CMA4005 Environmental and Sustainability Issues Assignment Sample

Introduction To: CMA4005 Environmental and Sustainability Issues

Sustainable construction is defined as a concept that emphasises constructing buildings and infrastructure in an environmentally responsible manner. It is necessary as in case the work will not be done in an environmentally sustainable manner, then it will be affecting the working of the company to a great extent. The construction of the building creates and emits different waste into the environment, many of the materials used in constructing the building also hurt the environment. Thus, as a result of this, effective compliance with sustainable and environmentally friendly products and services must be maintained. When the construction of the building is done keeping in mind environmental protection,, then it will improve the working of the companies better. Moreover, the environment will also be protected and will be improved by the construction of low-impact buildings.

A low-impact building is defined as the type of building which requires less or very low energy for its use. This can be effectively applied by the companies by making use of developing energy from natural sources, appropriate ventilation and many other aspects. The present study is based on Venus, Manchester which is a fully glazed building situated in the area of 91500 sq ft. This is a particular type of building which makes use of less energy and as a result, it is a good example of low impact building. The current study will include an analysis of the overview of the project along with the various methods and materials which are sustainable and improve environmental protection. Along with this, the study will shed light on the role of various professionals in improving environmental protection. Moreover, it will also discuss the policies and legislation relating to the achievement of sustainability. At last, the impact of all the sustainable solutions on the economic, social and environmental factors will be analysed.

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MAIN BODY

2.1 Overview of the project

The current project included the case of Venus, Manchester which is a good example of low-impact building. This is a type of building which is extended up to the area of 8500 m2 or 91500 sq ft. This is a type of office building which is developed by Peel Holdings and it is particularly located in Trafford Quays which is adjacent to the Trafford Centre. The building has included many different materials which improve sustainability and environmental protection to a great extent. The project of Venus Manchester was accomplished in the year 2020 and after the different offices were opened in the business (We're a Sustainable City, 2024). It is necessary for the reason that when the effective protection of the environment is done then automatically it will attract more people to use the office space within Venus.

The major issue which was faced while developing the building was that the constructor was unable to create a visually attractive landscape for the complementing of the building. This was the major issue as by using the low-impact material and environmentally friendly products the company has to build a better building. Hence, for this, all the stakeholders of The Venus were affected and to protect the environment, Marshalls applied the leading expertise and tried to design a better building landscape. For this pleasant outlook of the building, the constructor has made use of a combination of 20 silver-grey spherical concrete bollards (Venus Building, Manchester Case Study, 2024). Along with this, 29 polished 500 mm granite cubes were also used and it was placed in the pathways. Also, for the paving, the combination of the three different colours and different-sized stones was used to make it look more attractive and sustainable. Moreover, to ensure sustainability and environmental protection the stakeholder of the building complies with the ISO 50001 Energy Management system and also has 100 % of waste diverted from landfills and uses recyclable products.

2.2 Various methods, materials and technologies for constructing projects in a sustainable manner

In the current competitive environment where the focus of the companies is on sustainability and green construction, there are many different kinds of methods in materials which are used while constructing the projects. All these methods and materials are assistive in reducing the carbon footprint. The construction industry emits a lot of carbon emissions and other harmful materials which affect the environment to a great extent (Hossain et al, 2020). By the completion of Venus, Manchester, it is clear that there are many different kinds of materials and methods which are assistive in ensuring that net zero emission is attained. The companies tend to attain net zero emissions so that the environment can be protected against harmful carbon emissions. The different kinds of materials used within the construction of Venus, Manchester for maintaining sustainability are as follows-

• Firstly the material used within the current building is green concrete. This is a type of concrete which aims at lowering the carbon footprint as compared to traditional concrete. This is particularly because of the reason that this kind of concrete includes materials like Silicon fly ash and many other different kinds of recyclable products (Brooks, Abdellatif and Alkhaddar, 2021). These products do not affect or hamper the working of the environment. As a result of this, it leads to effective and sustainable construction which helps in managing the environment and its protection.
• Along with this another material used effectively for the construction project of Venus, Manchester is recycled Steel. This is the major material which is used while constructing the building. It is due to the reason that all the building is built of steel and the related aspects. Hence, in the current case of building eggs recycled Steel is used which is more strong and durable as compared to normal Steel. In addition to this compliance with the recycled Steel results in reduced landfill waste (Willar et al, 2021). It is due to the reason that it focuses on reducing the land fields which come out from the Steelworks. Hence as a result of this, the environment is protected and overall working is improved.

