On the Environmental and Sustainability Requirements: Towards Green Buildings in Kuwait

1. On the Environmental and Sustainability Requirements:Towards Green Buildings in Kuwait Dr. Moetaz El-Hawary Environment & Urban Development Division Building & Energy Technologies Department

2. Outlines Definitions of sustainability Needs for sustainability Principles and strategies Methods of achieving sustainable structures Sustainable building materials International developments and codes Local developments and expected barriers Research programs and fields Discussions and conclusions

3. Sustainability How do we measure economic success? Gross National Product (GNP) GNP does not count for loss of environmental quality and hence quality of life! In USA billions are spent cleaning environment Developing countries should learn from that and not imitate it

4. Sustainable Buildings Construction and operation of buildings consume majority of world�s natural resources Contributes the bulk to landfill waste Buildings use 1/3 of energy in USA and 2/3 of electricity Accounts for 49% of sulfur dioxide and 25% of nitrous oxide emissions that damage air Accounts for 35% of carbon dioxide blamed for climate change

5. Sustainable Buildings Sustainable or green buildings is to design construct and maintain them in a way to use minimum of pollution and cost the minimum while increasing the comfort, health and safety of the people in them Consider the interrelationships between a building, its components, its surroundings and its occupants

6. Sustainable Buildings World Commission on Environment and Development � Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs� From Cradle to Grave to Cradle again

7. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Systematic frame work for tracking technologies, materials and assemblies from cradle to cradle Assuming environmental impact during design, including: - Sourcing - Processing and manufacturing - Use and maintenance - Reuse, recycling and disposal

8. Embodied Energy (EE) Includes energy required to extract raw materials, energy to process raw material, manufacture of product, transport of product from source. Materials with high EE, concrete, asphalt, metals, glass Materials with low EE, wood, wood fiber, agricultural fiber, reused materials, by products

9. Principles of Sustainability Economy of Resources Life cycle Design Humane Design

13. Sustainable Building Materials The criteria for selecting sustainable building materials, or what is known as the �Green Features� of a building materials, may be divided to the following three phases: 1-Pre-building phase or the manufacture phase which include waste reduction, pollution prevention, recycled content, embodied energy and use of natural materials. 2-Building phase or the use phase and this include reduction in construction waste, energy efficiency, water treatment/conservation, use of non-toxic or less toxic materials, renewable energy systems and longer life or durability of the material. 3-Post-building phase or the disposal phase which include reusability, recyclability and biodegradability.

14. International Codes and Regulations Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) Programs�HERS programs rate the energy efficiency of new and existing homes and make recommendations for energy improvements. Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) Programs�An EEM is a type of mortgage that allows energy-efficiency features to be included in a mortgage loan. The Location Efficient Mortgage (LEM) is an innovative mortgage product that is being offered in Seattle, Chicago, and several California communities to low- and moderate- income borrowers who are interested in living in urban areas served by public transportation systems.

15. The LEED rating system developed by members of the U.S. Green Building Council provides a national certification for several levels of green buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit coalition of 1,500 leading companies, organizations, and federal/state/local organizations advancing buildings that are "environmentally repsonsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work." USGBC also offers LEED training workshops and accreditation.

16. LEED was created to: define "green building" by establishing a common standard of measurement promote integrated, whole-building design practices recognize environmental leadership in the building industry stimulate green competition raise consumer awareness of green building benefits transform the building market

28. Local Regulations Energy regulations Banning of quarrying for coarse aggregates Environmental Impact Recycling aggregates, glass, tin,�

29. Recycling of aggregates KISR Two companies Public Authority for Industry 4666490 Ton of structural waste in 2005 314710 ton were recycled and 1240740 ton were not recycled Fees paid by government

30. Expected Barriers 1- Lack of information: There are countless definitions of the sustainable design or green building concept. Information, awareness and full understanding of the concept and its benefits are essential. 2- Institutional resistance: Proprietary attitudes and the inherently risk-averse nature of bureaucracy stifles innovation and creativity.

31. 3- Regulatory obstacles: The systems of obtaining building permits does not encourage the use of innovative designs, technologies and products. As such consultants are more inclined to specify conventional systems and products to prevent project delays. This is perpetuated by the low-bid mentality, which focuses on the price of the items, not their value. 4- Financial impediments: In some instants, initial costs for green buildings are higher than those of conventional buildings. Because many of the benefits of green buildings, such as increased worker productivity and lower utility costs, accrue over the life of the building, many owners who lease or sell buildings are not motivated to incorporate sustainable elements in design.

32. Design for Material Recovery Life Cycle Analysis Embodied energy Recycling Natural environment works as final sink for disposed materials Durability Durability of materials determine how often it requires maintenance or replacement

33. Disassembly Design for disassembly allows for reuse Adaptive reuse Architects designed what Wall Mart, Kansas city will be after lifetime, Future apartments. Concrete blocks spaced to allow for future windows, height permits second floor,�.

34. Research Program Objectives Creating environmental awareness and understanding of the building ecosystems in Kuwait. Defining the different components of sustainable buildings and conduct enough research on each one to understand its effect, variation and importance in achieving sustainable buildings. Gaining the ability to design sustainable buildings. Defining the features and promoting the use of sustainable building materials. Creating local codes and specifications to assure or promote the sustainable buildings design.

35. Research Program Fields Durability of buildings and structures Recycled building materials and their uses Utilization of natural materials in structures Utilization of local materials in construction Life cycle design Reduction in construction waste Renewable energy systems Techniques for reducing energy needed for the manufacture of some building materials

36. Codes and specifications for sustainable buildings Increasing service life through maintenance Building envelopes and energy Rehabilitation of existing structures Use of non-conventional building materials Energy-conscious urban and site planning Passive heating and cooling systems Reuse of building components and materials

38. Why Recycling Recycling: Reuse of materials Saving resources for future generations Reduce mining Saving forests and trees ( Paper, pressed wood,�) Reduce energy consumption in producing new materials ( Cement, steel,�) Reducing the solid waste problem

39. Why Recycling Shortage of locations for Land fill Economical reasons I.e. Economical, Ecological and Environmental reasons Paper, tin, glass,��concrete

40. Waste Concrete In Japan about 10% of total waste which is about 400,000,000 ton/year The amount of recyclable concrete in 2002 is estimated as 755 thousand tons. This amount is expected to reach 1210 thousand tons in 2020 with 267% increase.