throughout the year.
 Traditional buildings of Pakistan show some climatic considerations
but present day architecture is more energy intensive.
 In Pakistan, building sector consumes around 50% of the total
energy. The current buildings are becoming more and more energy
intensive and damaging to the environment. Energy efficiency and
conservation in buildings has not been given much importance.
 Maximum energy consumption in buildings is for cooling.
Energy consumption in
different sectors of
economy in Pakistan
 The power availability situation in the country is very frustrating and is
impacting all sectors of economy. The addition of new large power plants is
critical to meet the gap between energy demand and supply but these need
time.
 It has become very important to implement alternatives such as savings in
energy consumption at all levels. As a result of extensive field surveys,
energy audits and studies, it has been established by NEECA (National
Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority) that there is great potential
for energy saving in all sectors of economy.

National Energy Conservation Centre (ENERCON) has now been transformed into
National Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (NEECA). It was established in
order to achieve the challenging task of energy efficiency and conservation in all sectors
of economy.
 The potential of 30% energy savings in the building sector has been established (U.S.
DOE and NEECA, 2016). NEECA has estimated number of potential areas of energy
conservation and efficiency in buildings. The first prospective area identified in the
buildings is building envelope having 40% energy saving potential

Energy conservation potential in Pakistan and potential energy conservation areas in building
WHAT EXACTLY MAKES A BUILDING
SUSTAINABLE?
This is the list of questions to explore when assessing the building design and
operation
>Site
Is the location well suited to take advantage of public transit system?
Is existing natural landscape retained and protected?
Is added landscape designed for low water need?
Do paving materials and furnishings use recycled materials?

> Use of land

What is the floor area of the building compared to land area used?
Is the building disruptive to natural habitat?
Does the building have a direct impact on the soil around it?
Does the building change the recreational value of the land?
Are any space efficiency strategies applied; is there shared or mixed use of
space?
>Energy Efficiency
Does the building use the renewable electricity source?
Are passive design measures, such as shape and orientation, are used to
facilitate natural lighting?
Are high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls employed?
Is there thermally efficient building shell?
Does the roof use reflective or light colors to reduce cooling needs?
Are efficient wall and ceiling insulation used to minimize heat exchange?
Does the building use alternative energy sources such as solar power
systems?
Are computer automated energy regulation systems employed?

>Materials
Is the building constructed from easily extractable raw materials?
Are the materials locally produced?
Are reused and recycled materials used?
Are materials with zero or low toxicity selected?
Are the materials designed to be recyclable or reusable?
What is the material lifetime, durability?
Is there recycling program in place for building occupants?
> Water Management
Is there dual plumbing design for water reuse or a gray water system?
Are there rainwater collection facilities?
Is wastewater minimized by using ultra-low-flush toilets, low-flow shower heads,
and other water conserving fixtures?
Are state-of-the-art irrigation controllers used to conserve water?
Is there any plan to treat waste water?

> Occupant Health and Comfort

Is sufficient natural lighting accessible to building occupants?
Is there sufficient noise insulation?
Are low toxicity materials used?
Are spaces efficiently organized for the comfort of work and movement?
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SUSTAINABLE
ARCHITECTURE

 One of the most important goals in achieving sustainability

in architecture is energy efficiency over the lifetime of
a building.
 Building energy efficiency can be improved by implementing
active and passive energy efficient strategies.
PASSIVE & ACTIVE DESIGN

 Building techniques use both active and passive design features

in architecture to ensure comfortable living spaces.

 Active designs use equipments that modify the state of the

building, creating energy and comfort. While passive designs
features are those that maximize energy efficiency by the
actual design of the construction itself.
ACTIVE DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURE

 Active architecture is the designs of buildings that contain

mechanical devices

 Active designs use equipments such as fans, air-conditioning,

lights, pumps etc. Selecting efficient equipment in active design,
like using water conservation fixtures and appliances, choosing
energy efficient appliances and lighting, providing, exhaust fans
in bathrooms and the kitchen are all means to an effective
active design features in architecture.
ACTIVE DESIGN
„Active' design makes use
of active building services
systems to create
comfortable conditions
Efforts by NEECA (National Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority) for
Active Design

Pakistan Energy Labeling scheme

PASSIVE DESIGN

Taking advantage of the climate to

maintain a comfortable environment
in a building.

Maximizing the use of 'natural'

sources of heating, cooling and
ventilation to create comfortable
conditions inside buildings.
WHAT DOES PASSIVE DESIGN INVOLVE?

