Energy, Environment & Sustainability

23 Sep Sustainability: concept and approaches. The evolution and the implications of the concept for
energy. The CO2 and the global warming issue.
30 Oct Environment: concept and context for energy use. The climate change issue. How to access the
effects of the energy as the major environment stress factor.
07 Oct Energy. Concept, energy forms and sustainability.
14 Oct Impact assessment and strategic environment impact assessment. Impact of energy systems.

21 Oct The Thermodynamics constraints. Basics for the environment implications of thermal energy.
28 Oct Energy under two perspectives: supply and demand. The energy system approach.
04 Nov Water, materials and activities in cities: Life cycle analysis. Urban metabolism.
11 Nov The new energy paradigm: decentralised, renewable and demand side oriented.
18 Nov Energy for sustainable cities: potential and rationale for cities as `control volumes` for sustainability.

25 Nov Critical issues on energy for the future

02 Dec Indicators for sustainability. The qualitative and the invisible sustainability. Trends and expectations.

09 Dec Tools of management and monitoring energy, environment and sustainability.

16Dec Buildings as Energy Systems
Environmental Impact
Assessment
According to the definition of NBR ISO
14001:2004, Environmental Impact is
any beneficial or adverse changes caused
by the activities, services and / or
products of an organization.
An Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) is an assessment of the likely
influence a project may have on the
environment.
“Environmental Impact Assessment can
be defined as: The process of identifying,
predicting, evaluating and mitigating the
biophysical, social, and other relevant
effects of development proposals prior to
major decisions being taken and
commitments made.” (IAIA 1999)
 The purpose of the assessment is to
ensure that decision-makers consider
environmental impacts before deciding
whether to proceed with new projects.
1. Activity and its characterization

• Highway
• Dam
• New city
•…
2. Strategic, economic or other interest

• Transports
• Energy conversion
• Intensive agriculture
• Industrial area
• Urban equipment
•…
3. Characterization of the pre-existing
situations (or reference)
• Orografia
• Soil use
• Special protection areas
- vegetation
- fauna
- heritage (archaeology,…)
- nature conservation (rede Natura)
 4. Alternatives

• Other places
• Dimensions
• Constructive Solutions
• Comparison difficulties
 5. Impact

Type: positive/negative
Duration: temporary/permanent
Occurrence: immediate/medium/long term
Probability: true/likely/unlikely
Reversibility: reversible/irreversible
Area: local/environment/regional/national/global
Impact: low/moderate/high
 6. Descriptors/Categories
• Air quality and noise • Soil use
• Heritage • Aquatic Ecosystems
• Hydrology • Water quality
• Bird • Risk analysis
• Flora • Socioeconomy
• Fauna • agrarian
• Scenery • tourism
• Geology • energy
• Soils • water management
• Climatology
7. Measures to minimize

• Location of yards

• Reinstatement of the vegetation cover

• Pollution Control

• Monitoring

• Compensation measures

• Environmental Management Systems

• Planning for lagoon

 7a. Example: Impact of the location of a Dam
G

H AE

B WQ C

FV AEC AQ
0 Indifferent
F T SE
Slightly more favorable
LS LU E Intermediately favorable
SEC SA WM CH More favorable
Much more favorable
0
Upstream Indiff. Downstream

G Geology F Fauna SEC Socioeconomy

L Lands WQ Water quality AEC Agrarian Economy
H Hydrology AQ Air quality LU Land use
C Climatology SE Sound Environment T Tourism
AE Aquatic Ecosystems CH Cultural Heritage E Energy
B Birds LS Landscape WM Water management
FV Flora and Vegetation SA Severe accidents (analysis of risk)
 C 7b. Example: Impact of the
B construction type
FV

CH

H AEC

WQ L T 0 Indifferent
SE AE LU
Slightly more favorable

LS AQ Intermediately favorable
E
More favorable
G SA SEC WM
Much more favorable

0
Indif.
Concrete Landfill

G Geology F Fauna SEC Socioeconomy

L Lands WQ Water quality AEC Agrarian Economy
H Hydrology AQ Air quality LU Land use
C Climatology SE Sound Environment T Tourism
AE Aquatic Ecosystems CH Cultural Heritage E Energy
B Birds LS Landscape WM Water management
FV Flora and Vegetation SA Severe accidents (analysis of risk)
8. Sustainable urban categories of indicators

Probably the one that better integrates the relationship energy-

Global environment namely regarding the climate change.
Typically of a local/regional dimension. Main descriptors are: water,
Resources
air, climate, energy, space, habitat, landscape and soil.

