1.

1 Impact of the Built Environment

The buildings we occupy have a profound impact on our lives. We spend over 80% of our time within
buildings and they directly affect our health, happiness, and sense of well-being. Furthermore, the
energy we use within them is a major contributor to global carbon emissions

In most developed countries the CO2 arising from the energy we use to heat, light, ventilate, cool,
and operate equipment within our buildings accounts for between 40% and 50% of total national
emissions. In addition, in the world CO2 emissions arising from the manufacture and distribution of
construction products are estimated to be equivalent to 19% of the CO2 emitted in-use over the
buildings life cycle.

With the built environment accounting for 40% of the materials and about a third of the energy
consumed by the world economy [2], it is not surprising that buildings have become the focus of so
much national and international attention. During the past 20 years many countries have introduced
new regulatory requirements associated with reducing the energy demands of new and existing
buildings. There has also been a growing realization that in addition to energy usage (and the
associated CO2 emissions), the impact of the built environment is much greater than these issues
alone. This has led to the adoption of environmental rating and assessment methods for buildings
that assess not only the energy demand, but also the impact of other factors such as land use and
biodiversity, water consumption, pollution, and access to daylight.

Waste arising from construction activity and the production of building materials is enormous in
many countries accounting for 25% to 35% of total waste. Typically, about 15% to 20% of all new
construction material is sent to landfill as a consequence of over ordering, damage resulting from
poor site storage, or inefficiencies in the construction method. Given the scale and scope of the
challenge presented by waste arising from construction (and building material extraction and
production), many countries have put in place ambitious targets to reduce to zero the amount of
construction waste going to landfill and/or introduced fiscal measures such as landfill taxes to
address the issue.

The evidence associated with the positive benefits of good design is overwhelming. A Royal Institute
of British Architects research paper concluded the following:

Well-designed homes and neighbourhoods create better and healthier places to live and build
strong communities; they can reduce crime and provide homes that keep their value.

Well-designed schools support teaching and learning and have a positive impact on students
behaviour.

Well-designed hospitals aid speedier recovery and result in more efficient and contented staff.

Well-designed offices lead to a more valued and productive workforce and profitable premises.

Good-quality public spaces help create healthy communities, desirable properties and can
revitalise run-down neighbourhoods.

Building Environmental Assessment Methods

Green building assessment methods have gained remarkable traction during the past 15 years, with
demand for certificates as statements of a buildings credentials increasing rapidly. Most of the
environmental assessment systems owe their origin to the U.K. Building Research Establishments
Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), the development of which started in 1989 (based on
an original sustainability framework proposal by John Doggart). A prototype was trialed in 1990, with
the first practical commercial version, BREEAM for Offices, being launched in 1998. Developed by
a consortium of industry experts, it later evolved into the first formal BREEAM scheme. Many other
schemes soon followed: LEED in the United States, Greenstar in Australia, Green Mark in Singapore,
CASBEE in Japan, Griha in India and so on

Increasingly, building environmental assessment methods are being adopted in countries without
formal building regulations as de facto construction standards. While adoption is largely driven by
market pull, it is providing an effective mechanism for reducing energy demand. Concerns have been
raised, however, regarding compliance enforcement and consistency. There is also a risk that the
assessment process will become little more than a tick-box exercise undertaken by assessors who
become adept at manipulating the scoring method. Despite these concerns, it is clear that
environmental assessment of buildings, building components, and construction materials is
becoming a key driver for building designers, contractors, developers, and occupiers worldwide,
resulting in beneficial change and improvement.