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Designing a sustainable building

Sustainable design is the art of designing physical objects to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. By the time the design for a development is completed, 80 to 90 percent of its life cycle economic and environmental costs will have already been made. Therefore, getting the design right is critical to achieving a sustainable outcome. By putting in more time, thought, and resources at the design stage, the building can better reflect your agency’s operational requirements and purpose.

The Rocky Mountain Institute outlines five elements for sustainable design:

Planning and design should be thorough. Sustainable design is “front loaded” compared with traditional design. Early decisions have the greatest impact on energy efficiency, passive solar design, daylighting, and natural cooling.
Sustainable design is more of a philosophy of building than a prescriptive building style. Sustainable buildings don't have any particular look or style.
Sustainable buildings don’t have to cost more, nor are they more complicated than traditional construction.
Integrated design – that is, design where each component is considered part of a greater whole – is critical to successful sustainable design.
Minimising energy consumption and promoting human health should be the organising principles of sustainable design. The other elements of design can be organised: energy saving architectural features; energy conserving building envelope; and energy-efficient and health-promoting mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

Areas that need more thought in the design stage include, but are not restricted to:

Integrated building design is a cornerstone for developing sustainable buildings. Simply adding or overlaying systems will not result in optimal performance or cost savings. Rather, you can obtain the most effective results by designing various building systems and components as interdependent parts of the entire structure. An integrated approach is required for successful application of these strategies.

Useful resources and information

Checklist for Environmentally Responsible Design and Construction Build Green

Site location and ecology

Creating a sustainable building means you must select the right site. This can include the reuse or rehabilitation of existing buildings. The location, orientation, and landscaping of a building affects local ecology, transportation methods, and energy use.

Sustainable site planning should seek to:

renovate an existing building, as this is the most sustainable construction option
minimise development of open space by selecting previously disturbed land (brownfields)
control erosion through improved landscaping practices
reduce heat islands using landscaping and building design methods
minimise habitat disturbance
restore the health of degraded sites by improving habitat for indigenous species through native plants and closed-loop water systems
incorporate transportation solutions into site plans that acknowledge the need for bicycle parking, carpooling, and proximity to public transport.

You need to consider the energy implications when you are selecting the site and deciding on the orientation of the building. Site buildings need to:

be able to integrate passive and active solar strategies
take advantage of natural ventilation
maximise daylight use
investigate the potential impact of future developments adjacent to the site (eg on sunshine, daylight, ventilation).

In practice, site location and ecology includes:

carrying out a careful site evaluation that considers solar access, soils, vegetation, water resources, important natural areas, and letting this information guide the design
clustering buildings or building attached units to preserve open space and wildlife habitats, avoiding especially sensitive areas including wetlands, and keeping roads and service lines short. Leave the most pristine areas untouched, and look for areas that have been previously damaged to build on. Where possible seek to restore damaged ecosystems
designing landscapes to absorb stormwater rather than having to carry it off-site in stormwater drains
situating buildings to benefit from existing vegetation: Trees on the east and west sides of a building can dramatically reduce cooling loads. Hedgerows and shrubbery can block cold winter winds or help channel cool summer breezes into buildings.

Useful resources and information

Whole Building Design Guide Optimize Site Potential

Energy efficiency

Energy production is fast becoming an environmental issue in New Zealand. You can reduce a building’s energy use by as much as 60 percent through a range of energy efficiency initiatives. These include integrated planning; site orientation; use of natural daylight and ventilation; selecting materials that reduce heat absorption and loss; using energy saving technologies that make lighting, HVAC, mechanical equipment and appliances more efficient; and using on-site renewable energy producing technologies.

To get the greatest energy efficiencies, the design, construction, or renovation of a building requires a “whole building” (integrated planning) approach. The whole building approach is a way of designing buildings by looking at the building structure, systems and surroundings together, and considering how all these systems work best together to save energy and reduce environmental impact. This approach differs from the traditional design and building process, as the design team examines the integration of all building components and systems and determines how they best work together to save energy and reduce environmental impact.

Whole building design considers:

heating, cooling, and ventilation
insulation, windows, lighting
climate
heat gain (how the building might take on unwanted heat)
building orientation, siting, landscaping
innovative building materials.

Designing for the sun is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to heat New Zealand buildings. Passive solar design strategies can dramatically affect building energy performance and this should be your first consideration when planning a building. A passive solar building is one that derives a substantial fraction of its heating, and/or cooling, from the sun, using only natural processes to provide the necessary energy flows. Ensure your design incorporates a passive solar design strategy.