Land use Mainly of a prescriptive character under the form of linear,

superficial or volumetric dimensions.
Morphology Centred in the urban space: water, vegetation, space, access to the
sun, microclimate, habitat, mobility.
Infra-structures They form the truly urban nervous and other basic systems (eg
energy, water, waste, )
Final users
Buildings and transport offer many opportunities for the
energy/environment optimisation.
 From planning to performance
System specific values System of “sine qua non” or
Cultural expression, societal, technological, “performance” values
specific
referred to sustainability

. Architecture . Stability
. Indoor and Outdoor Environment
Quality
. Planning (compact city,…) ecology
. Sustainability materials
energy*
. Urban (density,…)
- environmental health and safety
. Infrastructures (size,…) comfort
- social
. Activities (urban targets) infrastructures
- economic attractively
productivity
- quality
identity
image
Indicators partially Indicators that ensure the self-esteem
subjective (cultural) trend towards sustainability

*Invisible (?) At the local level crosses all borders ( "think global act local")
9. Building example: environmental impact
of buildings

Evaluation systems

• BREEAM – A first system (UK)

• LEED - System USGBC (USA)

• LCA - Buildings, components and materials

9a. Building Research Establishment
Environmental Assessment Method

Categories
Management Classification
Health and welfare FAIR
GOOD
Energy VERY GOOD
Transports EXCELLENT

Water Buildings covered:

Materials offices
housing
Soil use Industrial units
Ecology
And, recently
Pollution schools
9b. Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design (LEEDTM) Green Building Rating
System
From the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

Categories
Sustainability
Water use efficiency
Energy and atmosphere
Materials and resources
Indoor Environment Quality
Innovation and projects
Classification
Certified
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Buildings covered:
New commercial construction and major
renovation projects (LEED-NC)
Existing building operations (LEED-EB)
Commercial interiors projects (LEED-CI)
Core and shell projects (LEED-CS)
Homes (LEED-H)
Neighbourhood Development (LEED-ND)
9c. Environmental impact of buildings
(LCA: stages)

• LCA stages

- Production/Process
- Installation (+ Transport)
- Use
- Recycling/Recovery or ...
9d. Environmental impact of buildings
(LCA five categories of impact)

• Global warming potential (expressed in kg CO2

equivalent)
• Potential destruction of the ozone layer (kg CFC-11
equivalent)
• Potential of acidification (kg SO2 equivalent)

• Potential of nutrients (kg PO4 equivalent)

• Creation of photochemical ozone (kg C2H4 equivalent)
10. Generic example: Construction materials

Life Cycle Thinking

Life Cycle Assessment Product Related EMS

Indicators of Product Environmental Performance

Environmental Product Information

Tools
Environmental
Product Product
Ecodesign Marketing Assessment
Improvement Standards
of Buildings

Continuous Improvement of Construction Works

 •Consensus on methodology
Basic requirements •Transparency of programme
for a declaration: •Verified information
Credible •Life Cycle Thinking
Informative •As product specific as possible
Comparable
Understandable •Product category specific
Market benefits •Harmonised LCA requirements
No trade barriers

•Relevant and useful

•Short reaction time

•Facilitate environmental competition
•Affordable for SMEs

•Fair comparisons based on

environmental issues

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001

 The overall goal of environmental labels and
declarations is:
“through communication
of verifiable and accurate information that is not
misleading,
on environmental aspects of products and
services,

to encourage the demand for and supply of those

products and services that cause less stress on
the environment,

thereby stimulating the potential for market-

driven continuous environmental
improvement.”
Source : ISO 14020
 Environmental labels and declarations
ISO 14020ff
Type I Type II Type III
ISO 14024 ISO 14021 ISO TR 14025

Environmental Self-declarations Quantified product

Seals information
Selected criteria as hurdles, Single issues, describing Life Cycle Performance
describing environmental specific environmental data, aiming for continuous
excellence characteristics improvement

Life Cycle Thinking Life Cycle Thinking Life Cycle

Assessment
• Mandatory Certification • Certification possible • Mandatory 3 rd party
validation. Certification
• Issued by private or • Issued by manufacturer possible
governmental, accredited
institution • Issued by private,
accredited institution

like: like: like:

