JakeSteinalufRecommendationReport
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Dec 6, 2023
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“Tackling Unsustainable Practices in the Construction Industry: An Application of Green Roofs.
Prepared by: Jake Steinlauf
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Executive Summary
This report analyzes how to create and upkeep sustainable architecture in the world today.
There is a major problem in the construction industry today that is causing adverse effects on the environment and increasing the GHG emissions in large quantities. Moves toward more sustainable architecture must be made to create a future for the world and living in general. The report includes two major solutions that could help reduce the pollution of the industry and add benefits to the community. Alternative materials and practices in construction is a good solution that can reduce the GHG emissions by using fewer intensive materials. Less intensive materials would cause less heat treatment and also give more sustainability to the building they are used to produce. Another solution is green roofs, which offer similar solutions along with others regarding rainfall and toxin removal. The report also supplies an implementation and upkeep plan to help highlight how green roofs can be installed, what benefits they have, and how to keep
them healthy. This way communication can be easy between developers so that more installations can be produced. Limitations and costs are also addressed accordingly.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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Table of Figures
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Introduction
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Methods
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Results
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Conclusion
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Recommendation
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Implementation plan:
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Evaluation Plan:
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Bibliography
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Table of Figures
Figure 1: Construction site plan w/ limitations
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Figure 2: Research Trends for Green Roofs
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Figure 3 Green Roof Blueprint
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Figure 4: Infrared Scan of a Green Roof and Cement
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Introduction My research proposal idea pertains to green architecture and how to create more sustainable practices and methods of construction to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our cities. The construction industry, although vital to society, has proven to be one of the largest
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contributors to GHG emissions, leading to great concern in recent years. According to Zhong et al. (2021), more than one-third of the world’s energy consumption and GHG emissions are caused by the provision of residential and commercial buildings. In recent years, a push has been
made to offset GHG emissions and achieve net zero emissions. While this is incredibly difficult to achieve, certain steps and plans have been implemented to reduce the amount of GHG emissions caused by construction. Steps like finding alternate and more eco-friendly building materials are important ones to consider. In the study from Sizirici et al, they did a comprehensive review of just how much carbon and GHG emissions are emitted from processing
and transporting common, unsustainable building materials we use today, such as cement, asphalt, iron, and other non-metallic materials. They found that around 82-96% of all carbon emissions from construction come from the processing and transportation of these materials. In the broader prospective for developing and developed countries, construction and processing of these materials accounts for 40% of total global energy consumption and 33% of GHG emissions. This highlights just how key it is that we find more sustainable materials that emit less
GHG and carbon from production, as production accounts for 80-93% of that total number (2021). The article does go on to show instances of how reducing heating consumption, for the processing of materials, and water recycling can help reduce emission, while also not hiking up the cost. They found water recycling could conserve 75% of indoor potable water, which showed
an average water saving of 37.5% in the buildings. In Mexico, a reduction of GHG emissions by 8% was achieved by recycling rainwater in high rise buildings. For the construction materials, reducing the GHG and carbon emissions can be achieved by lowering the amount of heat used in
production. Some companies find this a problem due to costs, but the study showed in Northern China, where they had a reduction of heat by 65%, only showed an 8% increase in cost (Sizirici, 2021). This shows eco-friendlier practices can be both sustainable for the environment and for business expenses. Finding these practices will be most key for residential areas, especially in regions of population increase in the low- and middle-class sectors of the population.
Methods
Creating sustainable architecture and implementing more sustainable practices is both possible and necessary. The research proponent that goes into creating sustainability in our cities is important for all facets of the industry. It is good for developers and parent companies because
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it can help revolutionize their company to be on the forefront of sustainability in the construction
industry. Finding new materials to use that are both good for the environment and save costs from water reuse and heat island reductions. Developing and continuing research for blossoming ideas, like green roofs, is necessary too because without research and innovation, the industry will be in a stand still. A lack of innovation in an industry that uses harmful materials and produces even more harmful gasses will lead the world into a crisis. Identifying. And moving toward a solution is what the industry needs. Promising solutions like installation of green roofs in residential areas/cities, proper resource management and application, and alternative sustainable resources could shift the construction industry from being harmful to the environment to being a sustainable industry. There are certain key points that should be highlighted so that application of the practices is properly communicated to any company who wants to adopt the sustainable practices. The key points are highlighted in the required criteria, which must be included, along with preferred criteria, which can be useful but not necessarily needed. Inclusion Criteria- Green roofs and alternative sustainable materials should be included in construction plans across the world, mostly in residential areas.
