Comparisons of Two Office Blocks for a Medium-Sized IT Firm: A Report
Apart from the growing demands of stakeholders for more functional and more effective physical infrastructures, the built environment industry is confronted with various challenges including complying with sustainable construction regulations and policies. The built environment refers to a man-made surrounding that purports human activities, by which in this sense, the necessity for quality and sustainable built environment is critical. One of the ways that the UK construction industry could secure the sustainability of the infrastructures is through adhering to the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) or the voluntary measurement rating for ‘green buildings’ established in the UK. According to (2005), green buildings refers to the practice of increasing the efficiency through effective use of energy, water and materials along with reducing building impacts to human health and the environment. As such, as a built environment professional, it is my duty to provide clients with options, alternatives and solutions regarding built environment-related problems including environmental design issues. In the case of our client, the medium-sized IT firm aspires for relocating in the Guildford area in the long-term. There are two options regarding the relocation sites: first is a three-storey 1908s office block and second, a three-storey 2006 completed office block, with similar floor areas. Critically, the firm is seriously considering the first option. In this paper, the comparisons of the two office blocks will be discussed and at the latter part of the document will provide advices to the client which office block could effectively reduce operating costs and improve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Likewise, the dynamics and importance of BREEAM and the environmental performance of built environments will be also addressed.
Corporate Social Responsibility in the Construction Industry
(2003) insist that construction is one of the main industries which perceptively embraces the corporate social responsibility or CSR. CSR is simply defined as the impact of a business and the relationship between it and society specifically those which are involved or affected by its activities. Within a construction firm, CSR is in fact a central core that should run through the company’s very ethos and culture as it encompasses a multitude of activities from training and development into public relations. In a holistic basis, CSR nurtures community citizenship as a social accountability realized within the construction industry. (2005) said that the construction industry operates within a heavily regulated business environment as it is subjected to a large number of governmental and legislative requirements. Such requirements must be adhered into since these drive the sustainability in the long run by which environmental impact assessment is one of the key requirement. Non-statutory and statutory pressures also apply in the industry and are mirrored by the commitment with CSR. Examples of the former include the increased demand for socially responsible investor, community activism, ever-changing client expectations and escalating pressures to comply with corporate good governance rules. On the other hand, the statutory pressures consist mainly of directives such as Code for Sustainable Buildings and BREEAM. The Code refers to the scheme developed by the Government and Industry which purports in ‘developing cost-effective, practicable and marketable CSB’ Whereas, BREEAM is an independent methodology for assessing environmental quality of buildings ( 2005).
Application of BREEAM
Initially, BREEAM is a design stage assessment for assessing and improving environmental performances of offices, schools, supermarkets and industrial units. BREEAM was launched in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), a private and industry-funded organisation which conducts research, consultancy and testing of the construction and built environment sectors in the UK (BRE online). Going back, such a method could be manipulated in variety of ways which include the specification of environmental sustainability of buildings, the promotion of environmental credentials and benefits and the improvement the environmental performance of the buildings ( 2005; 2007). As such, BREEAM buildings could be utilized in the assessment of environmental performance of any types of new building both new and existing. One of the most widely used among the BREEAM portfolio is the BREEAM Offices intended for the review and improvement of environmental assessment of office buildings. BREEAM Offices are carried out for both new and existing office buildings, either occupied or non-occupied. Assessments are set in two stages: design state and procurement and management and operation. Moreover, there are nine categories by which office buildings are to be assessed such as management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, energy and transport, water, materials, land use and ecology and pollution. As much as possible, clients are requiring ‘Very Good’ to ‘Excellent’ ratings after the completion of the steps including: accomplishing input form, credit weighting and availability, credit calculations and acquiring BREEAM rating
Comparisons of the Environmental Performance of the Office Blocks
Development and management of sustainable offices is now a very important endeavors to the UK construction industry hence the necessity to design and construct green office buildings. (2000) states that the initiative to understand and analyse green buildings is immediately confronted by the complexity and scope of environmental issues which are potentially relevant to buildings (2003), nonetheless, is keen when he said that there is a strong correlation between green design and the marketability of offices as it puts the procurement, specification, sustainability, cost and marketing at clearer perspectives. The author also made mentioned that the practicality of green office development is realized on the need to be viable within market constraints, on offering value for money and on providing genuine reduction in running costs. The author defines a green office through its features: natural cross ventilation or mixed mode, natural daylight, sophisticated shading devices for solar control, good light distribution to the building core, passive controls, thermal capacity dampening of structure, stack effect ventilation incorporating atria, displacement air-chilled ceilings and upgradeable base specification
In order to compare the two offices blocks thus determine its ‘green’ levels, there are specific aspects which this report will look at. The first is the energy performance of the offices. According to the Buildings Regulations 2006, buildings should have an energy cost factor of ‘x’, a SAP 2005 rating of ‘y’ and target carbon dioxide emission of ‘z’. In simpler terms, an office building must have an energy consumption control mechanism or must comply with heating and ventilation control regulations. (2002) contends that an acceptable indoor range meant that there must be an indoor temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and with small fluctuation and relative humidity ranging from 20 to 70%. The energy ratings or the efficiency of heating and cooling equipments, further, of the offices must be at acceptable SAP level of energy performance of the office block. There are two ways by which the energy rating could be calculated: target carbon dioxide emissions rate (TER) and dwelling carbon dioxide emissions rate (DER). Notably, the minimum acceptable energy performance level is mass of CO2/m2 of floor area per annum for heating, hot water, ventilation and fixed internal lighting. Other considerations would be the secondary heating and lighting installation As stated in BREEAM Buildings online (2007), the CO2 emitted from the operation of buildings in the UK contributes 50 percent of the total UK CO2 emission hence the necessity to thoroughly manage the energy performance of built environments.