Along with the materials, there are also different kinds of Technology advancements which are taking place for improving the net zero emission. There are various technologies which aim at reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental protection. Technology such as building information modelling is implemented by Venus, Manchester for enhancing the attainment of net zero emission. It is particularly because of the reason that this technology helps in analysing the total information of the building and what kind of material is used. The different solutions for reducing carbon emissions are evaluated with the help of this technology. In addition to this another Technology being used for reducing carbon emissions is compliance with 3D printing (Solaimani and Sedighi, 2020). This is a kind of Technology which helps in creating low-carbon construction materials so that the emissions can be reduced. It includes the use of products like blast furnace construction waste demolition and many other different kinds of materials which are used for effectively constructing the building so that the carbon emission can be monitored.

2.3 Role of various professionals and environmental agencies

Within the successful construction of the building, all the professionals and other environmental Agencies must prepare the work accordingly. The different kind of professionals and environmental Agencies has a professional role within the working of the company. It is due to the reason that when the professionals will not be working appropriately then automatically it will be affecting the working of the company. Ultimately all the people must be involved in the construction work efficiently and effectively so that the overall work can be improved.

There are different kinds of people involved in the construction of the building the most common role was played by the architect who designed the whole layout of the building (Goh et al, 2020). It is particularly because of the reason that architecture uses different kinds of technologies like 3D printing and others to design the whole layout of the building. When it is effectively designed then automatically the outcome will be appropriate and will be helpful to reduce carbon emissions.

After the architecture comes the engineer makes use of different kinds of Technology to reduce carbon emissions. With the help of the different combinations of materials and technology, they tend to reduce carbon emissions. It is due to the reason that when the effect of type of the material and technology is implemented then it will improve the sustainability of the project well (Ershadi et al, 2021). Along with this, engineers are also liable to conduct the feasibility analysis and ensure that all the combinations used in the construction are energy efficient so that sustainable working can be made.

Moreover, another profession includes the environmental specialist who is recruited by the constructor to ensure that the effect of every material is tested and then only used. There are many different types of materials which can impact the environment and the environment specialist is the person who checks, tests and analyses the impact of every material on the environment and then only it is included in the complete construction. Thus, in case any of the material will be creating harmful effects on the environment then it will not be used in the construction and ultimately sustainable construction will be made.

Further, there are also different types of agencies which take into consideration all the environmental and sustainability aspects. This includes the fact that BREEAM has provided a ‘very good’ rating to Venus and this simply means that the company is aiming for net zero carbon and protecting the environment well. Along with this, UKGBC that is The UK Green Building Council is another leading global environmental authority which lists different environmental dimension which makes sustainable development more effective (Greener Buildings, 2024). Thus, the compliance with the guidelines provided by the UKGBC is assistive to Venus in developing a good and effective sustainable building. It is necessary for the reason that when the regulatory norms and guidelines are followed then it improves the working capability and consequently the overall efficiency is improved.

Hence, all these different professionals play a crucial role in improving sustainability measures. It is due to the reason that when effective compliance with these guides is made then automatically improves the working capability and ultimately the overall environment is protected and sustainability is ensured (Nazir et al, 2021). Also, the different certification ensures that the building is complying with all the strategies and as a result of this, the consumers will like the working well.

2.4 Ways in which legislation, policy and initiatives impact the design of the case study

There are certain types of legislation and other types of policies and initiatives which are assistive in managing the sustainable construction. It is necessary because according to the current trends of working sustainable construction is more effectively applied. Hence there are many different types of legislation being prepared by the regulatory authorities to ensure that there is effective compliance with environmental protection and sustainable construction. The different set of legislations and policies proposed within the UK legal system which is followed by The Venus Manchester as well includes the following-

• The Climate Change Act 2008- this is a type of act, which sets some of the legally binding targets which need to be accomplished by Venus while making the building. It is an act which states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 80 % by 2050. Hence, Venus Manchester also includes this objective clearly while constructing and designing the building in such a manner that the objective of reducing greenhouse gas is reduced.
• The Environmental Protection Act, 1990- this is another legislation which includes the provisions relating to the protection of the environment. It includes legislation relating to disposing of waste, risk assessment relating to environment protection, controlling measures and many other different obligations which the construction company need to follow (Murtagh, Scott and Fan, 2020). In case compliance with this act is not made then Venus Manchester will not be able to attract more stakeholders towards the company.
• Green Deal- this is a kind of initiative led by the government of the UK to ensure that energy-efficient building is constructed. This initiative provides various financial help for improving energy-saving methods and schemes and also for enhancing sustainable construction (Sustainability in Construction: The UK Perspective, 2023). All these techniques for sustainable construction are costly and to implement them well, effective financial help is provided to Venus, Manchester.
• Carbon Emission Reduction Target- another scheme or initiative used by the government that includes compliance with CERT. This is a five-year plan commitment which deals with gas supplies and electricity for reducing carbon emissions. It is necessary as while constructing there is high carbon emission which harms the environment. So it is necessary for Venus that they must effectively try to comply with this plan so that the working can be improved well.

Further, it can be stated that complying with this different legislation and policies of government is assistive in managing and ensuring effective sustainable construction. It is due to the reason that when effective types of rules are followed then automatically the overall performance will be improved (El-Sayegh et al, 2021). These legislations will guide the constructor in making the working more sustainable and trying to protect the environment. These different legislation relating to environmental protection help the company in managing and improving sustainable construction effectively. Moreover, when this effective kind of legislation is followed by the companies then it will help them in getting different certificates of sustainability. This will increase the overall working of the company and also the interest of the stakeholder will increase which will further result in increasing brand awareness.

2.5 Impact of adopted sustainable solution on the economic, social and environmental factors

With the evaluation, it is clear that there are many different kinds of solutions used for constructing Venus, Manchester. This all the sustainable solution adopted by the company create a positive impact on the economic social and environmental factors. This is due to the reason that when the work is done sustainably then automatically improves environmental protection. It is particularly because of the reason that when the green building is built then it works on saving energy and reducing the cost (Udomsap and Hallinger, 2020). In comparison to the traditional building, the cost of maintaining the low-impact building is less and as a result, economically it is very beneficial for the company. The reason behind the fact is that when the cost levied for maintaining the building will be lower it will be improving the overall efficiency and profitability of the building. As a result of this, the overall economic condition of the building and the country will improve.

Along with the economic benefits social welfare and well-being are also promoted when the companies emphasize Sustainable construction. This is due to the reason that the current trend among consumers is towards environmental protection and other related aspects. This is when the company or the building will be emphasizing promoting the environment by using sustainable solutions then automatically it will attract more customers to the place (Ogunmakinde, Egbelakin and Sher, 2022). For instance, for Venus, Manchester, more people will be interested in using the office space as the company focuses on completing the CSR. This is particularly due to the reason that the company is taking many measures for protecting the environment and resultantly it will be attracting more of the people towards the building and it will be gaining much popularity.

In addition, this building also focuses on using low-carbon emission products and as a result of this environmental sustainability is improved. So the customers will be attracted towards the building to a great extent. Moreover, in case effective sustainable solutions are adopted then automatically it will lead to environmental benefits. This is particularly because of the reason that when the appropriate solutions will be used for the protection of the environment then it will be improving the position of the environment. Ultimately as a result of this overall environmental protection, more of the customer will be attracted towards using the building and its services. Thus, it can be stated that when sustainable solutions are adopted for constructing any of the buildings then it creates a positive impact on the economic social and environmental factors (Iqbal et al, 2021). Also, it is very necessary for the company they effectively build on better environmental services so that protection can be provided to the environment. Also, these sustainable solutions will help the company in attracting a large set of customers. As a result of this more profit will be generated and along with it environmental protection and sustainability will also be ensured.