Blue Angel, water consumption of a Environmental
European Eco-Label washing machine Product Declaration
 Characteristics of Type I, II and III

Life Cycle Compara- Continuous Environment Third party

Assessment bility improvement Excellence validation

Type I optional medium Not intended intended required

Type II optional low possible possible optional

Type III required high intended Not intended required

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001

ISO 14040ff
Material Flows
e.g. energy-, resource- material consumption,
Emissions Data (LCI)

Environmental Impacts
e.g ozone depletion, global
warming, eutrophication,
acidification (LCIA)

Interpretation (LCA)

Alternative Methodologies

Additional Data e.g. Toxicity, Recycling

ISO 14020

Type III Declaration

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001
 Environmental Product Declaration Programs
“Type III”
based on LCA, ISO 14000 family,

• Predominantly information on construction

products (Session 1)

• All products, including construction products,

Global Type III Environmental Declaration
Network, GEDNet
– founded in 2000 in Tokyo,
– to enhance international comparability, transparency
and credibility. GEDNet reports to ISO TC 207/SC3.
– Members: - Canada - Japan
- Denmark - Korea
- Germany - Norway
- Italy - Sweden
Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001
 GEDNet : www.environdec.com

• Aims at mutual recognition of

Declaration Programmes and
• International comparability of product
specific requirements for LCA
• Facilitates harmonised development by
– Discussing publicly (internet) and aligning
product specific requirements for LCA
(system borders, allocation etc.)
– Exchanging experience with Declaration
Programme management

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001

Example 1: Product is Electricity from Nuclear Power Plant

Zur Anzeige wird d er Qu ickTime™

Dekompressor “TIFF”
benötigt.

offers
information Manufacturer General
on: The Product and the Functional Unit product
Environmental Performance Information

System Boundaries LCA Information

Production Phase
Use Phase
Land Use and Impact on Biodiversity Additiona l
Safety, Barriers, and Radiation. Information
References to the comprehensive
material.

The complete set of information is certified

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001
 Example 1: Electricity from Nuclear Power Plant
System Boundaries
Environmental declaration considers two separate phases – Production
phase and Use phase. The production phase declaration is quantitative
whenever sufficient data is available and re-quires a m ultidimensional
approach because of the severity and complexity of the nuclear fuel cycle.
Technical lifetime of the NPP is assumed to be 40 years. The nuclear fuel is
followed from cradle (extraction) to grave (deep repository), and can be
viewed in three sections, viz. pre-NPP, NPP, and post-NPP. Environmental
impact from the construction and decom-missioning of t he pre-NPP
facilities is excluded, whereas all other aspects, i.e. operation of pre-NPP
facilities, construction, operation, and decommissioning of NPP and post-
NPP fa-cilities (except decommissioning of waste final repositories) are
included. Waste assessment categories are fuel-related and non fuel-related
and special attention is given to nuclear waste.
The comprehensive certified declaration also considers radiology, risks, and
impact on biodi-versity as well as land use in compliance with EPD ®
system requirement. The use phase de-claration is mainly qualitative and
covers tra nsmission and distribution of a f unctional unit of 1 kWh
transferred electricity.

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001

 Example 2: DC machine

offers
information:

Manufacturer General
The Product and the Functional Unit product
Environmental Performance Information
System Boundaries LCA Information
Production Phase
Use Phase
Land Use and Impact on Biodiversity Additiona l
Safety, Barriers, and Radiation. Information
References to the comprehensive
material.

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001

Resource utilisation Manufacturing Use Phase Disposal Example 2:
DC machine

Additional qualifying factors

Recycling and disposal

The main parts of the product can be recycled. Some parts
need to be fragmented to separate different types of material.
A list of parts and components that can be fragmented and
recycled can be obtained from the manufacturer. See references.

Usage Phase in relation to the total

Energy consumption and losses
It is to be observed that the environmental impact during the
usage phase is the most important. As an example, GWP for
the usage phase is approximately 1000 time larger than GWP
for the manufacturing phase

Category of impact Usage in % of total

Absolute requirements Requirements per unit DMI 180 DMI 280

of output power
Global warming GWP 99.92 99.92
Acidification 99.96 99.95
Ozone depletion ODP 99.90 99.97
Photochemical Oxidants POCP 99.70 99.96
Eutrophication 99.93 99.92

Büro für ökologische Studien, 72072 Tübingen CEPMC May 2001