In comparing the two office blocks, the 1980 office block is equipped with full air conditioning and heating and cooling installations while the 2006 office block is outfitted with passive stack ventilation. I supposed that the two office blocks could achieved that TER but since we are considering a ‘block’ approach, the average TER and DER must be taken into account as well as the maximum air permeability. The last statement I made could be achieved through a ‘stack effect’ or the planning of air paths which is an element of the 2006 office block. Not to mention, passive ventilation also benefits the office occupants with the indoor air quality, positive pressures and heat recovery systems. Passive stack ventilation systems are also recognised by the BRE but this is not to say the air conditioning should be totally disregarded. Air conditioning systems basically provides temperature control. Notably, an adequate supply of air is necessary for the removal of odor, carbon dioxide and other contaminants (2000). Although the air conditioning system could provide for these aspects, there is one consideration which is the outdoor air quality. The 1980 office block is five minutes away from railway and bus stations, and is therefore more vulnerable to air pollutants that might enter and circulates within the offices, compared to the 2006 office block which is 15 minutes away from the stations. In between the travel to and from the building to the stations, for instance, there could be a significant level of emissions impacting the energy levels of each of the building. At this point, I can say that the 1980 office block is more advantageous than the 2006 office block due to the fact that the gap of transport is limited but the downside is on the amount of pollution it could acquire from the stations. BREEAM specifies that transport consideration is also important based on the location of the offices and the access to public transport and local amenities which could contribute to CO2 emissions and human activities also contributing to the emissions.
Going back to ventilation, in making an office block sustainable, preventing indoor air pollution is also an imperative. According to Hasegawa and OECD (2003), minimum standards for air exchange through ventilation must be a necessity for offices, aiming to keep indoor air fit for human health Heating and cooling mechanism of offices are a large part of the energy use, contributing to the quality of air inside the premises. But since the 2006 office block makes use of natural ventilation, it could effectively save energy and reduce energy costs compared to the 1980 office block therefore provide the required air quality indoor while also reducing air pollutants in the process. In addition, the 2006 office block is primed with ground source heat pumps and so air pollution could be diminished as it can utilize both heating and cooling using geothermal principles. Nevertheless, it must be noted that pollutions are from fundamental and in-built activities within the built environment industry, and CO2 is one of the primary form of air pollutants. Ventilation is crucial for buildings but to make it sustainable, it should effectively reduce CO2 emissions and that is inexistence with the 2006 office block and not with the 1980 office block. BREEAM distinguishes that pollution prevention for buildings must be addressed basically through aligning space heating to with minimum or acceptable emissions level. Pollution prevention in office and building is best described by and (2006) when they said that “prevention through building features is recognised as the key response alongside better production methods, an improved health and safety commitment, improved monitoring and environmental justice”
Second is the water performance requirement wherein the average daily water consumption per person is set at approximately 150 liters. Aside from renewable energy which is delivered by the ground source heat pump, the 2006 office block could take advantage of the adequate supply of suitable water that the pump could endow the infrastructure. Because the installation of ground source heat pumps directly relates with circulation of water, there could be enough water throughout the year. Through the system, the water could be converted into hot water during winter as it collects heat from the earth, carrying it to the system and into the offices and when during summer, the system could reverse the effect. Such a process, according to the , produces element of cooling during the summer and creates substantial hot water savings in the winter (2006). According to BREEAM, water must be used sparingly in order to address water shortages as an efficient way to adhere to water performance requirement ( 2007). Aside from being an energy-efficient way of heating buildings, it could deliver as much as 3 or 4 times thermal energy. Electrical energy drives the system but since the 2006 office block applies solar photovoltaic, this office block embraces the concept of green electricity. When we say photovoltaic it means that energy is achieved through the application of solar cells by converting sunlight directly into electricity. On the other hand, (1997) describes green electricity as the generated by renewable energy technologies with low or zero emissions or otherwise from environmental sources BREEM recognizes that electricity must be purchased from renewable resources as hydroelectric power and photovoltaic systems and should strive at continuously reducing the use of electricity by 50 to 70 percent (2007). As such, although ground source heat pumps are costly to install, they have low maintenance cost and are reliable and environmentally-friendly in the long run (2008).
