Identifying and evaluating green building attributes by environment,social, and economic pillars of sustainability

ABSTRACT

Green building (GB) rating systems are developed to measure the level of extent or sustainability of buildings. It is very important to focus on the attributes that require more cost and are contributing more to decreasing the negative impact of construction on the environment or nature. This analysis presents an idea-based conceptual model for prioritising the GB attributes by considering the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainable construction or monetary mainstays of manageable development. To analyse the environmentally and socially essential attributes, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and an entropy method were used. For the economic analysis, a data envelopment analysis (DEA) was applied. If the decision makers give more importance to the environmental and social pillars of sustainability then they can consider the attributes such as occupants’ health, safety and comfort, climatic conditions, the cost of investment, operation and maintenance cost, and indoor air quality. If the construction stakeholder wishes to achieve more green points with limited funds then the important attributes are: operation and maintenance cost, material recycle, low-impact construction site techniques, locally available materials, and soil pollution. The proposed approach can advance GB construction practices that are not liable to result from conventional practices.     

Bayesian assessment of an existing bridge: a case study

This article presents a case study involving the assessment of an existing bridge, starting with simple methods and ending with a probabilistic analysis, the latter emphasising Bayesian methods. When assessing an existing bridge, it is common practice to collect information from the bridge in the form of samples. These samples are in general of small size, raising the question of how the corresponding statistical uncertainty can be taken into account on reliability estimates. The case study illustrates how Bayesian methods are especially suitable to deal with that source of uncertainty. Another strong point of the Bayesian methods is their ability to combine the information contained in the samples collected from the bridge with prior information, if any. This aspect will also be illustrated through the case study.     

Review of multi-criteria decision aid for integrated sustainability assessment of urban water systems

Integrated sustainability assessment is part of a new paradigm for urban water decision making. Multi-criteria decision aid (MCDA) is an integrative framework used in urban water sustainability assessment, which has a particular focus on utilising stakeholder participation. Here MCDA is reviewed in the context of urban water management used in a decision making framework. Three other commonly used integrated approaches in urban water management (cost-benefit analysis, triple bottom line and integrated assessment) are compared with MCDA. Generic types of shortcomings associated with MCDA are discussed to provide an understanding of MCDA's limitation in urban water management decision making; including 1) preferential independency, 2) double counting and under-counting, and 3) transparency of MCDA methods and results.     

基于AHP-变权综合评价法的斜拉桥健康状态评估

提出了基于AHP-变权综合评价法的桥梁健康状态评估方法,根据斜拉桥的结构特点建立其层次型评估体系,从而将复杂的桥梁结构健康评估指标层次化。最后结合工程实例,对某斜拉桥健康状态进行综合评估,验证了该方法的可行性,对于桥梁结构的安全及维护具有重要的意义。     

Pavement sustainability index for highway infrastructures: A case study of Maryland

Pavement deterioration creates conditions that undermine their performances, which gives rise to the need for maintenance and rehabilitation. This paper develops a mathematical multi-linear regression analysis (MLRA) model to determine a pavement sustainability index (PSTI) as dependent variable for flexible pavements in Maryland. Four categories of pavement performance evaluation indicators are subdivided into seven pavement condition indices and analyzed as independent variables for each section of pavement. Data are collected from five different roadways using field evaluations and existing database. Results indicate that coefficient of determination (R²) is correlated and significant, R² = 0.959. Of the seven independent variables, present serviceability index (PSI) is the most significant with a coefficient value of 0.032, present serviceability rating (PSR) coefficient value= 0.028, and international roughness index (IRI) coefficient value= ?0.001. Increasing each unit value of coefficients for PSI and PSR would increase the value of PSTI; thereby providing a more sustainable pavement infrastructure; which explains the significance of the model and why IRI will most likely impact environmental, economic and social values.     