Required Criteria
Construction managers must be able to provide green balconies and window panels based
off previous successful green roofs. This will allow for easy access and installation for various properties.
Green roofs and other parts of the building must be built from alternative materials. Preferably locally sourced and sustainably built materials.
Green roofs should be made from locally thriving plants that can survive in the buildings climate without costly maintenance.
Building managers should reduce the use of traditional and harmful building materials, such as cement, asphalt, and iron, and instead use sustainable materials.
The green roofs should be installed in a way that insulates the building and ultimately reduces the energy consumption of the building.
Use of novel and sustainable building practices and materials (aluminum, 3-D printing, and long-term planning) should be in widespread use.
Preferred Criteria
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Buildings should reduce heat treatment used to process materials.
Allow rainwater drainage system access to residents.
Building managers and local governments should allow and encourage conversation on green architecture practices for the city.
CAM plants should be used in green roofs as they survive better in harsh and sunny conditions.
Investment in sustainable architecture and construction is needed and should be provided by governments, research foundations, and industry leaders. Results A.
Alternative Building Materials and Practices
Materials such as asphalt, cement, and iron cause a lot of harm to the environment due to the heat treatment needed to construct them and the gases that are produced as a result. Even other materials that wouldn’t strike someone as being harmful are and are commonly used. These
materials include traditional glass, wood, and copper. Zhong et al found a continuous increase of GHG emissions from building material related practices in residential areas by 0.7% a year. This is a global average and does not completely highlight the high continuous increase in compromised low-income areas. High GHG emitting materials like copper, wood and glass which are commonly found in these compromised areas show gigatons of GHG emissions every year (Zhong, 2021). Poor planning and frequent demolitions in countries like China also reduce the sustainability in these cities. To reduce CO2 emissions, more novel and sustainable materials and practices should start to be implemented. 3-d printing technology, long-term design plans, and more use of high strength metals like aluminum are some proposed ways to reduce carbon emissions of up to 14.1 gigatons (GT) per year (Zhong, 2021). A problem does lie in this solution
because it is too simple to simply suggest changing the materials used because the whole process
must be considered. Figure 1 highlights the multiple proponents that go into a construction site from the factory the materials were produced in, to where they end up after the job is done.
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Figure 1: Construction site plan w/ limitations
Figure one shows the boundaries that surround the job site and make shifting to a more sustainable practice difficult. A study by Weigert et al states a majority of the energy consumption comes from on-site production of the materials previously mentioned (Weigert, 2022). When looking at possible solution, it is important to look at the constraints and problems so better solutions can be crafted. Zhong et al highlighted using more practical and sustainable building techniques such as 3-D printing and use of metals with longer lifetimes and stronger qualities. This would reduce the amount of heat treatment produced by the sites and simultaneously reduce GHG emissions. New technologies allow for solutions like this to exist.
B.
Installation of Green Roofs in Residential Areas like Suburbs and Cities. Green roofs are another form of sustainable architecture that have been trialed in European countries along with the US. Green roofs offer many advantages for sustainable architecture such
as increasing biodiversity, purify the air from CO2 emissions, create an ecosystem that thrives, become a sink for nitrogen and zinc in the precipitation, and more. These roofs have natural cooling potential and serve as a shield from harmful chemicals in the air and water from rainfall. These roofs have been used in some European countries and have found success. Green roofs tackle a lot of issues that are present in existing architecture that are seemingly silent issues but do cause harm. Harm like sun radiation and heat being absorbed into buildings by the painting and construction processes used today, raise the temperature in the building and city alike. Yueng
et al highlighted the albedo effect that green roofs can supply. The albedo effect is essentially how much radiation an object reflects rather than absorbed and has an inverse relationship with
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heat, higher the albedo the lower the temperature. The green paint that would be used along with the biodiversity of the green roofs would have an albedo of about .22, based on a study conducted by Maclvor and Lundholm (2011) from May to October. The albedo of a conventional
roof is about 0.06 making the green roofs over 200% more efficient than the conventional roofs used (Yueng, 2014). A reduction of heat in the building lowers air conditioning bills for building owners and makes conditions in the surrounding area more comfortable. This is just one of the benefits the green roofs have to offer to sustainable architecture and communities. Overall, there is a lot of promise in green roofs. Figure 2 shows how research on green roofs has increased steadily over the year.