Some key approaches to energy efficiency are to:

develop strategies to provide natural lighting. Studies have shown that daylighting has a positive impact on productivity and well-being as well as reducing energy needs
install high-efficiency lighting systems with advanced lighting controls. Include motion sensors and dimmable lighting controls where practical. Task lighting reduces general overhead light levels (ECCA Improving office lighting (PDF 118KB))
use a properly sized and energy-efficient heat/cooling system in conjunction with a thermally efficient building envelope. Having air condition and heating systems that are bigger than needed for the size of the building is one of the most common problems in modern buildings
maximise light colours for roofing and wall finish materials
install high R-value wall and ceiling insulation
use minimal glass on east and west exposures
minimise the electric loads from lighting, equipment and appliances. Look for appliances with the most energy stars
consider alternative energy sources such as photovoltaic or fuel cells now available in new products and applications. Renewable energy sources provide a great symbol of emerging technologies for the future
consider outsourcing computer services or using thin servers and LCD screens. Computer rooms use considerable amounts of energy
use computer modelling to get the optimum design for electrical and mechanical systems and the building envelope
commission the energy systems prior to moving in, and ensure there is an ongoing commissioning programme to tune the building and identify faults.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) offers Crown loans to assist government agencies to implement energy efficiency projects. Up to 50 percent of funding is available from EECA to offset professional fees for design, auditing, and modelling the energy component of sustainable building design. There is also full or partial funding for projects that will achieve energy cost savings. Loans are available to government departments, District Health Boards, Crown-owned companies, territorial authorities, regional councils, universities, polytechnics, schools and Crown entities. For more information, contact EECA on www.eeca.govt.nz

Useful resources and information

ECCA Crown loans

ECCA Improving office lighting (PDF 118KB)

Whole Building Deign Guide Whole Building Design

Waitakere City Council Design for the sun

Water conservation

Water is a precious resource that is vital for life. However, despite this, water conservation technologies and strategies are often the most overlooked aspects of a whole building design strategy. As consumption levels continue to rise, there is increasing pressure upon river, groundwater, and wetland ecosystems. Water-efficient appliances and fixtures, behavioural changes, and changes in irrigation methods can reduce consumption by 30 percent or more.

A number of strategies can be used to reduce the amount of water consumed in a building. These strategies include system optimisation (ie efficient water systems design, leak detection, and repair), water conservation measures, and water reuse/recycling systems. You also need to ensure all the water-using components in a building are operating as efficiently as they were designed. Once everything has been commissioned correctly, make sure you have a water management programme in place to identify how and where water is being consumed. This monitoring will allow for the early detection areas of higher than normal use and leaks.

In practice water conservation includes:

metering of water (you can’t manage what you don’t measure)
water management programme (measures changes in use)
rainwater collection and use (often used to flush toilets)
water-efficient plumbing fixtures (dishwashers and washing machines)
ultra low-flow toilets and urinals, waterless urinals, low-flow and sensored sinks, low-flow showerheads
irrigation and landscaping measures (water-efficient irrigation systems, irrigation control systems, low-flow sprinkler heads, water-efficient scheduling practices, and xeriscape)
water recycling or reuse measures (grey water and process recycling systems),
methods to reduce water use in HVAC systems
ensure all the water using components are commissioned correctly.

Useful resources and information

Department of Environment and Heritage Water efficiency guidelines for office and public buildings.

Indoor environmental quality

Indoor environment quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of the air and environment inside buildings, based on pollutant concentrations and conditions that can affect the health, comfort, and performance of occupants. A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of complaints related to indoor air quality. Up to 90 percent of our time is spent in buildings so it is not surprising that buildings affect our health and productivity.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Healthy Buildings, Healthy People: A Vision for the 21st Century), “known health effects of indoor pollutants include asthma; cancer; developmental defects and delays, including effects on vision, hearing, growth, intelligence, and learning; and effects on the cardiovascular system (heart and lungs)”. It is not surprising, then, that better indoor air quality increases productivity and decreases Sick Building Syndrome symptoms.

Indoor environment quality is made up of the following elements:

indoor air quality (IAQ)
ventilation
thermal comfort
natural lighting (daylighting)
noise
visual amenity.

