Introduction
The following checklist is not intended to be a complete guide to sustainable design but rather indicative of those factors which should be considered in meeting the client’s and community's desire for more environmentally sympathetic buildings. The data for this section has been drawn through consultation with established architects working in the sustainability field and through a desk study of sustainable design guides and checklists. Discussions with architects highlighted that undertaking sustainable design at the very earliest project stages was fundamental to the achievement of a successful
sustainable building. Design considerations such as building orientation, materials, insulation, ventilation and waste water management all impact the building’s sustainability and should be factored in to the design prior to consideration of “add on” energy efficiency and energy generating technologies.
The objectives of sustainable design are to minimise pollution, reduce the consumption of natural resources, reduce energy during material production, construction and use; and create a healthy comfortable space to work and or live.
Site Location
Master planning has the greatest impact on sustainability as this activity affords the opportunity to locate and orientate individual buildings and minimise pedestrian travel to; public transport, cycle paths, local shops and other amenities. Master planning also affords the opportunity to be sympathetic to the local environment, maximises the re-use of brownfield sites and the avoidance of flood plains.
Building Design, Layout And Orientation
Buildings should be designed to be in sympathy with their local environment and where possible should be orientated such that passive solar gain, shelter, shading and natural lighting are all considered. Specifically the following should be considered:
• Minimise overshadowing.
• Limit glazing in north facing walls to minimise heat loss. • Include draught lobbies to act as a thermal buffer. • Consider passive rather than mechanical solutions
to heating and ventilation (see heating and ventilation below)
• Design for internal and external noise control at the outset by identifying noise sensitive areas and locating these away from noise and/or vibration producing areas. Consider the impact on neighbours of noise generating activities.
• Consider the use of the building over time and design appropriate flexibility to allow adaptation and extension to meet the future needs of building users. Facilitate future expansion and adaptation by:
• Positioning the building on the site so that expansion is not compromised.
• Considering the location of service equipment and plant rooms.
• Planning circulation to maintain efficiency in an enlarged building.
• Considering the design of the structure to facilitate upward expansion with the minimum of structural intervention.
• Consider, at the time of the initial construction, installing foundations to facilitate future expansion. • Providing easy access to site services and
communications infrastructure heating, cooling, power, water, sewerage, communications to allow for future expansion of services
Appendix 2 - The sustainable design checklist
Insulation, Heating and Ventilation
There are two factors to consider in minimising heat loss from buildings; firstly, insulation and secondly air tightness. The general rules are to:
1. Insulate walls, roofs, windows and external doors to the highest level possible, above the minimum standards set by the building regulations.
2. Build tight with no anticipated loss of internal air. 3. The final variable in the equation is correct ventilation
(build tight, ventilate right).
There are many ways to satisfy the three general rules for example:
• The use of dynamic insulation to draw air into a building. This relies on a constant air flow through a membrane caused by the pressure difference across it. Dynamic insulation acts as a buffer against rapid changes in moisture that can lead to mould and condensation. • Controlled natural ventilation through the design of
controlled convection currents and monitoring through the use of CO2sensors.
• Create sun spaces on south facing facades to facilitate ventilation by convection and to heat the structural mass as a heat sink during periods of cold weather • Structural mass can also be used as a heat sink to cool
the building during hot weather by cooling through controlled overnight purging.
• If air conditioning is necessary analyse the answer to the question “why is it necessary?”
Lighting
Bring maximum daylight into all rooms at high-level to reduce brightness levels and glare on work bases and consider the following:
• Light pipe distribution for buildings that have difficulty of access, a high security requirement or internal environment concerns.
• Control of glare and heat gained from direct sunlight by allowing daylight but limiting sun using external louvres. • Install energy-efficient lamps and fixtures.
• Consider a switching regime which maximises the opportunity for lighting to supplement day lighting. • Consider the use of occupancy sensors.
