Explain Concept of sustainable development.
Several opinions and concepts have been put forwarded regarding sustainability. In the last few years there has been a shift in the concept of development and greater focus has been made on the process of environmental sustainability. The construction industry has been charged with various issues ranging from overuse of resources to the creation of pollution. Thus, there rises a necessity to undertake a sustainability concept for the building construction companies. This paper focuses on the same topic of building sustainability in the building and construction projects. A detail analysis of the method of building sustainability will be done, along with the understanding of developing the practice of sustainability building. This paper will evaluate the importance of the performance of the building in recent scenario. The result of the application of this type of building will also be analyzed.
Sustainable development indicates such types of developments that are able to meet the demand of needs of the current generation without affecting the needs of the future generations. Thus, n ability to learn the concept of using the resources and focusing on creating better environment condition is the main concept behind sustainability (Malhotra et al. 2013). The concept of sustainability got importance due to two main factors. Primarily, the increasing rte of environmental degradation due to depletion in the natural resources that is raising alarm in the global environment. Secondly, it has also been realized that the issues related to the environmental degradation needs to be checked because human needs might met in parts of the world but it is yet to be fulfilled in other parts of the globe (Berardi 2013). Thus, an integrated and concrete effort towards the sustainability was felt and necessary actions were being planned against the same issue.
Often referred to as green building, that are constructed and structured to meet the environmental demands are termed as sustainable building. In this process, a detailed check is kept in the process of construction, operation, maintenance and even in the renovation or demolition of the building. Thus, a balance between the construction of the building and the environment is maintained. This for obvious reasons calls for a well trained and a team of engineers who are best in the approach of designing buildings (Abrams et al. 2012). This calls for a better design and an innovative approach towards the making of the building.
In this respect, it can be mentioned that there has been a provision towards the manufacturing of glass buildings. Several approaches have been made towards developing a better environmental condition. It is a common sight to view building made of glass. This could be easily regarded as one of the tools of building sustainable buildings and a step towards a better and clean environment. When buildings are made of glass, there are very less provision of water is required for the sake of construction (Barrella and Schwarz 2016). Apart from that there remains very less possibility of creation of pollution because glass causes much less pollution compared to concrete. Along with this, sustainable buildings also propose the idea of reducing the amount of waste. In the construction process huge amount of waste materials are produced. This creates severe environmental issues that decline the prosperity of environment (Bendewald and Zhai 2013). In case, when glass is used for the building purpose, a huge amount of waste is reduced and a provision towards a better and greener environment is created.
In the opinion of Shika et al. (2014), the construction industry has been into the category of harming the sustainability of the environment. In other words, it can be said that this sector of business plays a vital role in shaping the sustainability and development. This industry has a good level of consumption in terms of the need of resources and also in the creation of pollution. Again, as pointed out by Kontokosta and Jain (2015), this industry is also responsible for the development of the infrastructure of the rural and the backward sector of the society. Various human needs such as meeting the provision of health or education by the means of building hospitals, schools, colleges and the most important of all, the need of shelter is all provided by this sector. Thus, it can be said that human life is completely depended on this sector. However, the importance of environment and saving the resources for future use cannot As stated by Saggar et al. (2015), that the need of basic consumption level is easily met in the developed countries but in the developing countries it still remains a challenge for the people struggling there. As a result of which, people make any kind of provision for building shelter for themselves. This automatically increases the level of pollution because in such cases, much inferior quality of resources is used for building purpose. Thus, issues regarding sustainability still exist in such cases.
The gap produced in maintaining sustainability between the developed and the developing countries has been approached to address the situation by the means of a tool termed as ‘Sustainability Building Assessment Tool’. This tool reflects some of the social issues faced by these countries by understanding the fact that how manufacturing a building or the construction industry can add to the sustainability of the environment (Gibberd 2014). The main aim of this toll is to enable the industry to maximize the role of the construction industry in adding positive factors in the environment while fighting with the negative effect that the industry is causing to the environment. If the change is easily acceptable by the construction industry, then their role in the development of the developing countries increases.
The assessment tool suggests 15 main areas broadly divided in 3 major factors in the stage of adopting sustainability at the time of construction. These areas can be mentioned as below:
Environmental factors: The use and consumption of the resources available in the nature such as the water, energy, waste, site, materials and other components as well. The essential environmental factors mentioned are needed to be used properly without making any provision to waste them. It is only by this means that the resources of the globe can be maintained (Achaper 2012).