In practice, a sustainable building will improve the indoor environment quality by:

maximising natural ventilation where possible (have opening windows to ventilate the building naturally)
avoiding unnecessary indoor pollution sources (VOC emissions from paints, adhesives, carpets, furniture etc)
ensuring the air is served cool and dry to the occupants
providing “personalized air”; that is, a small amount of clean air should be served gently, close to the breathing zone of each individual
providing individual control of the thermal environment. Ideal humidity levels are between 30 and 70 percent
maximising natural daylight (day lighting has a positive impact on productivity and well-being)
specifying HVAC and other mechanical systems that generate low noise levels
soundproofing office and meeting room partitions, and ceilings, to prevent noise transfer
using plants, earth banks, and screens to block external noise sources
separating desks as much as possible, and/or make offices available for phone calls
designing layouts with sufficient quiet rooms and meeting rooms so staff can have the opportunity for uninterrupted phone conversations and meetings.

Useful resources and information

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Healthy Buildings, Healthy People: A Vision for the 21st Century

Greenbuild Indoor Environmental Quality

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Sick Building Syndrome

Whole Building Design Guide Indoor Environmental Quality

Australian Department of Environment and Heritage Indoor air quality

National Institute of occupational health and safety Indoor Air Quality

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air Quality in Large Buildings

Fisk, W., and Rosenfeld, A., (1997) Estimates of Improved Productivity and Health from Better IEQ (PDF 210KB)

Whole Building Design Guide Daylighting

Edwards, L., and Torcellini, P., (2002), A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants (PDF 1.4MB)

Department of Labour Occupational safety and health service code of practice for the management of noise in the workplace

Occupational Safety and Health Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 2107:2000 Acoustics (PDF 442KB) - Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors

The Australian Your Home technical methods of reducing noise.

Materials

The materials you select for your building projects can have a number of social, environmental, and economic impacts. The occupants of a building are exposed to much higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde in the first 6 to 12 months after construction or renovation of buildings than any other time, due to the large range of high-emission materials used in construction (eg paints, adhesives, sealants, carpets, wood-based panels, furniture).

You need to take a comprehensive and integrated approach during the design and development process. This includes:

maximising the recycled content of all new materials, especially from a post-consumer perspective
specifying materials that are harvested on a sustained yield basis, such as lumber from sustainably certified forests
encouraging the use of recyclable assemblies and products that can be easily “de-constructed” at the end of their useful lives
eliminating the use of materials that pollute or are toxic during their manufacture, use, or reuse
giving preference to locally produced products and other products with low embodied transport energy content
specifying materials with a credible third party certified environmental certification such as Environmental Choice New Zealand or other Global Ecolabelling Network member
evaluating the environmental preferability of products using the cradle-to-cradle, life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach.

In June 2003, Cabinet approved a government-wide Interim Timber and Timber Procurement Products Policy procurement policy. This requires agencies to report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and document sustainable sources for all large procurements of timber. This is especially relevant when sourcing imported or New Zealand native timber.

Useful resources and information

Environmental Choice New Zealand

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Interim Timber and Timber Procurement Products Policy procurement policy

Forest Stewardship Council

Global Ecolabelling Network

Waste minimisation

New Zealand’s waste problem is big, and getting bigger. Every year, almost one tonne of solid waste for every New Zealander ends up at our landfills – that’s about 3.2 million tonnes of rubbish each year. Around 65 percent of this rubbish could be recycled or composted instead.

The waste generated by buildings can be split into two distinct groups: construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and general waste. During their construction, operation, refurbishment, and demolition buildings generate huge amounts of waste that could be dramatically reduced if planned for at the design stage of a project. Reducing the creation of waste is about using materials, energy, time, and money more effectively.

Construction and demolition waste

Construction and demolition waste contributes up to 50 percent of New Zealand’s waste stream. It consists of materials such as plasterboard, timber, concrete and steel. Much of this waste can be easily recovered and there have been a number of initiatives that could be put in place to assist in reducing the amount of construction and demolition waste being created.

Photo of untreated timber ready for chipping.

Untreated timber ready for chipping

Strategies for reducing construction and demolition waste include:

having the design team create a plan to reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste
creating a waste management plan (templates available on the Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries REBRI website). Set targets for reduction, and create instructions on how to meet them, such as:
separating waste materials during different stages
accurately cutting materials to reduce wastage
encouraging the use of off-cuts
creating incentives for achieving goals of waste reduction; for example, morning tea shouts.
getting to know about your local infrastructure and where there are businesses that can take your recovered materials.