Bridge information models for construction of a concrete box-girder bridge

Large construction projects involve collaboration among a large number of participants with different specialised knowledge from various construction processes. A readily accessible bridge information model is needed to enable engineers to innovate prefabricated bridge construction. Three-dimensional (3D) information models can include multi-layered information for different users such as designer, contractor and owner. A construction project life-cycle management system was suggested to integrate and to accumulate valuable information. In this paper, 3D bridge information models for an international concrete bridge construction project were built to integrate design and construction processes. The 3D bridge models were realised by considering work breakdown structure and product breakdown structure to enable digital mock-up and design enhancement and to shorten the learning time of construction engineers. The models were also utilised for the fabrication of precast box segments and for the geometry control during construction. Assessment from the construction director was discussed and additional usage of the bridge information models was suggested.     

Bridge life-cycle performance and cost: analysis,prediction, optimisation and decision-making

The development of a generalised framework for assessing bridge life-cycle performance and cost, with emphasis on analysis, prediction, optimisation and decision-making under uncertainty, is briefly addressed. The central issue underlying the importance of the life-cycle approach to bridge engineering is the need for a rational basis for making informed decisions regarding design, construction, inspection, monitoring, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, replacement and management of bridges under uncertainty which is carried out by using multi-objective optimisation procedures that balance conflicting criteria such as performance and cost. A number of significant developments are summarised, including time-variant reliability, risk, resilience, and sustainability of bridges, bridge transportation networks and interdependent infrastructure systems. Furthermore, the effects of climate change on the probabilistic life-cycle performance assessment of highway bridges are addressed. Moreover, integration of SHM and updating in bridge management and probabilistic life-cycle optimisation considering multi-attribute utility and risk attitudes are presented.     

Life cycle assessment of a geosynthetic-reinforced soil bridge system – A case study

Road infrastructures are a very important component of the world's total transportation network. Investment in its construction and maintenance is significant on a global scale. The paper presents some results from an environmental study of a geosynthetic-reinforced soil integrated bridge system. The Pavlovski potok stream in Slovenia was used as a demonstration case for this study. It is the first GRS bridge system with full-height rigid (FHR) facings in Europe. It was constructed at the end of 2014. The goal of these analyses was to compare two different types of bridges: the new GRS bridge system, which is comprised of a simple girder partially structurally integrated to FHR facings of GRS bridge abutments and a conventional reinforced concrete road bridge. The results of an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) show that the GRS bridge system has a much lower environmental impact than an equivalent bridge conventionally built with reinforced concrete.     

Identification of green building attributes for the development of an assessment tool: a case study in India

Green building rating systems have been developed to measure the level of sustainability of buildings. Existing methods can be applied to different regions by addressing additional aspects such as varied climatic conditions and regional variations. This paper investigated the most widely used environmental building assessment methods, namely BREEAM, LEED, SB-Tool, CASBEE, LEED-India, GRIHA and Eco-housing. Comparative studies revealed that the existing assessment schemes had some limitations when applied to an Indian built environment. This necessitates the development of a new building environmental assessment scheme. An attempt is made to develop a framework to evaluate sustainability of buildings in India by applying principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA of 82 valid responses on the attributes measuring sustainability of buildings has extracted nine components: (1) site selection; (2) environment; (3) building resources and re-use; (4) building services and management; (5) innovative construction techniques, (6) environmental health and safety, (7) mechanical systems; (8) indoor air quality; (9) economy. Further, a framework suggested in this study can be applied for countries having similar climatic conditions. Findings of this paper can be helpful to designers and developers to achieve green development in developing countries.     

A dynamic sustainability Balanced Scorecard methodology as a navigator for exploring the dynamics and complexity of corporate sustainability strategy

The majority of recent empirical research regarding corporate environmental literature seeks to identify the potential relationships between environmental management practices and the financial performance of the firms. In addition, another major part of the research concerns the effect of corporate social responsibility practices on corporate financial performance. The majority of these studies focus on the effect of either social or environmental aspects on firms’ economic performance through various statistical techniques in an ex post and static base (at the end of year – annually). To contribute to this literature, this article aims at developing a dynamic sustainability Balance Scorecard methodology to investigate the evolutionary trends of the relationships among environmental, social, and economic performance of firms. The main contribution is the development of an integrated mental model in order to improve managers’ and scholars’ comprehension of corporate sustainability performance. The proposed methodology is mainly based on the corporate environmental and social management literature, system thinking, system dynamics, and Stella software. Some computational examples are also presented based on three scenarios.     

