European overview of sustainable policies and approaches in COST C25 member countries

The implementation of the principles and methods towards a Sustainable Construction varies across different countries in Europe. In some countries, the sustainability of the construction sector has been effectively taken into consideration over the last years, while in other its implementation is at an initial stage. Many reasons may be pointed out for this situation. Different countries have different understandings of what is entailed in Sustainable Construction. Different cultural and educational backgrounds, along with different priorities in each country, are also contributing for the lack of a common European approach. General frameworks, aiming to cover every aspect of Sustainable Construction and to provide a consistent and integrated approach, such as Agenda 21 for Sustainable Construction, gave a major advance in the search for a common approach for the construction sector. However, general agreed methodologies and tools to make this common approach operational are still missing.European Science Foundation - COST Action C2

National and international (ISO and CEN) standardisation relevant for sustainability in construction

Sustainability in construction has a short history in terms of principles, standardizations and applications. From the Brundtland Report “Our Common Future”, a new vision of the resource deficits, climate impacts and the social responsibility gave growth to the idea of sustainability also in design and construction. Consequently, in around 2000, the international and national organizations for standardization started to develop standards for the application of sustainable principles. This paper gives an overview of existing and planned standards, and examples on how to use them as a framework for the development of methods and tools for assessment

National and international standardization relevant for sustainability in construction

Sustainability in construction has a short history in terms of principles, standardisations and applications. From the Brundtland Report \u201cOur Common Future\u201d (UN WCED, 1987) in which the concept of sustainable development was coined, the term \u201csustainability\u201d was used more and more, by industry and common people, and also in the construction field. The new vision of the resource deficits and climate impacts, and the social responsibility between North-South as well as between generations, gave growth to the idea of sustainable design and construction. The need for analyses, assessments and comparison where noticed by the international, and consequently national, organisations for standardisation, which started to develop standards for the application of sustainable principles, mainly environmental aspects, in construction. The paper is giving an overview of existing and planned standards, and giving examples on how to use the standards as framework for development of methods and tools for assessment

National and International (ISO and CEN) Standardisation Relevant for Sustainability in Construction

Sustainability in construction has a short history in terms of principles, standardizations and applications. From the Brundtland Report \u201cOur Common Future\u201d, a new vision of the resource deficits, climate impacts and the social responsibility gave growth to the idea of sustainability also in design and construction. Consequently, in around 2000, the international and national organizations for standardization started to develop standards for the application of sustainable principles. This paper gives an overview of existing and planned standards, and examples on how to use them as a framework for the development of methods and tools for assessment