 Passive design is an approach to building design that uses the

building‟s elements to minimize energy consumption.
 There are a number of factors that go into 'passive design; e.g.
Building envelope, location and orientation, form and layout,
landscape and material selection. It harness environmental
conditions such as solar radiation, cool night air and air
pressure differences to create comfortable indoor
environment.
BUILDING ENVELOPE AND ENERGY
CONSUMPTION

 A building envelope is what separates the indoor and outdoor

environments of a building. It is the key factor that determines
the quality and controls the indoor conditions.
 A building envelope describes how the combination of the
roof, walls, windows, shading devices and floors of a building,
help to isolate the atmosphere inside the building from the
atmosphere outside.
The many functions of the building envelope can be separated
into three categories:
 Support (to resist and transfer structural and dynamic loads)
 Control (the flow of energy)
 Finish (to meet desired esthetics)
From an energy flow perspective, the envelope is a
composition of layers with different thermal properties. The
choice of envelope is governed by the climate, culture, and
available material. The flow of heat through a building envelope
varies both by season (heat always flows from hot to cold) and
by the path of the heat (through the materials of a building‟s
skin).
WALLS

 Walls are a predominant fraction

of a building envelope and are
expected to provide thermal and
acoustic comfort within a building,
without compromising the
aesthetics of the building. The
thermal resistance (R-value) of
the wall is crucial as it influences
the building energy consumption
heavily.
FENESTRATION (WINDOWS AND DOORS)

 Fenestration refers to openings in

a building envelope that are
primarily windows and doors. The
fenestration plays a vital role in
providing thermal comfort and
optimum illumination levels in a
building. They are also important
from an architectural standpoint
in adding aesthetics to the building
design.
ROOF
 Roofs are a critical part of the
building envelopes that are
highly subject to solar radiation
and other environmental
changes, thereby, influencing
the indoor comfort conditions
for the occupants. Roofs
account for large amounts of
heat gain/loss, especially, in
buildings with large roof area.
THERMAL INSULATION

 Thermal insulation is a material or combination of materials,

that retard the rate of heat flow by conduction, convection,
and radiation. It retards heat flow into or out of a building due
to its high thermal resistance. The proper use of thermal
insulation in buildings reduces not only the energy usage but
also downsizes the HVAC system during design.
THERMAL MASS
 Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb and store heat energy.
A lot of heat energy is required to change the temperature of high density
materials like concrete, bricks and tiles. They are therefore said to have high
thermal mass. Appropriate use of thermal mass throughout your building
can make a big difference to comfort and heating and cooling bills.
 Thermal mass can store solar energy during the day and re-radiate it at
night.
 During warm months, introducing thermal mass into structures is the way
to passively cool a structure once the external temperatures exceed
comfort levels and ventilation and insulation fail to provide comfort.
Likewise, in cooler months, using thermal mass in lightweight structures is
the only way daytime temperatures can be stored to keep buildings warm
in the evening without introducing external energy sources.
POINT TO REMEMBER…..

 Thermal mass is not a substitute for insulation. Thermal mass

stores and re-releases heat; insulation stops heat flowing into
or out of the building.
SOLAR SHADING

 Solar shading, is a form of solar control that can be used to

optimize the amount of solar heat gain and visible light that
enters into a building. This can have a significant impact on
the energy use of a building as well as on the thermal and
visual comfort of occupants, protecting against overheating
and glare on hot or sunny days. It can also provide privacy.
LOCATION & ORIENTATION

 It is important to understand how the location and orientation

of building will affect energy consumption.
 Building orientation refers to the way a building is situated on
a site and the positioning of windows, rooflines, and other
features. The orientation of a building is very important for
energy consumption.
 To properly orient a building, it is important to understand the
true position of the sun and how it will effect the building.
 Building form refers to the
FORM & LAYOUT
Building form and layout individual elements of building
design that collectively contribute to
the character and appearance of the
built environment.

The volume of space inside a

building that needs to be heated or
cooled and its relationship with the
area of the envelope enclosing the
volume affect the
thermal performance of the building.

Layout of a building
shows the plan on the
ground surface
LANDSCAPE

 Landscaping is an important element in altering the microclimate of

a place. Proper landscaping reduces direct sun from striking and
heating up building surfaces. Landscaping creates different airflow
patterns and can be used to direct or divert the wind by causing a
pressure difference.

 Trees are the primary elements of an energy-conserving landscape.

Climatic requirements effects the type of trees to be planted.
Deciduous plants cut off direct sun during summer, and as these trees
shed leaves in winter, they allow the sun to heat the buildings in winter.
MATERIAL SELECTION

 Choice of building materials is important in reducing the energy

consumption of buildings.
 Strain on conventional energy can be reduced by use of low-energy
materials.
 The choice of materials also helps to maximize indoor comfort.
 Use of materials and components with low embodied energy should be
preferred.
 While there may be no “one-size-fits-all” answer to determine the “best”
product or material for a specific application, careful consideration of a
product‟s life cycle impacts, safety profile along with the material‟s cost,
performance attributes, and aesthetics, can help in materials selection.