Third, the waste requirements which purports to reduce to provide adequate collection facilities. BREEAM determines that it is important to any building to consider responsibly resourced and recycled materials ( 2007). There are waste generation-related characteristics of built environments. Strong and Hemphill (2006) relate that waste is the by-product arising from human activities in the built environments. Wastes possess varying biodegradability and polluting potential thus the requirement to effectively manage this aspect. Waste management has been recognised internationally as one of the key aspects of the built environment, with impacts on energy, construction and pollution systems that are driven not just be social dynamics but also industrial management and performance. Sad to say, the 1980 office block do not have waste management and disposal facilities compared to that of the 2006 office block which is also built with site cycle storage. Waste management challenges in the built environments include effective protection of the environment, social progress that recognizes the needs of everyone, prudent use of natural resources and maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment (as cited in 2006,). What could effectively respond to these challenges, according to the authors, are sound recycling methods and appropriate infrastructures that are built on the waste hierarchy, and this is what is lacking with the 1980 office block. It is the 2006 office block which could effectively managed recoverable resources towards the route of greener specifications. As innovative waste management technologies, storage and waste recycling facilities are two among the acceptable and efficient waste management techniques in buildings.
Fourth would be the serviceability requirements. Serviceability requirements are divided into two categories: durability and flexibility and health and well-being. In the first category, future proofing, adaptability or the flexibility of use, maintenance of performance, accessibility and recoverability are the key features. Various materials and structural solutions of the built environment is the main sustainability requirement as manifested in flexibility in design, changeability during use, durability in comparison to the design service life and recyclables of components. Sustainable, as we now know, should meet with the needs of the present but not jeopardizing the needs of the future. As such, a built environment must be equipped with high functionality to deal with changes and with behaviors that could withstand the challenges of the present. Features must have moderate length of service life and have requirements for coping with high degrees of change like, for example, the climate change; and with features with supple compatibility with changing building spaces and structural systems ( 2000). One perfect example would be the provision for flood resilience measures. While, the health and well-being requirements are comprised of internal air quality, enhanced lighting standards, enhanced ventilation, enhanced sound proofing and security. BREEAM states that maintaining health and well-being while inside built environments is important because an individual spent 90% on average of his time in buildings. Offices then are major contributors to quality of life especially through effective heating, lighting, air quality and noise ( 2007).
The 1980 office block boasts of its new floor coverings and suspended ceilings. An advantage of floor coverings is the sound insulation it offers which reduces the noise pollution to adjacent or neighboring offices ( 1996). Suspended ceilings also offer the advantages of adaptability and can be easily removed (, 2002,). On the other hand, two of the features of the 2006 office block are cantilevered solar shading and photovoltaic roofing. As said by the (2007), solar shading at its simplest form is any device which excludes sunlight from a building. Also known as solar roof, the photovoltaic roofing system enables the direct conversion into electricity of sunlight. Although the 1980 office block has its own features with distinct advantages, the 2006 office block has materiality with functions that could benefit the IT firm more. This is because of the integration of solar components to the building wherein it can control the amount of heat and light admitted into the offices and so could offer energy saving in various areas. For one, the solar features can reduce the need for heating or air conditioning by maintaining a more even temperature despite the climatic changes. The amount of lighting could also be reduced as it can allow the minimum light admittance to a building. All of this contributes to the environmental performance of the buildings which in turn contributes to the well-being and health of occupants. The sustainable building’s design, construction and operation impact the quality of life and productivity of the occupants thus the necessity to make buildings as ‘green’ as possible as well as the quality of the neighborhood, community and the planet ( 2008).
Importantly, the working principles behind making the building industry a sustainable one include integration of environmental concerns and green construction, energy efficiency, healthy structures, building longevity, waste reduction, recycled-content materials and water conservation. Sustainability, moreover, should be applied in pre-design, onsite, design, construction and occupancy and maintenance. As put it, a sustainable construction benefits stakeholders by means of the wise use of all natural resources and 50 percent reduction of energy use while also improves occupant health, comfort, productivity and reduces pollution. Further, a sustainable building may cost more upfront but saves through lower operating cost over the life of the building. If I am going to advice the client, I would recommend the firm to seriously consider the 2006 office block. Basically, the 2006 office block has a solar and energy efficient design, improved indoor air quality, usage of green materials and efficient lighting. Because of these features, the firm could reduce lighting energy requirements by at least 30 to 40 percent while also cutting the heating cooling energy consumption and eventually reduce water consumption. In the long run, the advantages that the 2006 office block could give the firm is the lower operating expenses because of reduced utility and waste disposal costs. This IT firm has the opportunity to lower on-going building maintenance costs and devote the expenses for technical supplies such as computers, printers and other machines and the maintenance of these equipments. We should also take note that the 2006 office block was given a Very Good rating under the BREEAM offices assessment. This means that the office block is equal to or more than 55 to less than 70 percentage adherence to benchmark practices of sustainable offices. This means that the 2006 office block could be further improved thereby really making such built environment sustainable.
(3, 298 words)
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment