Green Building Assignment

How green is your building?

February 6

2013
Brian Moriarty

Green Building Assignment 2013

1. Introduction
The assessment will examine a passive home from Cloughjordan eco village from a green perspective. The goal is to end up with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) [1]. This helps to avoid a narrow outlook on environmental, social and economic concerns by assessing a full range of impacts associated with all cradle-to-grave stages of the building process. This includes: Raw materials and distribution Use, repair and maintenance Disposal or recycling

Other impacts taken into account include embodied energy, climate chang, resource use, air pollution, water pollution, and waste.

2. Assessment Standards
The increasing application of and support for sustainable strategies in building design is part of growing awareness by professionals, institutions and governments alike that building construction, use, demolition and the consequential consumption of natural resources is having a direct impact on the quality of our environment and that our relationship with the worlds ecology requires action and reappraisal. Environmental assessment of new and existing buildings and the evaluation systems employed, has been successfully introduced in a number of countries around the world as a method of promoting sustainable design with a view to lessening the impact of buildings and construction on the worlds ecology [2]. Assessment tools have been developed by several countries as a means of pursuing sustainable development and encouraging more ambitious performance criteria. They allow for the clear identification of key performance issues to be addressed in environmental projects and provide a verifiable set of criteria against which environmental design can be evaluated. As countries seek to curb harmful emissions and increasing consummation of raw materials, the introduction of building environmental assessment tools has been recognised as a valid method of reducing the negative environmental impact of buildings and the building industry, promoting innovation and transforming market practices. The strategy, of assigning comparative ratings to individual buildings can be used as a vehicle for market transformation and the introduction of better practice in environmental design. Here are some the standards used in different countries: BREEAM in the UK[3] LEED in the United States CASBEE in Japan Green Globes in Canada and the US HQE in France Green Star in Australia GBTool internationally

Many of these assessment tools share common ideas but differ in measurement scales and identified criteria. Each system has also evolved along its own path, in the industry and economic 1|Page

Green Building Assignment 2013

climate of its place of origin, adapting the assessment tools to different typologies as the method of evaluation becomes increasingly sophisticated. Ireland does not yet have a tailored environmental assessment tool. However, initial work has previously taken place to develop such a tool (IBEAM Irish Building Environmental Assessment Method). Below is proposed Irish Building Environment Assessment Method Scheme Structure created by a UCD Research Team [4]:

The recently formed Irish Green Building Council does not yet support any particular Building Environmental Assessment Tool. They intend to develop an environmental assessment tool for buildings in Ireland and have launched a study in a process that will provide a recommendation on the using of environmental assessment methods in Ireland [5].

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3. Site Assessment

Location: Passive Home in CloughJordan, Co. Tipperary Materials: Timber frame with cellulose and wood fibre. The foundation is made of Ecocem. The Design: Two floored rectangle building. This building is certified by the PassivHaus Institute in Germany [7].

A passive house is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment. Energy losses are minimized. Any remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. Avoidance of heat gain through shading and window orientation also helps to limit any cooling load, which is similarly minimized. An energy recovery ventilator provides a constant, balanced fresh air supply. The result is an impressive system that not only saves up to 90% of space heating costs, but also provides a uniquely terrific indoor air quality.

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Green Building Assignment 2013

Environmental Impact: The passive home has a very low impact once constructed. It has an energy demand 90% lower than most homes. Through careful design and calculations a building can be created to require only 15kWhr/m2 pa. Sustainable Features: Sustainability of the site will be assessed under the following headings taken from BREEAM and LEEDS assessment methods. Land use and Ecology: The homes and land in the eco village are designed with permaculture principles in mind and also the very basics of permaculture: Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. This ensures plant diversity, ethical use of the land and careful design inputs/outputs to achieve long term sustainability. Sustainable Sites: Cloughjordan eco village is probably the most sustainable village in line with permaculture principles in Ireland. The community members want to foster a philosophy of cooperation and strong support for local businesses. Their goal is to create a dynamic community in a rural setting bringing a wide range of skills. They have planted over 17,000 trees, grow their own food, bake their own bread, have public transport, have their own solar and wood chip renewable energy system. There is also the integration with an existing town that is particularly laudable from a sustainable development perspective and, to a large extent, counterbalances the fact that it is built on a green-field site, a criticism frequently targeted at eco-villages. Energy and Atmosphere: The health aspects of living in a mechanically ventilated house are: with no lingering odours, little or no condensation in washrooms after showering and an overall sense of high indoor air quality throughout. Water Efficiency: Rain water harvesting. Materials and Resources: All materials are locally or within Ireland. Homes are built by the owners themselves or by local contractors. The structure is breathable timber frame with cellulose and wood fibre insulation acting as carbon sinks. A timber framed wall with 150mm of dense packed cellulose can achieve a U-

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Green Building Assignment 2013

Value of 0.23 or lower. (A U-Value is a means of measuring heat loss, lower value means less loss). The facade is a ventilated rendered rainscreen (no concrete). The ventilated cavity between the exterior of the building and the reinforced carrier board keeps the wall dry and allowing it to breathe. The carrier board is made from 96% recycled glass granulate and provides excellent weather protection. The foundation is made of Ecocem, a green cement made from a recycled material, and the entire building sits on a raft of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation. There are no cold bridges.

