The fundamentals of sustainability

OVER THE DECADES, the human race has witnessed the depletion of critical resources like water, energy, and raw materials.

The Industrial Revolution in the 1700s may be one of the initial factors that have triggered many environmental hazards due to the utilization of machineries and factories. The use of these led to mass production, which is still helpful today but may have adverse impacts, directly or indirectly, on the environment, society, and economy.

The “Whole Building Design Guide” of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) in Washington D.C. refers to these as the three P’s—People, Planet, and Pocketbook.

“The field of sustainable design seeks to balance the needs of these areas by using an integrated approach to create win-winwin design solutions,” said the NIBS in a written report.

Based on a 2004 study by the US Environmental Protection Agency, buildings alone account for 39% of energy use, 68% of total electricity use, 12% of total water use, 38% of total carbon dioxide emissions, and 60% of total non-industrial waste generated (from construction and demolition) in the USA.

According to the NIBS, the main objectives of sustainable design are to reduce or completely avoid the exhaustion of the abovementioned critical resources; to prevent environmental degradation rooted from facilities and infrastructure; and to establish built environments that are liveable, comfortable, safe, and productive. Building owners, designers, and builders today face the challenge of meeting these demands for the benefit of the three P’s.

The definition of sustainable building design, however, is constantly changing. Despite that, six fundamental principles remain to ensure maximum efficiency and sustainability.

OPTIMIZE SITE POTENTIAL

The NIBS stated that creating sustainable buildings begins with choosing the proper site as the site of the building should reduce, control and/or treat storm water runoff and as much as possible, support the native flora and fauna of the region in the landscape design. “The location, orientation, and landscaping of a building affect local ecosystems, transportation methods, and energy use. It is important to incorporate smart growth principles into the project development process, whether the project is a single building, campus, or military base,” it added.

OPTIMIZE ENERGY USE

Improving the energy performance of existing buildings is critical to increasing people’s energy independence. Through this, we are lessening the impacts of global climate change, finding ways to reduce energy load, increasing efficiency, and maximizing the use of renewable energy resources in facilities.

PROTECT AND CONSERVE WATER

The organization said that the environmental and financial costs of sewage treatment are important because fresh water is fast-becoming a scarce resource. The NIBS added that any sustainable building should use water efficiently, and reuse or recycle water for on-site use, when feasible. “The effort to bring drinkable water to our household faucets consumes enormous energy resources in pumping, transport, and treatment. Often potentially toxic chemicals are used to make water potable.”

OPTIMIZE BUILDING SPACE AND MATERIAL USE

As the world population continues to grow to over nine billion by 2050, the report stated that it is vital to achieve an “integrated and intelligent” use of materials that maximizes its value, prevents pollution, and conserves resources. Also, a sustainable building should use and reuse materials the most productive and sustainable ways as these materials causes environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion, and human toxicity.

ENHANCE INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ)

The principles of IEQ emphasizes control over lighting and temperature, mostly. “The IEQ of a building has a significant impact on occupant health, comfort, and productivity. Among other attributes, a sustainable building maximizes daylighting, has appropriate ventilation and moisture control, optimizes acoustic performance, and avoids the use of materials with high-VOC emissions,” it said.

OPTIMIZE OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

The NIBS explained that thinking about a building’s operating and maintenance problems during the preliminary design phase of a building can well contribute to improved working environments, higher productivity, reduced energy, resource costs, and prevented system failures. Building operators and maintenance personnel are thus encouraged to participate in the design and development phases of the building.