Conclution 

The above study inferred that sustainable construction focuses on using renewable and recyclable methods of working so that the construction can be made in an environment-friendly manner. It is necessary for the reason that when the effective type of sustainable working is implemented then it will result in better outcomes and ultimately it will work for the protection of the environment. The study was based on Venus, Manchester which is a low-impact building that adds to the protection of the environment. The study stated that the issues faced at the time of construction included the issues at the time of design. However, by using different renewable and reusable materials, the company was in a position to manage and maintain a better working. The study highlighted that the use of technology like AI, 3D printing and many other are assistive in managing the sustainable construction effectively. Also, the study showcased that different professionals like architects, environment agencies and others play a crucial role in managing sustainable construction. Further, it was also analysed that legislation like The Climate Change Act, 2008, Green Deal and many other initiatives are taken by the government and other regulatory bodies to ensure that sustainable construction and environmental protection is ensured.

REFERENCES

Books and Journals

• Brooks, M., Abdellatif, M. and Alkhaddar, R., 2021. Application of life cycle carbon assessment for a sustainable building design: a case study in the UK. International Journal of Green Energy, 18(4), pp.351-362.
• El-Sayegh, S.M., Manjikian, S., Ibrahim, A., Abouelyousr, A. and Jabbour, R., 2021. Risk identification and assessment in sustainable construction projects in the UAE. International Journal of Construction Management, 21(4), pp.327-336.
• Ershadi, M., Jefferies, M., Davis, P. and Mojtahedi, M., 2021. Barriers to achieving sustainable construction project procurement in the private sector. Cleaner engineering and technology, 3, p.100125.
• Goh, C.S., Chong, H.Y., Jack, L. and Faris, A.F.M., 2020. Revisiting triple bottom line within the context of sustainable construction: A systematic review. Journal of cleaner production, 252, p.119884.
• Hossain, M.U., Ng, S.T., Antwi-Afari, P. and Amor, B., 2020. Circular economy and the construction industry: Existing trends, challenges and prospective framework for sustainable construction. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 130, p.109948.
• Iqbal, M., Ma, J., Ahmad, N., Hussain, K. and Usmani, M.S., 2021. Promoting sustainable construction through energy-efficient technologies: an analysis of promotional strategies using interpretive structuramodellingng. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, pp.1-24.
• Murtagh, N., Scott, L. and Fan, J., 2020. Sustainable and resilient construction: Current status and future challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production, 268, p.122264.
• Nazir, F., Edwards, D.J., Shelbourn, M., Martek, I., Thwala, W.D.D. and El-Gohary, H., 2021. Comparison of modular and traditional UK housing construction: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 19(1), pp.164-186.
• Ogunmakinde, O.E., Egbelakin, T. and Sher, W., 2022. Contributions of the circular economy to the UN sustainable development goals through sustainable construction. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 178, p.106023.
• Solaimani, S. and Sedighi, M., 2020. Toward a holistic view on lean sustainable construction: A literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248, p.119213.
• Udomsap, A.D. and Hallinger, P., 2020. A bibliometric review of research on sustainable construction, 1994–2018. Journal of Cleaner Production, 254, p.120073.
• Willar, D., Waney, E.V.Y., Pangemanan, D.D.G. and Mait, R.E.G., 2021. Sustainable construction practices in the execution of infrastructure projects: The extent of implementation. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 10(1), pp.106-124.

Online

• We're a sustainable city. 2024. Online. Available through: <https://traffordcity.co.uk/business/why-trafford-city/sustainability>
• Venus Building, Manchester Case Study. 2024. Online. Available through: <https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/case-studies/venus-building-manchester>
• Greener buildings. 2024. Online. Available through: <https://www.great.gov.uk/international/content/investment/sectors/greener-buildings/#:~:text=The%20UK%20Green%20Building%20Council,companies%20to%20enter%20the%20sector.>
• Sustainability in Construction: The UK Perspective. 2023. Online. Available through: <https://ddcsolutions.co.uk/sustainability-in-construction-uk/#:~:text=The%20Climate%20Change%20Act%202008,construction%E2%80%8B%20(RICS)%E2%80%8B.>

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