A GIS-based multi-criteria decision making approach to forest conservation planning at a landscape scale: a case study in the Kinabalu Area, Sabah, Malaysia

This paper presents a geographic information system (GIS)-based multi-criteria decision making approach for forest conservation planning at a landscape scale. This approach enables decision makers to evaluate the relative priorities of conserving forest areas based on a set of preferences, criteria and indicators for the area. Compromise programming techniques are used to integrate the forest conservation priority maps of decision groups where a separation distance is calculated. A clustering analysis was applied to identify potential conservation areas as the basis of delineating potential new protected areas. The study was conducted in the Kinabalu area, Sabah, Malaysia where two polygons neighboring the Kinabalu Park were delineated. A group of 11 polygons totaling 2050 ha has also been detected in the western part of Kinabalu Park. The study recommends the inclusion of a forest polygon (359 ha) neighboring Kinabalu Park and another (4361 ha) to the west of the park as new protected areas. A green corridor linking the potential new protected areas and Kinabalu Park should also be constructed to facilitate animal movement and interaction. This study reveals that riparian vegetation is an important aspect to forest conservation and the legislation to protect riparian zones should be strengthened.     

基于层次分析法的DRASTIC模糊评价方法探讨——以云南曲靖盆地为例

在分析DRASTIC方法的基础上,结合前人研究成果,运用层次分析法构建了二层评价指标体系,并结合多层次模糊评价理论,建立了基于层次分析的DRASTIC二层模糊评价模型,并将该模型应用到曲靖盆地地下水脆弱性评价中。结果表明,该模型评价灵敏度高,更能反映地下水脆弱性的空间连续性,且该模型计算方法较简便,进一步丰富了地下水脆弱性的评价方法。     

Cost-effectiveness-based multi-criteria optimization for sustainable rainwater utilization: A case study in Shanghai

Shanghai, the economic centre of China, is under increasing pressures of potable water shortage, urban flooding and surface water pollution by urbanization. As one of the best countermeasures, rainwater utilization plays a considerably important role in the alleviation of these issues. A four-step method of cost-effectiveness-based multi-criteria optimization (CEMCO), which integrates the advantages of monitoring data, monetary-based techniques and stakeholder preferences, was proposed for sustainable rainwater utilization. The first rainwater utilization system in the urban residential area of Shanghai was taken as a case study, and eight alternatives to the existing system were proposed. The results of the study showed that the net present value and the dynamic payback period of the optimized system during the 15-year life cycle were 407.4 thousand CNY (ChiNa Yuan) and 8.26 years, respectively. The results also indicated that rainwater utilization can improve the sustainability of cities when different stakeholder preferences and multiple criteria were considered.     

Emergy analysis of building manufacturing,maintenance and use: Em-building indices to evaluate housing sustainability

In recent years, integrated building design practices based on the definition of “green building” criteria as common standards of measurement have been promoted. For example, Green Building Rating Systems such as LEED (US) and BREEAM (UK) provide national standards for developing high-performance sustainable buildings. However, integrated environmental accounting methods and global sustainability indicators are still required to evaluate the general environmental performances of buildings, because housing is greatly concerned with global environmental problems such as the use of non-renewable energy, the overexploitation of materials, the exhaustion of resources and the wasting of energy.     

佛山平胜大桥全桥模型试验研究

广东佛山平胜大桥是世界首座独塔、单跨悬吊钢混结合梁的自锚式悬索桥,跨度达350m。本文利用全桥模型研究这种新型结构的体系转换过程和结构在荷载作用下的响应,重点介绍了该桥全桥静动力试验模型的结构设计及关键技术、试验过程和试验研究结果。自锚式悬索桥的试验模型在满足相似条件方面需要考虑加劲梁压缩变形的影响;在结构体系转换过程中,虽然主缆等的变形是几何非线性的,但由于结构的成桥内力状态与吊索张拉顺序无关,因此各种体系转换过程都能实现要求的线形。无应力长度控制法是确定自锚式悬索桥体系转换过程中的张拉力和结构状态较好的方法;在活载作用下,自锚式悬索桥的受力特性表现为线性的,自锚式悬索桥与地锚式悬索桥力学特性上既有一些相同的地方,又有较大的差异。     

