Looking through the new items listed on BuilderScrap.com this week we found a very interesting item… Executive Restrooms.
The picture has degraded as I’ve blown it up. To look at the image and description visit BuilderScrap.com Recycle
Executive Restrooms on BuilderScrap
The reason for the degrade… probably uploaded using mobile phone technology a key benefit on the BuilderScrap.com system. To find out more on uploading from mobile phone click on the hyperlink.
The BuilderScrap.com team have been out and about in recent weeks. We’ve been having conversions around the nature of the building industry and what is ‘green’. The Definition of a Green Building etc. Having researched, searched the web and trade papers… this seems to give the most complete list, with factors we consider to be instrumental and appropriate.
Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building.
* Waste
* Air pollution
* Water pollution
* Indoor pollution
* Heat islands
* Stormwater runoff
* Noise
Ultimate Effects:
* Harm to Human Health
* Environment Degradation
* Loss of Resources
Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:
* Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
* Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
* Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation
For example, green buildings may incorporate sustainable materials in their construction (e.g., reused, recycled-content, or made from renewable resources); create healthy indoor environments with minimal pollutants (e.g., reduced product emissions); and/or feature landscaping that reduces water usage (e.g., by using native plants that survive without extra watering).
This interesting article which we recently came across here at BuilderScrap discusses some helpful hints and tips for sustainable construction and green developments. The article comes from the West Lancashire Council website. Have a read and let us know what you think.
Our environment is precious and we strongly support design and construction that promotes environmental, social and economic gain – now and for future generations. Latest figures from the Environment Agency show that the construction and operation of buildings makes up 60% of the UK’s energy use and 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions. Construction and demolition activities alone represent 19% of the country’s total waste. To help developers – or anyone planning construction work – to reduce these figures, we’ve put together a simple guide to some of the key areas of sustainable design and construction:
Energy Efficient Design:
The way in which a building is designed plays a huge part in how energy efficient it will be once it’s occupied. If the property is to be as energy efficient as possible, developers need to give consideration to the following during the design stage: Passive solar building design: Optimise the amount of energy that can be generated directly from the sun and reduce the need for heating and cooling appliances. This can be achieved by:
-large south facing windows that absorb the sun’s heat and daylight
-locating the main living areas of the development in the south facing rooms to maximise these natural benefits
-planting deciduous trees to the south of the building – this will provide shade during summer and allow heat through in winter Thermal mass: The thermal mass of a building is the ability of a material to absorb heat. Choosing a building fabric that is effective at heating, cooling and storing thermal energy is an efficient way of maintaining stable, comfortable temperatures. It also reduces the need for artificial systems and therefore reduces the impact on the environment. Materials with good thermal mass are those that have high specific heat capacity, high density and low thermal conductivity, enabling them to slowly store and release relatively large quantities of heat. Passive ventilation: Utilise natural ventilation methods to avoid the use of mechanical air conditioning. Insulation: A high level of insulation in any new development is an essential step to an energy efficient design. Mineral wools and oil-based products should be avoided as they are non-renewable, have high embodied energy, are difficult to dispose of and release greenhouse gases during manufacture, installation, use and disposal. There are many types of natural, sustainable, insulation for example hemp natural fibres, recycled cotton, sheep’s wool or cellulose insulation, which comes from recycled newspapers. Lighting: Install fixed energy efficient light fittings to minimise energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. This should include lighting in garages, outbuildings, communal areas and outside security or feature lighting. Landscaping: Tree canopies and soft landscaping will provide natural shading and insulation. Open water in public places will also help reduce the heat island effect in urban areas. Energy efficient appliances: These should be installed or specified, for example Combined Heat and Power systems (CHP) or gas condensing boilers. Bicycle storage: Provision of these facilities will help encourage future occupants to use a bicycle for short journeys and leave the car at home. Drying space: Provide residents with the option of allowing washing to dry naturally – avoiding the need for heating or drying appliances. Home office: Office space with internet connection provides the opportunity to work from home, reducing the need to travel especially during peak travel times when roads are heavily congested. Information packs: Developers should provide all future residents with a home information pack detailing the energy efficiency of the building and environmentally friendly tips to reduce energy use, water use, waste and travel.
