Studio Craft and Technique for Architects Second Edition by Gorman Anne;Delaney Miriam;

Author:Gorman, Anne;Delaney, Miriam;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laurence King Publishing

6.1

Environment & Construction

6.1.1 Terminology

Carbon

A common natural element – C on the periodic table. In terms of climate change ‘carbon’ is sometimes used as shorthand for carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most significant greenhouse gas released by human activity. It traps heat in the atmosphere close to the surface of the earth.

Greenhouse effect

A naturally occurring process whereby the atmosphere close to the earth acts to insulate it. High levels of CO2 caused by human activity have increased the greenhouse effect, leading to rising temperatures.

Fossil fuels

Fuels derived from the decomposition of naturally occurring organisms. Gas, petroleum, oil, peat and coal are all fossil fuels. When burned, these finite resources release CO2, which can increase the greenhouse effect.

Carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the production, use and end-of-life of a human activity. In construction the carbon footprint is the measurement of the environmental impact of a building material, construction system or building.

Life-cycle analysis

(or life-cycle assessment) A methodology for assessing environmental impacts associated with all stages of the life cycle of a service, a product or an activity. It is sometimes called ‘cradle to grave’ analysis.

Passive House (or Passiv-haus)

An energy standard for buildings that are designed to significantly reduce their heating needs and energy demand, and so have a reduced ecological impact. It concerns the design, construction and running of buildings.

Retrofit

In construction retrofitting refers to the addition of new technologies or features to older buildings to reduce their environmental impact and minimize energy waste. This would include adding more efficient heating technologies, increasing airtightness and insulation, and replacing single-glazed windows with double- or triple-glazed units.

Adaptive re-use

Refers to the adaption of existing buildings for new purposes – a positive alternative to demolition and re-build.

Operational energy

The energy used in the functioning of buildings, which includes heating, lighting, ventilation and cooling. Retrofitting can significantly reduce the high levels of operational energy used in older buildings.

Embodied energy

The energy used in the extraction, manufacturing and transportation of building materials. Materials with low levels of embodied energy need to be prioritized.

Recycling

Recycling building elements or materials is a positive action that reduces the embodied energy in construction. Some building materials such as metals can be recycled, but the recycled material may be of a lesser quality than its original form. This is known as ‘downcycling’.

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