Renewable Energy: The house is supplied by underground insulated district heating pipes powered by a massive wood chip boiler and a field of solar panels. Wood chips come in bulk from waste sawmill wood from Irish forests and woodlands. The windows are triple glazed and positioned the glazing to optimise solar gain versus heat loss. They have a Uvalue of 0.6 W/m2K versus a U-value for a good double-glazed window of 1.2 W/m2K. Pollution and Emissions: The house optimised insulation levels with minimal thermal bridges, very low air-leakage through the building, utilisation of passive solar and internal gains and good indoor air quality maintained by a mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery. Waste Recycling: The home has a compost toilet and there is on-site recycling of construction materials. The heat source is distributed in this house by the ventilation system from which waste heat is recovered. Transport / Location & Linkages: There is access to public transport with a local train station in the village. Maintenance and Operation: Filters need to be changed in the mechanical ventilation system. 5|Page

Green Building Assignment 2013

Economic Quality: There are additional costs associated with construction of passive homes. The additional cost of the key items including enhanced insulation, glazing, airtightness, thermal bridging, energy efficient light bulbs and household appliances. There is the allowance for the foregone costs associated with conventional house features such as a fireplace and boiler with radiators. Compared to both timber frame and the concrete block construction methods the additional extra over cost associated with building a Passivhaus Standard was estimated at approximately 25,000 for both construction methods, including VAT and design fees. Approximately 60% of this cost can be attributed towards improvement of the building shell (enhanced insulation, higher grade windows, improved airtightness and reduced thermal bridging) with the remaining 40% covering building systems including mechanical ventilation system, low energy lighting and distributed. The cost of a conventional house varies considerably according to the quality of finishes required. An average cost of 196,000 was proposed as representing a midgrade finish, including VAT and design fees. The additional cost of 25,000 thus represents approximately 12.5% of current conventional costs[8]. Indoor Environment Quality: Modern, warm and cozy. Internal finishes are natural wood, natural breathable paint products and marmoleum in some areas.

Health and Wellbeing: Living in a house that has a low carbon footprint can bring about other changes in lifestyle that are positive for the environment, including growing your own food and reducing the impact of travel whether by car or by plane. Raising children in a passive house will also bring about positive change for the next generation who will expect to improve even further on what their parents achieved. The heat source is distributed in this house by the ventilation system, which ensures that clean, filtered warm air is constantly replenishing the stale air. 6|Page

Green Building Assignment 2013

Socio-Cultural Aspects: Cloughjordan eco village has on-site and local employment. There is access to high quality green space for food, energy and leisure. There are markets and weekly eating gatherings not to mention the summertime harvest and apple pressing. There is an industrial area with hot desks for innovation and design ideas. Functional Quality: The specification of materials and very high quality build creates a strong sense of living in a well-built house that will last the test of time. The heavy doors and windows close with a reassuringly solid clunk and keep out draughts and reduce external noise. The walls are thick and substantial and are packed full of insulation to keep out the cold and the heat in. There is no condensation on the internal glazing early on a cold morning. Management: The Eco village has a management team for the co-ordination for values, policy changes and handle facilitation, conflict resolution and navigate ideas/opportunities/threats that arise. Innovation/Design process The passive house is the ultimate low energy building. The passive house standard is recognised in Europe as the most advanced in terms of energy performance of buildings and going forward the European Commission is set on implementing the passive house standard and also on setting more stringent requirements for the refurbishment of existing buildings (Foreword [8]). Original Design: The house was designed by architect Paul McNally [10] and is certified by the PassivHaus Institute in Germany. Improvements: Some criticisms of the passive house design are: Calling these superinsulated houses passive is problematic. The claim that these are houses without heating systems is false. Delivering heat through ventilation ducts makes no sense. The annual space heating limit of 15kWh/myear is arbitrary. PHPP software needed for calculations has no cost-effectiveness feedback. The standard doesnt distinguish between energy sources.

But other than that they are great.

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Green Building Assignment 2013

4. Conclusion
The standard of houses built in Cloughjordan eco-village when compare to an early green buildings, like the ones in Building a low impact Round House by Tony Wrench [6], is vast but who is to say what is better, as both are aiming for different markets. Cloughjordan eco-homes are, no doubt, top notch structures with all the best standards, building techniques with a lot of environmental/sustainability methods considered and implemented. However they many lack that warmth and beauty of a Tony Wrench type dwelling. I would recommend that Cloughjordan lower there site prices. They could also introduce some delightful and rustic round homes with overgrown green roofs to add least give that sense of some sort of eco-warrior nomads living there on the edge of life! It is doubtful that prices will fall so the sites are definitely a great place for families with decent incomes and an interest in sustainable living, as Cloughjordan has it all.

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5. References
1. Life cycle assessment (LCA) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building#Life_cycle_assessment_.28LCA.29 2. BREEAM environmental assessment http://www.breeam.org/about.jsp?id=66 3. Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland Discussion Paper Towards a National Action Plan on Green Public Procurement http://www.riai.ie/uploads/files/Green%20Public%20Procurement%20Response%20FINAL.p df 4. An Irish Building Environment Assessment Method http://researchrepository.ucd.ie/bitstream/handle/10197/3897/IBEAM_PLEA2007.pdf?sequ ence=1 5. Building Environmental Assessment Method for Ireland - An Exploratory Study http://www.igbc.ie/c5/files/1613/5186/1527/IGBC_BEAM_Summary_report.pdf 6. Building a low impact Round House by Tony Wrench http://permanentpublications.co.uk/port/building-a-low-impact-roundhouse-by-tonywrench/ 7. Passivhaus Institut in Germany http://www.passiv.de 8. SEAI Passive Home Design and Construction http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Renewable_Energy_for_the_Homeowner/SEI_Passive_Hou se_A4.pdf 9. Passive House Criticism from Martin Holladay of Green Building Advisor http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/are-passivhaus-requirementslogical-or-arbitrary 10. Paul NcNally, Architect http://pmnarchitecture.com/portfolio/passive-house-cloughjordan/

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