Renewable Energy: Renewable energy is a high priority to help us meet the national goal of a 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. In 2000, central government set the wheels in motion by placing a target of achieving 10% of our electricity supply from renewable sources by 2010. We strongly encourage proposals for renewable energy generation. All development sites should be assessed for opportunities to install renewables and should consider if a mix of technologies would be most effective. Building designs should also allow for the future installations of renewables. Types of renewable and low carbon technologies include: Wind power
Solar photovoltaics
Solar water heating
Biomass heating
Wave and tidal
Ground source heat pumps
Hydroelectric power
Geothermal power More information about renewable energies can be found at the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website. Large and high-density developments should also consider incorporating sustainable energy supplies such as Combined Heat and Power, and Borough cooling systems.
Building Materials: Below are a few things for developers to consider with regard to building materials. Re-use and recycle: Opportunities for re-using existing materials on site should be explored. Of course BuilderScrap can help with the reuse of materials by finding buyers for any surplus building materials. Where this is not practical, materials should be recycled. Using new materials that can be recycled at the end of their life should also be prioritised. Embodied energy: This is the amount of energy required to produce a product. For example UPVC windows have high embodied energy due to their long manufacturing process, which requires fuel and produces toxic bi-products. They are also very difficult to recycle after use and will not biodegrade over time. Timber has a low embodied energy, as it is a natural product that is easily utilised. It can also be easily re-used and will biodegrade. Timber can be easily repaired which is more sustainable than throwing it away and replacing with new. Timber should be from a sustainable source. Locally sourced: Products that can be sourced locally should be used to minimise the emissions from vehicles used to transport goods. Construction activities: Activities carried out during the construction phase can often cause significant environmental impacts if not managed correctly. Measures should be put in place to manage and control the amount of energy and water used. A site waste management plan should be followed to ensure waste is kept to a minimum and emissions to air, land and water are controlled at all times. Waste Management: All construction sites produce waste, so it’s important to try and keep it to a minimum by reducing, re-using and recycling materials wherever possible. Government regulations make it compulsory for developments costing over £300,000 to have a Site Waste Management Plan – but this is a great idea for any development. A management plan will help increase the amount of construction waste that is recovered, recycled and re-used, improve resource efficiency and help ensure you are compliant with waste management legislation. Storage of waste: Developers should ensure that sufficient waste storage is provided to allow future residents to store recycling containers and separate their waste. Access for collection crew and vehicles should also be considered in the early design stages.
Interbuild 2009 is only a few short weeks away! The construction exhibition is a great chance for us to meet people from all walks of the construction industry; including home builders, builders and contractors, architects, students and self builders, and talk to them about our ideas of reuse and passing on surplus building supplies.
The BuilderScrap stand will be located in Hall 5, stand nmber E2. Make sure to come and say hello! People registering during the show will get the chance to enter a fantastic competition – visit stand E2 to find out more!
Interbuild runs from October 18th – 21st in the Birmingham NEC.
Last week, BuilderScrap exhibited at the Recycling and Waste Management Exhibiton in Birmingham. We were met with a great response, as reported by Edie.net
Edie filmed this interview with BuilderScrap’s Eddie McGee
JOHANNESBURG – East Africa should tap its large cogeneration potential, burning waste from its sugar and tea output to cut reliance on hydro power, which is increasingly hit by drought, an energy analyst said on Wednesday.
Stephen Karekezi, Director of the African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN), said the region was relying on hydropower to meet 80 percent of demand, but more frequent droughts had caused power cuts and forced countries to import electricity at high cost.
“When you have a drought, you lose a large portion of your capacity … and very quickly move to load shedding,” Karekezi told a cogeneration (cogen) conference in Johannesburg.
He said countries in the region were paying up to 4 percent of gross domestic product for emergency power, but could increase supply by using cogeneration and other renewable projects in their energy mix.
