Sustainability potentials of housing refurbishment

The benefits of choosing refurbishment over new build have recently beenbrought into focus for reducing environmental impacts of buildings. This is due to the factthat the existing buildings will comprise the majority of the total building stocks for yearsto come and hence will remain responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissionsfrom the sector. This paper investigates the total potentials of sustainable refurbishmentand conversion of the existing buildings by adopting a holistic approach to sustainability.Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and questionnaires have been used to analyse theenvironmental impact savings (Co2e), improved health and well-being, and satisfaction ofpeople living in refurbished homes. The results reported in the paper are based on a twoyear externally funded research project completed in January 2013.</p

Sustainable architecture and construction [special issue of Sustainability Journal]

This co-special issue, a joint initiative by Buildings and Sustainability Journals, brings together current thinking and research on how the construction industry could achieve a sustainable built environment in an innovative and cost effective way. The special issue is a response to the growing concerns about environmental impacts of the built environment and the urgent need for identification and development of innovative strategies and solutions for reducing our ecological footprint.The special issue argues that in order to achieve truly sustainable buildings we need to adopt a balanced view to address all aspects of sustainability namely social, economic and environmental sustainability. It also discusses how we may achieve best practice through a holistic approach that considers all stages of building procurement, from early design stage to end of life. Contributors from architecture, planning and engineering (both academia and practice) provide a wide-ranging discussion on sustainable urban planning, design and construction. The papers submitted to this especial issue are of interest to all those involved in activities across the built environment and related sectors.</p

Sustainable architecture and construction [special issue of Buildings Journal]

This co-special issue, a joint initiative by Buildings and Sustainability Journals, brings together current thinking and research on how the construction industry could achieve a sustainable built environment in an innovative and cost effective way. The special issue is a response to the growing concerns about environmental impacts of the built environment and the urgent need for identification and development of innovative strategies and solutions for reducing our ecological footprint.The special issue argues that in order to achieve truly sustainable buildings we need to adopt a balanced view to address all aspects of sustainability namely social, economic and environmental sustainability. It also discusses how we may achieve best practice through a holistic approach that considers all stages of building procurement, from early design stage to end of life. Contributors from architecture, planning and engineering (both academia and practice) provide a wide-ranging discussion on sustainable urban planning, design and construction. The papers submitted to this especial issue are of interest to all those involved in activities across the built environment and related sectors.</p

Sustainable architecture and construction [special issue of Buildings Journal]

This co-special issue, a joint initiative by Buildings and Sustainability Journals, brings together current thinking and research on how the construction industry could achieve a sustainable built environment in an innovative and cost effective way. The special issue is a response to the growing concerns about environmental impacts of the built environment and the urgent need for identification and development of innovative strategies and solutions for reducing our ecological footprint.The special issue argues that in order to achieve truly sustainable buildings we need to adopt a balanced view to address all aspects of sustainability namely social, economic and environmental sustainability. It also discusses how we may achieve best practice through a holistic approach that considers all stages of building procurement, from early design stage to end of life. Contributors from architecture, planning and engineering (both academia and practice) provide a wide-ranging discussion on sustainable urban planning, design and construction. The papers submitted to this especial issue are of interest to all those involved in activities across the built environment and related sectors.</p

Woodland Sustainable Community Hall, Hill Holt Wood, Lincolnshire [design and construction of]

The design for the building was developed in the design studio at Lincoln School of Architecturein 2005/2006 led by Dr Sodagar who was also the Knowledge Base supervisor for the KIP. Theaim was to develop a 100% off grid Community Building with a minimised carbon-footprint.Therefore, the project has investigated the use of a diverse mix of low-carbon buildingtechniques. These include limecrete foundations, highly-insulated rammed-earth walling system,lightweight timber wall construction, renewable energy sources, water and waste managementand an innovative double timber reciprocal roof.The building is the recipient of prestigious awards including Lord Stafford Award for Innovationfor Sustainability (2009) and the Green Apple Award for the Built Environment and ArchitecturalHeritage (2009).</p

Sustainability potentials of housing refurbishment

The benefits of choosing refurbishment over new build have recently beenbrought into focus for reducing environmental impacts of buildings. This is due to the factthat the existing buildings will comprise the majority of the total building stocks for yearsto come and hence will remain responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissionsfrom the sector. This paper investigates the total potentials of sustainable refurbishmentand conversion of the existing buildings by adopting a holistic approach to sustainability.Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and questionnaires have been used to analyse theenvironmental impact savings (Co2e), improved health and well-being, and satisfaction ofpeople living in refurbished homes. The results reported in the paper are based on a twoyear externally funded research project completed in January 2013.</p

