Project 1: Development Management and Design Economics

Environmentally Sustainable Practices in Built Environment Firm

Sustainable development can be envisioned as a unique approach that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. It encompasses the following pillars; environmental, social, cultural development
and economic dimensions. The built environment has a broad spectrum of impacts on our
lives. It contributes to air pollution, land use and contamination, fossil fuel depletion,
water depletion, water pollution, materials depletion, impacts on human health, and
climate change. Responsible urbanization practices on micro and macro levels can
mitigate the negative effects of the built environment.
The philosophical and analytic framework of sustainability draws on and links with
numerous different fields and disciplines. It is studied and examined in various contexts
of environmental, social, cultural development and economic angles and managed over
many measures of time and space. The focus ranges from macro level starting from the
(sustainability) of planet Earth to the sustainability of economic sectors, ecosystems,
countries, municipalities, neighbourhoods, and to micro levels encompassed in discrete
buildings, envelops, and individual lives and lifestyles.
The primary objective of the International Journal of Sustainable Built environment
which is capitalizing on the platform of the global sustainability practices and to promote
the research and innovations aimed at creating a sustainable built environment that
reduces resources consumption, combats environmental degradation and creates better
environment for living through the reconciliation of the sustainability pillars. The journal
covers the following dimensions or categories of a sustainable built environment:

Urban Connectivity
The urban connectivity dimension relates to factors associated with the urban
environment such as zoning, transportation networks and loadings, traffic congestion and
pollution, proximity to amenities, light pollution, noise pollution, public transportation,
private transportation, sewer and waterway contamination and shading of adjacent
properties, building research and architectural science.

Site
The Site dimension integrates building research and architectural science and relates to
factors associated with land use, land conservation or remediation, planning and
development, ecological value of land, habitat preservation, water body preservation,
vegetation and shading, desertification, heat island effect, air flow and acoustic
conditions. It also covers aspects related to the well-being of a society including
walkability, bikeability, landscape amenities, and public spaces.

Materials

The Materials dimension relates to factors associated with sustainable materials including
production of eco-materials, recycling technologies, disposal of materials, innovative
products and recycled materials, responsible sourcing of materials, embodied energy and
life cycle assessment (LCA).

Indoor Environment
The Indoor Environment dimension relates to factors associated with indoor
environmental quality such as thermal comfort, air quality, acoustic quality, light quality,
low-emitting materials, natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation, indoor chemical and
pollutant source control, glare control, illumination levels, acoustic, and daylight.

Energy
Energy conservation and efficiency, renewable energy and low carbon technologies,
energy systems, heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), intelligent control
systems, wireless, interoperability, air distribution, cooling methods. Also, moderation of
internal loads such as lighting, power over Ethernet, task ventilation etc., Periodic and
seasonal thermal storage, modelling, systems components, integration and life, impacts
on climate change and adaptation, policies and practices, fossil fuel depletion and
emissions.

Water
The water dimension relates to water conservation, production, treatment, recycling,
sustainable drainage, irrigation and rain water harvesting.

Cultural and Economic Value

The Cultural and Economic Value dimension relates to factors associated with cultural
conservation and support of the national economy, heritage and cultural identity and
support of national economy, community and well-being.

Management and Operations

The management and operations dimension relates to factors associated with healthy and
productive built environment including neighbourhood/building design management and
operations, commissioning plan, organic waste management, recycling management,
intelligent building control systems and maintenance.