“When you look at the sugar industry alone, you could meet up to 5 percent of the current total power (demand)… and these are relatively conservative figures,” he said.
These would jump to 10 percent if forestry and other agricultural sectors invested in cogeneration plants, he said, and would be double that if use was made of surplus heat from the cement, steel and oil industries.
“If you could develop cogen alone, without looking at other renewables… you could deal with much of the power crises in the east African and Horn of Africa countries,” he said. Karekezi said new feedstocks for cogeneration were emerging, such as tea.
Governments had been too fixed on using one power source alone, but were trying to diversify.
A success story in Africa is Mauritius, he said, which produces 56 percent of its power from cogeneration plants.
While it initially developed plants of between 1.5 and 5 MW, the latest facility had capacity of 82 MW.
Karekezi said a clear commitment by the government, substantial technical expertise and an adequate feed-in-tariff to provide incentives were key to boost that industry.
The country had also introduced a scheme to offer higher prices to more efficient plants to spur investment.
Karekezi’s group, together with the United Nations Environment Program and the African Development Bank, is steering a “Cogen for Africa” project to promote plants in Africa.
The project aims to stimulate 40 MW in cogeneration initiatives in the six years since 2007, provide advice for an additional 20 MW after that and help install a further capacity of 200 MW in the medium to long term.
We’ve found that interesting abstact from a BASF article on Eco-Efficiency Analysis;
Life without chemicals would be inconceivable, but the potential risks and impacts to the environment associated with chemical production and chemical products are viewed critically. Eco-efficiency analysis considers the economic and life cycle environmental effects of a product or process, giving these equal weighting. The major elements of the environmental assessment include primary energy use, raw materials utilisation, emissions to all media, toxicity, safety risk, and land use. The relevance of each environmental category and also for the economic versus the environmental impacts is evaluated using national emissions and economic data. The eco-efficiency analysis method of BASF is briefly presented, and results from three applications to chemical processes and products are summarised. Through these applications, the eco-efficiency analyses mostly confirm the 12 Principles listed in Anastas and Zimmerman (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2003, 37 (5), 94A), with the exception that, in one application, production systems based on bio-based feedstocks were not the most eco-efficient as compared to those based on fossil resources. Over 180 eco-efficiency analyses have been conducted at BASF, and their results have been used to support strategic decision-making, marketing, research and development, and communication with external parties. Eco-efficiency analysis, as one important strategy and success factor in sustainable development, will continue to be a very strong operational tool at BASF.
It’s very interesting to BuilderScrap.com that generally and to stress not just in BASF’S case that environmental considerations are offset against raw data. Co-efficiency analysis including; primary energy use, raw materials utilisation, emissions to all media, toxicity, safety risk, and land use to name but a few. To us this still indicates the environmental impact may not be the primary focus when balanced against cost, and life-cycle analysis.
BuilderScrap.com wants to give an honourable mention to the Welsh Assembly. This post is from the good guys at lets recycle.com… keep up the great work!
All the team want to show our appreciation to Merthyr Tydfil county borough council for their continuing efforts. They clearly are aligned with our own goals in trying to reduce waste sent to landfill.
The Welsh Assembly Government has on (March 13 2009) announced an £800,000 package to help reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill across Wales- including £100,000 to help Merthyr Tydfil county borough council increase recycling.
It is important that residual waste is managed in the most sustainable way and that the waste we produce is progressively reduced over time
Jane Davidson, Welsh minister for environment
In Merthyr Tydfil, the funding will be used for a door-knocking campaign to encourage more households to recycle their waste and help Wales become a greener, more sustainable country. The council reported a 26.2% municipal waste recycling and composting rate in 2006/07.
The remainder of the £800,000 is expected to be used to support plastics recycling in Wales and develop “Zero waste places” – although full details have yet to emerge.
The move comes ahead of the launch of the revised Welsh Waste Strategy for consultation next month, which will set out a new framework for governing waste across the principality.
