scholarly journals Advocating for green building minimum compliance system in Rwanda: Using bricks to achieve sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-80
Author(s):  
Ilija Gubic ◽  
Dheeraj Arrabothu ◽  
John Bugirimfura ◽  
Laurel Hasabamagara ◽  
Irenee Isingizwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Minimum Compliance ◽  
Economic Perspectives

Development countries in Africa will see 75% increase of its current building stock until 2060 due to the economic development, rapid urbanization and population growth. Rwanda?s Third National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that the carbon dioxide emissions from buildings will increase by 574% by 2050 in the business as usual scenario. The aim of this paper puts sustainable architecture and green buildings in a context of rapidly urbanizing Rwanda, showing five recently constructed brick buildings that exploit the culture while meeting the sustainability demands of the 21st century. Global sustainability agendas are advocating for the use of brick for its durability, quality, with environmental, economic, and social benefits for construction sector. This paper provides insights on the policies, such as the Green Building Minimum Compliance System, advocating for the use of brick as a sustainable construction material. Despite the rapid urbanization in Rwanda, the existing sustainable construction practices help in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, while this paper also documents results on social and economic perspectives for the community from construction sector.

Insulation Systems and Green Sustainable Construction

2014 ◽  
Vol 1025-1026 ◽  
pp. 1031-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Zhukov ◽  
Yekaterina Bobrova ◽  
Dmitriy Zelenshchikov ◽  
Ruslan Mustafaev ◽  
Anastasiya Khimich
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Insulation Systems ◽  
Work Planning ◽  
And Performance

Insulation systems: an insulation shell of building creates terms for energy saving, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, natural environment preservation. And it is pressing question of modern construction. The concepts of green building take into account ecology and social protection in processes of work planning and performance, including energy saving.

scholarly journals Czech Building Stock: Renovation Wave Scenarios and Potential for CO2 Savings until 2050

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2455
Author(s):  
Antonín Lupíšek ◽  
Tomáš Trubačík ◽  
Petr Holub
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Emission Factors ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
National Debate ◽  
Energy Consumptions ◽  
Change Mitigation

One of the major anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases is the operation of building stock. Improving its energy efficiency has the potential to significantly contribute to achieving climate change mitigation targets. The purpose of this study was to roughly estimate such potential for the operation of the national building stock of Czechia to steer the national debate on the development of related national plans. The estimation is based on a simplified energy model of the Czech building stock that consists of sub-models of residential and nonresidential building stocks, for which their future energy consumptions, shares of energy carriers and sources, and emission factors were modeled in four scenarios. Uncertainties from the approximation of the emission factors were investigated in a sensitivity analysis. The results showed that the operation of the Czech building stock in 2016 totaled 36.9 Mt CO2, which represented 34.6% of the total national carbon dioxide emissions. The four building stock scenarios could produce reductions in the carbon dioxide emissions of between 28% and 93% by 2050, when also considering on-side production from photovoltaics. The implementation of the most ambitious scenario would represent a drop in national CO2 yearly emissions by 43.2% by 2050 (compared to 2016).

scholarly journals Optimal Synergy between Photovoltaic Panels and Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Green Power Supply of a Green Building—A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6304
Author(s):  
Raluca-Andreea Felseghi ◽  
Ioan Așchilean ◽  
Nicoleta Cobîrzan ◽  
Andrei Mircea Bolboacă ◽  
Maria Simona Raboaca
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Supply ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Generation System ◽  
Photovoltaic Panels

Alternative energy resources have a significant function in the performance and decarbonization of power engendering schemes in the building application domain. Additionally, “green buildings” play a special role in reducing energy consumption and minimizing CO2 emissions in the building sector. This research article analyzes the performance of alternative primary energy sources (sun and hydrogen) integrated into a hybrid photovoltaic panel/fuel cell system, and their optimal synergy to provide green energy for a green building. The study addresses the future hydrogen-based economy, which involves the supply of hydrogen as the fuel needed to provide fuel cell energy through a power distribution infrastructure. The objective of this research is to use fuel cells in this field and to investigate their use as a green building energy supply through a hybrid electricity generation system, which also uses photovoltaic panels to convert solar energy. The fuel cell hydrogen is supplied through a distribution network in which hydrogen production is outsourced and independent of the power generation system. The case study creates virtual operating conditions for this type of hybrid energy system and simulates its operation over a one-year period. The goal is to demonstrate the role and utility of fuel cells in virtual conditions by analyzing energy and economic performance indicators, as well as carbon dioxide emissions. The case study analyzes the optimal synergy between photovoltaic panels and fuel cells for the power supply of a green building. In the simulation, an optimally configured hybrid system supplies 100% of the energy to the green building while generating carbon dioxide emissions equal to 11.72% of the average value calculated for a conventional energy system providing similar energy to a standard residential building. Photovoltaic panels account for 32% of the required annual electricity production, and the fuel cells generate 68% of the total annual energy output of the system.

scholarly journals Characteristics of lime-hemp composite and its use in construction industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 011-019
Author(s):  
Przemysław Brzyski ◽  
Stanisław Fic
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Industrial Waste ◽  
Plant Material ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Hydrated Lime ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Industrial Hemp ◽  
Reducing Energy

One of the solutions for reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the construction sector is the use of building materials which have a favorable environmental impact. This is possible to achieve by using plant material, e.g., industrial hemp, which absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide during the growth. Instead of cement as a binder there are used alternatively clay or lime modified with industrial waste in the form of pozzolans. The paper presents the possibility of using industrial hemp in the production of composite based on modified hydrated lime. It describes the basic properties of the sample composites such as compressive strength and thermal conductivity based on literature review. The article describes the way of preparing the mixture and the possibility of using the composite for the construction of walls using different techniques.