Building Materials
The use of prefabricated units and modular pods tend to the minimise waste and facilitate modern methods of construction (MMC). However, consideration should be given, as with all building materials, to the energy consumed in manufacture and transportation and preference should always be given to locally-produced, low embodied energy materials.
Appendix 2 - The sustainable design checklist
The three R’s (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle) is a helpful mnemonic in material selection.
Reduce– Material reduction through careful geometric planning is the first approach.
Re-use – The second strategy is to incorporate
previously used materials and equipment. In addition to base material sourced from the demolition of masonry and concrete structures there is a small but embryo industry refurbishing materials and equipment sourced from demolition and refurbishment projects. Certified and approved refurbished materials and plant, particularly services equipment such as chillers and pumps, should be considered as an economical alternative to new. Care should be taken not to reject such alternatives out of hand through prescriptive specification.
Recycle – A number of issues are addressed under the
heading of recycling:
• Materials should be selected to have good recycling characteristics such as pure metals, e.g. steel, aluminium, copper, etc. (About half of steel currently available is from recycled material). uPVC can also be processed and recycled.
• Packaging should be carefully controlled and returned to the manufacturer wherever possible.
• Wherever possible material from sustainably managed sources should be sourced, for example, wood from sustainably managed forests as certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) or equivalent.
• An appraisal of maximising recycling of materials from demolition should make use of ICE’s demolition protocol before demolition.
http://www.aggregain.org.uk/demolition/the_ice_demoli tion_protocol/index.html
• Liaise with local authorities in the provision of on-site recycling facilities.
Water and Waste Water Management
There are an number of on-site water recycling
opportunities which should be considered in any design: • Rainwater harvesting to reduce the use of potable
water for activities such as toilet flushing, irrigation or vehicle washing.
• Disinfected grey water can also be used for non potable activities such as toilet flushing.
• Water efficient fixtures and appliances are available for example waterless urinals, spray taps, low flow shower heads, etc.
• Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) use porous paving in outdoor hard surfaced areas such as
playgrounds and car parks to allow surface water to drain naturally reducing the load on utilities.
• Reed beds can be incorporated into the landscaping for on-site purification.
Landscaping and Ecology
The geographic and biodiversity of site and vegetation should be assessed for preservation during and after construction. Landscape management should be introduced once the construction is complete with use of native trees, shrubs and plants that do not require irrigation in the summer. Vegetation can be sited to protect the building by disrupting and reducing the speed of the prevailing wind in winter thereby reducing the cooling of the external facade. Water features should incorporate closed systems for recycling.
Transport
A transport plan, considered at the design stage, should include the use of public transport, electric points for charging electric cars, facilities for cyclists including showers, lockers and secure bicycle storage. The transport plan may also include facilities for working at home including telecommunications strategies.
Secure By Design
Incorporate passive surveillance of streets, open public spaces, parking and servicing areas. Identify a strong demarcation between public and private space, and ensure that public areas are well lit and that landscaping and vegetation does not obscure views. Ensure that the building design does not include recesses or publicly accessible passageways. Incorporate vandal resistance and deterrence strategies.
Appendix 2 - The sustainable design checklist
References
Sustainable Housing Forum (October 2003) Building Sustainably: How to Plan and Construct New Housing for the 21st Century. TCPA/WWF (http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/esbuildingsustainably.pdf)
Constructing Excellence (July 2003). Demonstrations of Sustainability, The Rethinking Construction Demonstrations and how they have Addressed Sustainability.
Constructing Excellence.
Keppie Design (2006). Great Glen House. Keppie Design.
Stevenson, F and Williams, N (2007). Sustainable Housing Design Guide for Scotland. Communities Scotland.
Public Technology Inc., US Green Building Council (1996). Sustainable Building Technical Manual Green Building Design, Construction, and Operations. Public Technology Inc.
Dundee City Council - Architectural Services Division (undated). Sustainability Checklists. Dundee City Council. Checklist SouthEast: http://southeast.sustainability-checklist.co.uk/
Mayor of London (2006). Sustainable Design and Construction: London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance. Greater London Authority.