Summary
Four management levels are distinguished at which the environmental sustainability of
the built environment can be influenced. These are: environmental cooperation routines,
environmental technology policies, environmental regulations and environmental
incentives.
Environmental Cooperation Routines
Cooperation between governmental, institutional, scientific and commercial organizations
can facilitate the development of an environmentally sustainable built environment in
both emerging clusters of new organizations and in existing networks of established
organizations. The first level at which environmentally sustainability for the built
environment can be performed is the level of environmental cooperation routines
between clusters of innovative organizations. The transition of industries towards
sustainability is dependent upon networks of cooperating firms and institutions, and the
coordination of their assets to transform traditional processes into ecologically friendly
ones. Such firms rely upon daily dialogue and frequent exchange of environmental
services and knowledge. The needed intensive environmental communication,
environmental service provision, and environmental knowledge exchange typically takes
place in specialized niches, apart from settings in which mainstream and less sustainable
organizations are dominant. There is a symbiotic relationship between environmentally
innovative firms, for instance in cases in which residual products of one firm can be used
as raw material in another. But besides this, it is also found that mainstream organizations
became more environmentally oriented in cooperation with others. Although traditionally
operating industries are often resistant to greening initiatives, they are willing to change
when their counterparts offer robust technologies that are capable of performing in
accordance with new environmental standards.
Environmental Technology Policies
An environmentally sustainable built environment can be stimulated by a nationwide
environmental technology policy in which public and private organizations cooperatively
develop and execute environmental action plans. A second level at which the
management of environmentally sustainability for the built environment can take place is
the level of environmental technology policies that create the infrastructure in which
innovative activity can emerge and be strengthened. A national environmental technology
policy can play an important role in directing national industries towards environmental
sustainability. A nations government and institutions have to develop a national
innovation-policy, which induces research, invention, development and adoption of new
technologies by governmental, institutional, scientific and commercial organizations. An
analysis of Finnish national technology policies for example showed how environmental
issues become part of a national technology policy. The Finnish integration of
environmental goals in a national policy, in combination with an action and assessment
program in which institutional and commercial organizations cooperated, produced
considerable environmental results. In addition, the friction between sustainability as a
common interest that is served by governmental, institutional and scientific organizations,
and profitability as an individual interest, which is one of the primary goals of

commercial organizations, is not easy to overcome. But to a certain degree it can be taken
away by a national technology policy.
Environmental Regulations
Regulation can force, guide and stimulate environmentally sustainability for the built
environment by cooperating firms in building. The third level at which environmentally
sustainability for the built environment can take place is the level of environmental
regulations. Environmental regulation can be used to force and invite organizations to
increase the environmental sustainability of their operations. Although it is a common
premise that regulation in terms of norms, procedures, laws and control is useful and
appropriate, there is also evidence for the argument that it hinders environmental
innovation. Firms, for example, react strategically to environmental regulation. They scan
which competitors and counterparts in their environment respond to regulatory pressure
and then decide to do it in the same way, or differently, based on their competitive
strategy. In addition, firms that are confronted with environmental regulation, often just
comply with the rules. They neglect sustainable options that are not part of the rules and
norms and do not exceed the regulated standards. Performance standards could be
introduced because these have the benefit that these just define the measures of the
expected environmental performance of firms, and not the exact specifications of the
applied methods and processes to achieve a certain level of environmental sustainability.
There is also the possibility to use regulation that stimulates firms to embrace
environmental issues as new competitive opportunities. Regulation could facilitate the
development of objective data on the comparative environmental performance of
organizations in the industry and stimulate and reward the most innovative organizations
in industry.
Environmental Incentives
Financial incentives can support the development of environmentally sustainability for
the built environment by cooperating building organizations. The fourth level at which
the management of environmentally sustainability for the built environment can be
situated is the level of environmental incentives that stimulate environmental innovation.
Organizations primarily act on the social and economical pressure that is exerted by
governments, institutions and communities. An important aspect is the stimulating effect
of economic incentives on the environmental innovativeness of scientific and commercial
organizations. The financial incentives of the government and institutions enable research
institutes and companies to direct a part of their R&D-efforts towards the greening of
their strategies, processes, products and services. Although funding and subsidies are
generally stressed as means to stimulate sustainable development, it can also be argued
that environmental innovation can be profitable by itself. Investments in environmental
sustainability, especially in waste prevention practices, could result in decreasing costs of
waste handling and emissions. But despite this, not every organization has the capability
to profit from environmentally sustainable innovation. Most organizations need a strong
foundation of innovative capabilities to be able to create and generate financial
advantages of environmental management. When they do not have this basis, they
heavily rely upon subsidies.