Urban social sustainability: a study of the Emirati local communities in Al Ain

The present research examines the design of the public neighborhoods in the United Arab Emirates in terms of social sustainability, especially in the city of Al Ain. Based on the relevant principles and indicators of social sustainability in neighborhoods both globally and locally, the research began with an evaluation of the dimensions of social sustainability by adopting a qualitative research method. The research tools included conducting face-to-face interviews with representatives of Emirati families living in public neighborhoods, analyses of the design patterns of some selected neighborhoods, field observations and spatial syntactic analyses. Through this multi-phase analysis, a clearer understanding of the level of social sustainability achieved in the design of public neighborhoods in Al Ain has been realized, and some neighborhood design guidelines have been proposed.     

Financial sustainability of rural water supply: An analysis of cost recovery,revenue collection,and efficiency

Maintaining a financial sustainable pipe water supply (PWS) is one of the serious challenges in sustainable provision of water supply in rural areas. Poor revenue collection and willingness to pay for the service is adding severity to the problem. This study analyses the factors affecting revenue collection in rural water utilities and measures its efficiency in maximizing revenue and average hour of water supply per day. The findings convey that cost recovery is a failure in rural water supply even they are not able to generate revenue. Inactive community participation, the notion of free water supply, unaccountable payment is main reason for poor revenue collection. Therefore, active community participations, educating the household on water supply, adoption of accountable payment mode will be a step towards revenue generation. To attain efficiency, the utilities can expand their output revenue and hours of water supply by 22% without altering their input. This study is an empirical contribution in the field of sustainable provision of water supplies, which address the problem of poor revenue generation in rural water supply and find out the reason for it.     

Evaluation and prediction of sustainability of urban areas: A case study for Kermanshah city,Iran

Sustainable development is a balance between economic growth, environmental issues and social conditions. In this respect, urban sustainable development is an important challenge, and a considerable part of sustainable development. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess and predict urban sustainability in different areas of Kermanshah city of Iran using an integrated approach, including the improved full permutation polygon synthetic indicator (IFPPSI) and Shannon's entropy methods. Kermanshah is the largest city located in the west of Iran with six main urban areas, which is facing many environmental, economic and social problems. The results showed that among the six urban areas, Areas 1, 3 and 4 have been shown to be at a moderate level, based on the synthetic indicator value (0.25–0.5). According to the synthetic indicator value (< 0.25), the levels of the other areas (2, 5 and 6) are quite bad. The IFPPSI results were also compared with common multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, ELECTRE of the concordance subgroup, TOPSIS of the compromising subgroup and SAW of the scoring subgroup. The results of the Friedman test showed that there is no significant difference between the MCDM and IFPPSI methods; however, the IFPPSI method is preferred due to its remarkable advantages over the other methods. In a subsequent part, based on the data collected from three time periods, the years 1996, 2006 and 2016, the indicator anticipated for 2026 showing no improvement in the environmental, economic and social indexes compared with the current conditions.     

Long-term performance assessment of the Telegraph Road Bridge using a permanent wireless monitoring system and automated statistical process control analytics

The purpose of this study is to advance wireless sensing technology for permanent installation in operational highway bridges for long-term automated health assessment. The work advances the design of a solar-powered wireless sensor network architecture that can be permanently deployed in harsh winter climates where limited solar energy and cold temperatures are normal operational conditions. To demonstrate the performance of the solar-powered wireless sensor network, it is installed on the multi-steel girder bridge carrying northbound I-275 traffic over Telegraph Road (Monroe, Michigan) in 2011; a unique design feature of the bridge is the use of pin and hanger connections to support the bridge main span. A dense network of strain gauges, accelerometers and thermometers are installed to acquire bridge responses of interest to the bridge manager including responses that would be affected by long-term bridge deterioration. The wireless monitoring system collects sensor data on a daily schedule and communicates the data to the Internet where it is stored in a curated data repository. Bridge response data in the repository are autonomously processed to extract truck load events using machine learning, compensate for environmental variations using nonlinear regression and to quantitatively assess anomalous bridge performance using statistical process control.