Sustainable architecture and construction [special issue of Sustainability Journal]

This co-special issue, a joint initiative by Buildings and Sustainability Journals, brings together current thinking and research on how the construction industry could achieve a sustainable built environment in an innovative and cost effective way. The special issue is a response to the growing concerns about environmental impacts of the built environment and the urgent need for identification and development of innovative strategies and solutions for reducing our ecological footprint.The special issue argues that in order to achieve truly sustainable buildings we need to adopt a balanced view to address all aspects of sustainability namely social, economic and environmental sustainability. It also discusses how we may achieve best practice through a holistic approach that considers all stages of building procurement, from early design stage to end of life. Contributors from architecture, planning and engineering (both academia and practice) provide a wide-ranging discussion on sustainable urban planning, design and construction. The papers submitted to this especial issue are of interest to all those involved in activities across the built environment and related sectors.</p

Understanding user satisfaction evaluation in low occupancy sustainable workplaces

This paper presents the findings of a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) applied to a buildingin the UK. The design of the building was generated through an externally funded research projectover two years from 2005 to 2007. The construction of the building was completed in 2010.After a period of occupancy, a POE of the building was carried out in 2015. The POE offeredan opportunity to investigate the effect of occupant behaviour on the performance of the buildingand their level of comfort and satisfaction. We adopted a field survey method to evaluate the comfortand satisfaction of users by asking them a series of questions to analyse how they felt in differentparts of the building throughout the course of the year. In our analysis, the users were promptedto provide a subjective measure of the building regarding a range of internal conditions such as airtemperature, humidity, air movement, air quality, daylight, artificial light, and noise. The analysissupports the notion that in naturally-ventilated buildings some users may find the building to behot in summer while cold in winter. The high level of control the users have over the operation ofthe building contributes to their comfort and satisfaction. The users demonstrated a tendency to besatisfied despite environmental factors and to forgive some aspects of the building which are notperforming as they should. The paper offers a perspective on statistical user satisfaction in a lowoccupancy building and attempts to explain the role of workplace wellbeing on occupant perceptionof comfort in this case.</p

The monitored performance of four social houses certified to the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5

This paper presents the energy and water use of 4 social houses certified to the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 in Gainsborough, UK. The houses were monitored over 2 years, from July 2012 to September 2014. As the houses have the same construction and energy efficiency characteristics, the study offered a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of occupant behaviour on the dwellings performance. Electricity, gas and water consumptions were measured through data logging and meter readings. Surveys and interviews were conducted throughout to gain insights into tenants understanding and interactions with low energy features in their homes. Significant differences were observed in the amount of energy and water used. The annual space heating consumptions differentiated by a factor of 2.2 per square metre of floor area. Hot water heating demands varied by a factor of 3.5 per square metre of floor area or by 2.5 per person per year. Mains water consumptions varied by a factor of 2.2 litres per person per day in 2013.</p

Strategies for regeneration of urban villages in hometown of oversea-Chinese

Hometown of Oversea-Chinese is a special phenomenon in the history of Chinese near-modern development,mainly in the east and south coast of China. At the beginning of last century, a large number of coastal residents moved overseas for living. After decades of efforts, they invested back hometown to build houses. These residence layouts consist both local traditional culture and foreign features, forming a special landscape. In recent years, economic globalization has promoted rapid urbanization, which leads massive population flowing from rural to urban areas. Cities eroded the countryside field and evacuated the rural labor force, leading to a large number of abandoned deteriorated urban villages, including the hometown of Oversea-Chinese. This paper focuses on the regeneration of urban villages in hometown of Oversea-Chinese. With the influence of global industrialization and rapid urbanization in recent decades in China, a large number of Oversea-Chinese residence groups have become empty and decayed urban villages gradually. However, they are different from urban villages in other parts of China, as they have unique cultural features and historical value, therefore research on the regeneration of this type of urban villages not only contribute to local economic development but also is closely related to the hot topic of how to maintain cultural differences under the process of globalization. We surveyed their formation process, historical and cultural characteristics and put forward some strategies of regeneration from the three aspects of society, economy and environment: explore history culture to strengthen the bond with Oversea-Chinese, develop cultural and creative industries and appropriate tourism to promote economic activities and improve the environment by government-led planning</p