Economic factors: Efficient use of the local economy of the region of development or construction, the efficiency of the use of the money in the construction process. Adaptability and flexibility of using the economy and most importantly correct use of the ongoing and the capital cost is also important for the construction industry to maintain in their activity (Aragon-Correa 2013).
Social factors: The construction industry must also focus on the comfort of the occupants of the region of operation, the inclusive environment, participation and role of the people belonging to that particular region. Other factors include facilities to access the building and other things (Takeuchi 2013). Again, education, safety and the health of the local contractors are also indeed important for the sustainability factor.
With the aim of creating a better environment, the approach of sustainability building has been made. In this respect, some of the beneficial effects of such buildings can be discussed. As pointed out by Zmeureanu (2013), when sustainability approach is made, focus is made on using the local economy of the region. It can provide the opportunity of using the local economy of the region and help to improve the economic condition to some extent. It is also expected that the construction company might use the local raw materials available that it might reduce the expenses as well as prove to be a better provision for the environment. As a result of the sustainable approach towards environment, health and safety of the local people are also maintained. Thus, socially, environmentally as well as economically sustainability buildings add to the betterment of the environment.
There are certain certifications that are given towards the sustainability that the buildings have reached. Those certifications can be mentioned her:
‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental design’: This is a set of rating system that is developed by the U.S Green Building Council. A research team, known as the ‘Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method’ or in short, the BREEAM is responsible for taking care of the sustainability report (Akadiri et al. 2013). This research team keeps a good eye on the sustainability of the constructed buildings and depending on their analysis; they issue a certificate of the range of sustainability reached by the design of the building.
New technologies and other innovative ideas are opening many doors towards the creation of a better environment; the approach made by the creation of the green or sustainable building is to reduce the harmful impact of the construction of the building both on the health of humans and against the degrading condition of the environment (Berardi 2012).
It is to be kept in mind that sustainability buildings do not only imply on the construction of the building but it is also dependent on the operation and the life cycle of the building. It is expected that the b building will be sustainable after its construction also (Menna et al. 2013). There should not be any provision that would result in the creation of pollution or trouble for the environment and for the people of a particular region.
The approach made for the creation of sustainability building is indeed a good on towards the making of a better environment and keeping a better world for the future generation. However, the process is not followed in the construction of every place. For example, building might be constructed by using glass as one of the substitute to the concrete that helped in reducing pollution. However, construction is not only abided in making buildings but there are other things that are constructed at a regular basis and in fact, life would not be possible without such construction. These include the construction of roads and bridges. Even the monuments or other historical or tourist attracting places and buildings are made up of concrete and other pollution creating materials. However, the approach of sustainability has been reached to the construction of buildings only that too mainly for those buildings that are constructed for office purposes.
There are very few buildings that have residential purpose and fulfill the criteria of sustainability. Thus, it is recommended that these sectors of buildings are to b e encouraged for following the sustainability process and provide their effort towards making a cleaner and better environment. Towards the technical perspective it can be said that more researches could be done to find out other constructing materials that are sustainable and are less prone towards the creation of pollution. In addition to this, strict laws can also be imposed that would make it compulsory to follow strict guidelines at the time of construction. Failure to which the construction company or the person involved might have to confront with greater punishment or fine.
Conclusion:
The paper has narrated the several aspects of the sustainable building. A detail research of the proposed idea has been done. The benefits of these buildings have been discussed along with the several facts that are related to the construction of such buildings. It has been found that many buildings are made in today’s perspective where great focus has been made towards the sustainability. However, this approach is less in some of the developing countries. The paper also included certain recommendations made in accordance to increase sustainability. In this perspective, it can be said that if proper approaches are made towards a green and clean environment then there would be no risk for the future and a good sustainability level can be reached easily. The government of every country must come forward and help to make a better environment for people living today and leaving a better planet for the future generation.
Reference list:
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Akadiri, P.O., Olomolaiye, P.O. and Chinyio, E.A., 2013. Multi-criteria evaluation model for the selection of sustainable materials for building projects. Automation in Construction, 30, pp.113-125.
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Barrella, E.M. and Schwarz, J., 2016. Evaluating and Selecting a Sustainability Rating System for Corridor Planning and Capacity Building: A University Case Study. In Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting (No. 16-3917).
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