Figure 2: Research Trends for Green Roofs
Increases in research will allow for better and more sustainable foundations in green roofs, which
could prove to be benficial for communities and the world as a whole. Conclusion Both of the solutions presented could be implemented by industry leaders to lead to a more sustainable future. They offer advanatages that can finally help lower the harmful GHG emissions that are produced in large quanities by construction sites everyday. A shift toward increasing use of alternative materials could help the amount of heat treamtent used on traditional materials and also provide larger shelf lives to the buidlings so maintenance and demolition isn’t needed as frequently. It has its limitations though as there need to be a bountiful supply of these materials and the whole construction plan must be altered. There are barriers, but
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maybe over time they can be torn down to lead to more sustainable materials and practices used in common job sites.
Green roofs also have limitations, but those can be solved by proper investment and planning by construction companies and policy makers alike. The advantages offered could help make whole communities, not just buildings be more eco-friendly and sustianable. Heat retention
decreases, water resupply components, and air detoxification are just some of the main advantages that green roofs can provide.
Research in these fields needs to be continued and funded so that more sustainable practices that can make a difference in the world are provided. Without research solutions will not be found.
Recommendation My recommendation is to implement and research green roofs with a much larger frequency than they are at right now. The following list will provide the components of green roofs and the apsects that need to be considered during planning. Proper planning is needed to increase the sustianbility of the green roofs for both installation and for the environment. A. Materials Figure 3: Green Roof Blueprint
Figure three shows a diagram that outlines the major components that go into a green roof. There
are multiple layers of materials that need to be carefully constructed when producing the green roofs. A base layer of concrete is the heaviest and least sustainable feature of the roof but needs to be there for structural support. The membranes help control insulation and drainage from the substrate and vegetation above (Suszanowicz, 2019). The substrate needs to be carefully selected
along with the quantity used. The suggested depth is about 4-6 inches to reduce the weight
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bearing on the roof’s structural support. The plants used also need to be picked carefully. It is suggested to use local plants that can thrive in the climate they are being installed in. Trees, bushes, and species of grass are good filters for air toxins, but they use and need water from either frequent rainfall or irrigation systems. In more dry regions, sedum plants, which are CAM plants, are used because they close during the day and open during night to save their water levels. This makes them extremely drought resistive and work well in harsher climates. These are
more often used on the thinner soil extensive green roofs (Suszanowicz, 2019).
B. Benefits There are loads of benefits that come with green roofs. They increase heat radiation reflection
by increasing the albedo effect, as mentioned earlier. This aids in thermal reduction that can save homeowners or developers thousands in A/C costs. By lowering the load on the A/C units they also are allowed to perform at their highest efficiency unlike when they are overloaded by heat.
Figure 4: Infrared Scan of a Green Roof and Cement
Figure 4 shows an infrared reading of a green roof next to a concrete slab. The concrete is marked as 2 and shows a reading of about 46 degrees Celsius and the steel support beam, which is marked 3, shows a reading of 55.8 degrees. The green roof marked with 1 is almost 10 degrees
cooler than the concrete and 20 degrees cooler than the steel. This shows plainly how much
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green roofs can reduce the heat intensity for a building (Suszanowicz, 2019). Another benefit is the removal of air toxins. Plants can reduce harmful levels of toxins like CO2, nitric oxide (NO), sulfur, and zinc in the air to provide the community with cleaner air. The vegetation can capture 37% of SO2 from the air and even remove harmful metals from the air, like copper, zinc and iron) at efficiency rates of up to 93% (Suszanowicz, 2019). Removing toxins from the air is good
for sustainability and health overall. Green roofs can also filter rainwater for further use in the building. Green roofs have been found to retain about 40-60% of rainfall with 100% retention with rainfall less than 10mm and ranges of 26-88% retention with rainfalls of 10 mm or higher (Yueng, 2014). This reduces runoff from pouring into the streets or causing other damage to over
loaded gutters and filters out the pollutants in the process. The rainfall can be reused as drinking water or other uses as needed by the community. C. Cost/limitations Green roofs can be expensive to install and also have maintenance fees included with upkeep
for optimal health for the green roof. Costs of installation ranges from $50-130 per square meter depending on whether the developer uses local or imported resources. The cost also ranges on whether an extensive (shallower and extended version for larger roofs) or intensive (thicker and meant for smaller roofs) is being installed. The maintenance costs from $0.10-0.30 cents per square meter for extensive roofs and $1-6 per square meter for an intensive roof. There are conseptual limitations along with cost limitations as well. There seems to be little incentive for building developers to install green roofs and a lack of incentive for government officials to promote or invest in green roofs. The transition wouldn’t be easy, but green roofs offer a lot of benefits that can ultimately benefit everyone.