Jane Davidson, minister for the environment, sustainability and housing, said: “We all have a responsibility for our environment and to reduce Wales’ ecological footprint. A huge part of this is reducing the amount of rubbish we send to landfill. This is no longer sustainable environmentally or financially. I am delighted to be supporting this new scheme to help Merthyr households with their recycling.
“The more we recycle and the less we throw away into landfill the greater our impact will be as individuals in guarding our environment.
“It is important that residual waste is managed in the most sustainable way and that the waste we produce is progressively reduced over time. Then, perhaps, in the more distant future we can contemplate true ‘zero waste – or not producing any waste at all,” she added.
Mike Thomas, head of environmental services for Merthyr Tydfil county borough council, welcomed the funding, which he said would help to boost participation in recycling.
Related links
Welsh Assembly Government
He said: “Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has already rolled out several initiatives this year, including weekly collection of food waste to 80% of our households. It’s now down to increasing participation rates and a door knocking campaign is viewed as the best method of making meaningful contact with “reluctant” householders.
The recycling campaign will support Wise About Waste, Wales’ strategy which set recycling targets for local authorities. The strategy is under review and will be re-launched for consultation with ambitious new targets to 2050 in April 2009.
Here at BuilderScrap, we have recently come across this intersting article on the Sustainable Build website. The article looks at eco friendly methods of construction and greener building materials. Here at BuilderScrap, we believe that the reuse of surplus materials can greatly benefit the environment, but there are lots more things people can do.
There is an urgent need to address the great challenges of our times: climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and peak oil. These issues are all accelerating rapidly, and all have strong links with the building industry.
There is a growing consensus from scientists and the oil industry that we are going to reach peak oil in the next twenty years, and that we might have reached this point already. Global demand is soaring, whilst global production is declining, and oil is set to become increasingly expensive and scarce. The building industry is hugely dependent on cheap oil, from the manufacture and transportation of its materials, to the machinery and tools used in demolition and construction. In the UK, it uses vast quantities of fossil fuels, accounting for over half of total carbon emissions that lead to climate change. The built environment is also responsible for significant amounts of air, soil and water pollution, and millions of tonnes of landfill waste. This is a situation that clearly needs to change. Reducing Energy Consumption
With the inevitability of declining fossil fuels, and the threat of global climate change, reducing our energy consumption is an essential survival strategy. Choosing to build green saves energy. The low embodied energy of green products ensures that very little energy went into their manufacture and production, with a direct reduction in carbon emissions. Eco friendly design methodology can further reduce energy consumption by minimising energy inputs for heating, cooling and light, and incorporating energy efficient appliances. Saving energy for the occupant also saves money – an issue that will become increasingly important as the cost of fossil fuels inevitably rises in the near future. Building Healthier Homes Eco-friendly construction can not only help to create a better outdoor environment, it can also help to build a healthier indoor environment. Conventional building materials and methods have been linked to a wide range of health problems. Chemical pollutants from paints, solvents, plastics and composite timbers, along with biological pollutants such as dust mites and moulds are known to cause symptoms such as asthma, headaches, depression, eczema, palpitations and chronic fatigue syndrome. Green buildings eliminate these problems through good ventilation design, breathable walls, and the use of natural, non-toxic products and materials.
There are many good reasons why we should use eco-friendly construction methods and materials. It can improve the health of our planet, and the health of our own lives. It also supports local business and helps strengthen the local economy, which in turn helps to build our communities into vibrant, prosperous and desirable places to live. A Necessary Choice Green building is not only a wise choice for our future; it is also a necessary choice. The construction industry must adopt eco-friendly practices and materials that reduce its impacts, before we reach a point of irreversible damage to our life supporting systems. The UK Government is beginning to recognise this urgency, and is committed to integrating green specifications into building regulations and codes, but the process of developing policy is slow. The industry needs to take its own initiative and find alternative ways to build, using green, renewable energy resources, and adopt non-polluting practises and materials that reduce, recycle and reuse, before it is too late.