The special issue focuses on the state-of-the-art developments in this field. It is a theme
that is of importance to both practitioners and scholars because of the increasing societal
incentives to go green. The call for papers could focus on University Departments
dedicated to the built environment. In the UK, USA, and Europe several departments are
dedicated to this field. In addition, readership can focus on these scholars and on
practitioners working for the government, institutions and commercial firms, who have to
and want to innovate in the field of environmental sustainability in their planning- and
building-related work.

Tools are needed to put sustainable design theory into practice. To complement an earlier
series of thematic resource guides organized around climate change, sustainable urban
development, transportation, livable communities, and green infrastructure, this threepart "Sustainability Toolkit" series will provide online toolkits, assessment tools,
checklists, modeling software, and case studies designed to aid policymakers and design
professionals roll out sustainable projects at the regional, urban, and local levels.
The Sustainabilty Toolkit covers environmental, economic, and social models. Part one
offers a range of environmental models. Parts two and three, which will explore the
economic and social components of sustainability, will be coming over the next few
months.
Sustainability Toolkit: Environmental Models focuses on the environmental side of
sustainability, perhaps the crucial component in sustainable projects for the built
environment. The toolkit is arranged from macro- to micro-scales, beginning with
sustainable regional planning, and moving to sustainable cities & communities planning,
sustainable neighborhood planning, and, then finally, site-specific tools related to
sustainable landscapes and green buildings.
Sustainable Regional Planning
Environmentally sustainable regional planning is critical to the long-term economic
competitiveness and public health of regions. Because large metropolitan areas often
cross city and even state lines, regional plans that emphasize green space should be
developed at the county, state, or multi-state levels.
Regional planners are increasingly tasked with developing more sustainable approaches
to population growth, land and water use, energy production, transportation
infrastructure, and pollution-- all of which have major impacts on regional environments.
Regional planners are also devising plans to adapt communities to climate change.
The following resources were assembled to aid policy-makers and regional planners in
creating environmentally sustainable regional plans, which build up regional
environmental assets.
Sustainable city and community planning
While city and community planners must confront many of the same issues as regional
planners, their immediate attention is often more narrowly focused on environmentally
sustainable development at the local level. Environmentally sustainable city and
community planning involves integrating population growth, infrastructure, energy,
water, and transportation into plans that significantly improve environmental quality in
urban built environments.
The ultimate goal is to reach beyond sustainability and create living or regenerative
communities that provide environmental benefits to all citizens.
Common environmental strategies involve:

incentivizing mixed-use development, which enables communities to become

more resilient to environmental change.
investing in alternative transportation infrastructure that encourage walking and
biking.
expanding green infrastructure, including green roofs, green streets, rain gardens,
bioretention systems that reduce stormwater runoff and pollution.
creating community green spaces and urban parks to encourage healthy, active
lifestyles, and recreation opportunities.
rolling-out urban and community-level agriculture plans that reduce dependency
on outside food sources.

Sustainable neighborhood planning

Environmentally sustainable neighborhood planning is critical to creating vibrant
community and street life.
Typical strategies for implementing environmentally sustainable neighborhoods involve:

utilizing low impact development strategies.

creating mixed-use, mixed-income developments.
constructing complete (and green) streets that encourage walking and bicycling.
reducing urban heat island effects by providing ample urban tree canopy and
green or cool roof coverage.
maximizing local energy efficiency and water conservation approaches.
providing sufficient green space for recreation.

Sustainable landscapes
Sustainable landscape architecture practices involve maximizing existing natural systems
to create productive and healthy environments. These techniques can not only improve
energy and water efficiency, but also use plants to eliminate chemical fertilizers, produce
food, restore ecosystems, and clean air. Incorporating sustainable landscape materials is
key to reducing waste and lowering maintenance costs.
Sustainable landscape architecture techniques are also being applied to redevelop brown
and gray field sites, revitalizing communities in the process.
Green Building
Green building design utilizes processes and techniques that are environmentally
responsible. Green building design ensure that built structures efficiently use energy,
water, and construction materials, while minimizing waste, pollution, and environmental
degradation. In addition to reducing impact on the environment, green buildings promote
occupant health and increase employee productivity.

Some common strategies for achieving these goals involves employing green roofs, green
walls, localized renewable energy sources, low-impact materials, energy efficient
appliances and heating sources, and wastewater management and re-use strategies.