Implementation plan:
A plan is needed to make sure the proper facets are adhered to and that implementation is easily communicated for multiple regions to use. Without proper planning problems could arise and cause frustration that could lead to a lack of implementation. Step 1: Procuring Interest and Investment Communication will be initiated between developers and policy makers to creat incentives for installing sustainable architecture, such as green roofs. Without the incentives, major players will
not invest and partake in the innovation. They would be too scared of lost profits and changing the ways they have been already practicing. This comes from polciies being passed and
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investment from the government to initiate a shift to more sustainable practices. This funding will lead to more research on green roofs and more examples of installation to further the research on the effects of the roofs. Step 2: Installation of the Roofs
This comes from proper planning by the developer to create a sustainable green roof. The proper plants, substrate, and membranes need to be bought and assembled correctly. Whether the materials are local or imported is not super important, but the plants and soil should be suitable for the environment the developer is installing them in. Planning also needs to consider whether an extensive or intensive roof is more suitable.
Step 3: Maintenance of Roofs
The proper care and maintenance must be given to the roofs to make sure they do not die and stop producing the benefits they were put there to provide. The maintenance costs I provided earlier should be included in the development plan and budget and not be skimped on. The health
of the roof is directly correlated with the benefits it provides. If it is in bad health, it will not be as beneficial for the community. This comes with proper plant care with water, if needed, and insect and weed control. A gardener could be hired to make sure the roof is healthy, which creates more jobs for the community as well. Step 4: Further Research and Data Accumulation As more green roofs are installed, there will be more available data to be used to further the development of green roofs and sustainable architecture in general. More data will allow developers and scientists to come up with new ways to add benefits to the roofs and maybe even drive installation and maintenance costs down. Evaluation Plan: There will be a form that should be filled out and maintained throughout the perido the green roof is installed. This form will cover the health of the green roof, while also collecting data to be sent to researchers to aid in development. The form will take the format of something similar as the following:
Evaluation Form:
Things to record:
What is the average temperature of the green roof over the weekly/monthly period?
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How much water from rainfall has been retained and/or reused?
What is the general health of the green roof and are there any patches that look unhealthy and need maintenance?
Things to do:
Make sure to apply pesticides to control insect infestations if needed.
Make sure to pull weeds and any invasive plants or animals from the roof so the health is maintained. Make sure to water the roof if needed or moderate how much water is needed and of any is being
wasted.
Check the soil to make sure it is healthy and does not require maintenance.
This form will help provide data to people who need it and give basis to developers so that efficient upkeep of the roof is maintained and the benefits it requires are also present. All feedback and data will be recorded and reviewed by the appropriate authority.
Bibliography Ahmad et al. (2020). Introduction: Energy, Green Innovation and Sustainable Future. Energy Recovery Technology for Building Applications
, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-
50006-1_1
Sizirici et al. (2021). A review of carbon footprint reduction in construction industry, from design
to operation. Materials
, 14
(20), 6094. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14206094
Suszanowicz et al. (2019). The impact of green roofs on the parameters of the environment in urban areas—review. Atmosphere
, 10
(12), 792. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10120792 Weiger tet al. (2022). Carbon emissions of construction processes on urban construction sites. Sustainability
, 14
(19), 12947. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912947
Yeung et al. (2014). A comprehensive study of green roof performance from Environmental Perspective. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment
, 3
(1), 127–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2014.05.001 Zhong et al. (2021). Global Greenhouse gas emissions from residential and commercial building materials and mitigation strategies to 2060. Nature Communications
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(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26212-z
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