Review on green building rating tools worldwide: recommendations for Australia

Buildings could be led to adverse impacts on environment, such as generation of construction and demolition waste, and emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Therefore, promotion on development of green buildings is in need. With the increasing awareness in sustainable development, various rating tools are promoted to evaluate the performance of green buildings. Nowadays, these tools function as a guideline for green building development. There are various green building rating tools developed worldwide, and various countries follow different rules, incentives and regulations. However, despite of promotion of green building rating tools, environmental issues from buildings are still significant in Australia. This research compared green building rating tools in Australia and other countries or regions around the world. This research found that rating tools in Australia lack of (1) mandatory criteria and (2) regulations and incentives. This paper recommended that governmental incentives should be promoted

Effective remediation strategies for ash dam sites in coal power plants

Pond ash is one of the main residual wastes from coal combustion. In coal power plants, the pond ash is usually mixed with seawater and stored as stockpiles, commonly known as ash dams. Once the ash dam 'dries out', the particles scatter with the wind, giving rise to various health issues. This research study aims to identify effective strategies for remediating the ash dam sites of coal power plants. Initially, the researchers conducted a literature review and expert interviews to identify strategies for remediation. The four alternatives are using (a) a sprinkler system, (b) Nu-Rock technology, (c) silicone extraction technology and (d) tree-planting technology. To validate the expert interview findings, this research quantified all the costs and benefits of the Port Augusta power plant in Australia as a case study. Silicone extraction technology and Nu-Rock technology create up to AU$20 million worth (AU$1 = US$0.718) of jobs within the area. Based on the analysis, it is identified that the Nu-Rock technology, silicone extraction process and plant regeneration alternatives are effective in ash dam remediation. The sprinkler system is a quick and temporary fix to ash dams until a permanent solution is introduced