Construction and demolition waste minimisation in practice includes:

designing the building and fit-out for standard material sizes to minimise waste generation in the first instance
ensuring sub-contractors sign up to your policy of reducing waste, recycling and “measure twice and cut once”
having recycling bins on site during construction
asking suppliers to avoid unnecessary packaging and take back reusable and recyclable packaging
whenever possible, designing for and using prefabricated building materials
ensuring building materials are sorted and stacked, and offcuts saved for later use
re-using materials from previous buildings such as interior fittings and fixtures
using materials with a recycled content
specifying and using materials that are recyclable at their end of life.

An effective waste management plan is vital for planning and operating a sustainable office building – right from the initial stages of a new building, fit-out, or refurbishment project. The Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries (REBRI) provides information, advice and templates to reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste created by your project. Ensure your design and construction teams are familiar with, and use, the REBRI resources.

Operational waste

Operational waste minimisation and recycling in practice

design easily accessible areas for recycling bins inside and outside the building that allow for easy access of contractors
build recycling facilities into cabinetry; it looks good and makes for ease of use
develop a Waste Management Strategy that incorporates waste minimisation and recycling
implement measures for waste minimisation such as behavioral changes among occupants
promote, monitor and improve your recycling system (waste audits)

Make it easy and convenient for occupants to recycle waste: Make provisions for storage and processing of recyclables: recycling bins near the kitchen, undersink compost receptacles, and the like. Make sure that the system is easy and convenient for the cleaners too.

Building asset managers can make major improvements in this area through some simple measures in waste auditing and waste collection design. Depending on the structure of the waste collection contract, landfill charge savings may also be obtainable. For more information, see Govt³ recycling/ waste minimisation.

Useful resources and information

Ministry for the Environment Construction and Demolition Waste webpage Ministry for the Environment Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries

Ministry for the Environment A Guide to Implementing Recycling Systems in Multi-Tenanted Office Buildings

Ministry for the Environment Govt³ recycling and waste minimisation in buildings

Waitakere City Council’s Better Building Code (PDF 29KB) covers building waste

The Sustainable Business Network The Waste Exchange Programme

The Sustainable Business Network for case studies, resources and advice on planning waste minimisation

Transport

We are now recognising that the way in which we travel to and from work can have major environmental impacts. Promoting the use of public transport, cycling, running, and walking can lessen these impacts, and improve physical fitness. However, to do this successfully, the building needs to provide appropriate facilities such as secure bike parks and lockers, and shower facilities.

In practice a sustainable building will:

be in a mixed-use development, in which residential and commercial uses are intermingled, as this can reduce motor vehicle use
be located within easy access of public transportation, bicycle paths, and walking access to basic services, to minimise dependence on private motor vehicles
allow for working at home, to reduce commuting
minimise the amount of carparks
provide facilities for cyclists, walkers and runners.

Ensure your planning and design teams are aware of, and use, sustainable transport provisions for your building project.

Other ways to minimise the impact of transport include having and using video conferencing facilities to minimize air travel, locating the building close to other agencies that you interact with regularly, sharing a vehicle fleet, and sharing shuttle services.

There are a number of other transport issues on the Govt³ transport webpage.

Useful resources and information

Land Transport has a sustainable transport section which includes guidelines, tools and templates to develop and implement a workplace travel plan and other travel demand measures.

The fuelsaver website provides people with information about fuel consumption of vehicles available on the New Zealand market. The website has a calculator you can use to work out the fuel consumption and running cost of vehicles.

Environmental rating tools

Before we had environmental rating tools for buildings, it was difficult to evaluate and compare the sustainability of a given building. There are now a number of environmental rating tools being used internationally including BREEAM in the UK, LEED in the U.S. and Green Star in Australia. These tools have been used to rate the environmental quality of the design and construction phases of a project. However the performance of the building is not a part of these schemes, and NABERS is the only performance-rating tool.

In early 2006 the Ministry for the Environment contracted the New Zealand Green Building Council to make a decision as to the best environmental rating tool(s) for commercial office buildings in New Zealand. After consultation with the wider property and building sectors, it decided to adopt the Green Star office-building tool and combine it with the best parts of the BRANZ Green Office Scheme. A working group will adapt the tool to New Zealand’s environmental conditions and the finished tool will be available for use in early 2007.

Useful resources and information

New Zealand Green Building Council Rating tools

Australian Green Building Council Green Star

U.K BREEAM

U.S Green Building Council LEED

Build Green