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Sustainable Approach to Construction - Coggle Diagram
Sustainable Approach to Construction
Sustainability Foundations
Sustainable Development: Meets current needs without compromising future generations needs, balancing economic, social, and environmental goals
Triple Bottom Line
Systems Thinking: "big picture" thinking, everything is connected
Green building = energy, water, materials, indoor quality
This was the base of everything and we kept coming back to these ideas all semester.
Ecological Design
Integrates natural processes, sustainability, benefits environment and humans
Biodiversity: variety of life in all forms
Working with nature instead of against
Green Building Rating Systems
LEED (US)
Different rating systems: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum (80+ points, highest level)
BREEAM (UK)
Green Star, DGNB
Envision / Greenroads / INVEST (infrastructure)
Purpose: Standardize sustainability, increase demand, spread public awarness
Advanced Sustainable Concepts
Biomimicry: Design like nature
Biophilic Design: Integrates natural elements, lighting, and materials into built environments to build a connection between people and nature
Eliminate waste and use renewable energy
Adaptive Management: learning by doing, adjusting project strategies, minimizing environmental impact
Ethics & Sustainability Decisions
Environmental Ethics: moral framework for sustainable development, ensuring that economic growth does not surpass ecological limits or jeopardize future generations. Shifts focus from human-centered to nature, biodiversity, etc
Anthropocentrism vs Ecocentrism vs Biocentrism
Carbon & Greenhouse Gases
Scope 1 Emissions: direct emissions from owned sources
Scope 2 Emissions: Indirect emissions from purchased energy
Scope 3 Emissions: All other indirect emissions in the value chain, often making up 90% of total emissions
CO₂, CH₄, N₂O (three main greenhouse gases)
Carbon Footprint: Our total amount of greenhouse gases generated by our actions, such as using energy, driving, and consuming goods.
By everyone lowering their carbon footprint we can decrease global warming!
Water Efficiency
Greywater: Used wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, and washing machines, offering a sustainable water source for uses such as irrigation and flushing toilets.
Blackwater: Waste from toilets and kitchen sinks containing fecal matter and pathogens. Unlike greywater requires intensive treatment or immediate, safe disposal due to high health risks.
Rainwater Harvesting: Collects and stores rainwater, primarily from rooftops, for reuse in irrigation, cleaning, or, with treatment, potable water. It reduces utility bills, eases demand on municipal supplies, and manages stormwater runoff.
Renewable Energy
Reduce reliance on fossil fuels + lower carbon emissions
Solar Panels
Wind Energy
Geothermal Energy
Passive solar design (orientation on where windows face to optimize natural lighting/heat)
Benefits: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, lowers long-term energy costs, helps achieve net zero buildings, and supports sustainability goals
Challenges: High upfront cost, location and weather dependent in some scenarios, can take up large amounts of space