scholarly journals Implementing LEED v4 BD+C Projects in Vietnam: Contributions and Challenges for General Contractor

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 5449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Hoang Pham ◽  
Joosung Lee ◽  
Yonghan Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Green Building ◽  
Housing Demand ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
General Contractors ◽  
Additional Costs ◽  
Reduce Energy Consumption

Sustainable construction addresses both rising housing demand and the need to reduce energy consumption, but is not yet widespread in Vietnam, although the number of Green Building Certified projects has increased significantly since 2015, especially those with LEED certification. Certification adds value to the project but also incurs additional costs and implementation challenges for general contractors (GCs) and other stakeholders. The growing popularity of LEED buildings requires GCs to understand their role in fulfilling the LEED requirements. We therefore conducted a thorough review of the previous research on LEED v4 guidelines and their local equivalents to determine what is expected of GCs working on LEED v4 BD + C projects in Vietnam. A survey of 72 experts, engineers, and architects working in the construction sector identified the LEED tasks where Vietnamese GCs lack experience and suggested solutions to address this shortfall were developed. In particular, Vietnamese GCs lacked experience in implementing their sustainable roles. These results provide a useful foundation for Vietnamese GCs seeking to expand the scope of their LEED work and identified necessary training. Our findings will also guide future research to help GCs in Vietnam adapt to LEED’s sustainability requirements and support sustainable construction in Vietnam.

Preliminary Investigation of Crushed Rock-Based Geopolymer for Road Applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 841 ◽  
pp. 161-165
Author(s):  
Hemwadee Thongchua ◽  
Peerapong Jitsangiam ◽  
Teewara Suwan ◽  
Damrongsak Rinchumphu ◽  
Sararat Kwunjai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Portland Cement ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Crushed Rock ◽  
The Road ◽  
Green Technique

At present, our world is facing environmental issues, which is an increasing amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by the Portland cement (OPC) production. To reduce that carbon dioxide emissions, some researchers have studied the alternative cementitious materials to replace the consumption of OPC, and geopolymer is one of the choices. Geopolymer cement (GP), a green technique for construction material, was applied for the road constructions by using Crushed rock (CR-the typical pavement material) as a starting material of geopolymer synthesis. The results showed that the optimum mixture to achieve both properties and economic aspect was 5M of NaOH concentration, 1.0 SS/SH ratio, 0.5 L/B ratio cured at room temperature. With that mixture, it passed the target compressive strength of Cement-treated base (CTB) for pavement (2.1-5.5 MPa) as well as achieving the CO2 reduction of 45.23% when compared to ordinary Portland cement.

scholarly journals Geopolymer Cements and Their Properties: A Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimír Živica ◽  
Martin T. Palou ◽  
Martin Križma
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Portland Cement ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
Cement Clinker ◽  
Chemical Action ◽  
Cement Production ◽  
Geopolymer Cements

Abstract Concrete is the world's most versatile, durable and reliable construction material. Next to water, concrete is the second most used substance on earth and it requires large quantities of Portland cement. The industrial sector is the third largest source of man-made carbon dioxide emissions after the transportation sector as the major generator of carbon dioxide, which pollutes the atmosphere. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) production produces the largest amount of carbon dioxide amongst all industrial processes. In addition to that a large amount of energy is also consumed for the cement production. The production of OPC not only consumes a huge amount of the natural resources i.e. limestone and fossil fuels but also produces almost 0.9 t of CO2 for 1t of cement clinker production. Thus, the world cement production generates 2.8 billion tons of manmade greenhouse gas annually. Hence, it is inevitable to find an alternative material to the existing most expensive, most resource and energy consuming Portland cement. Geopolymer cements are innovative binders which can be produced by the chemical action of aluminosilicate materials plenty available worldwide. They are rich in silica and alumina reacting with alkaline solution and producing aluminosilicate gel that acts as the binding material for the concrete. Geopolymers are synthesized by polycondensation reaction of geopolymeric precursor and alkali polysilicates. The paper presents data on the important engineering properties of geopolymer cements showing that these cements offer an alternative to, and potential replacement for, OPC. Geopolymer technology also has the potential to reduce global greenhouse emissions caused by OPC production. Due to the high level of mechanical properties of geopolymer cements and their environmentally beneficial technology they appear as a prospective construction material for the future.

scholarly journals Forecasting Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Thailand’s Construction Sector by Enriching the LS-ARIMAXi-ECM Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jindamas Sutthichaimethee ◽  
Kuskana Kubaha
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Error Correction Mechanism

The Thailand Development Policy focuses on the simultaneous growth of the economy, society, and environment. Long-term goals have been set to improve economic and social well-being. At the same time, these aim to reduce the emission of CO2 in the future, especially in the construction sector, which is deemed important in terms of national development and is a high generator of greenhouse gas. In order to achieve national sustainable development, policy formulation and planning is becoming necessary and requires a tool to undertake such a formulation. The tool is none other than the forecasting of CO2 emissions in long-term energy consumption to produce a complete and accurate formulation. This research aims to study and forecast energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in Thailand’s construction sector by applying a model incorporating the long- and short-term auto-regressive (AR), integrated (I), moving average (MA) with exogenous variables (Xi) and the error correction mechanism (LS-ARIMAXi-ECM) model. This model is established and attempts to fill the gaps left by the old models. In fact, the model is constructed based on factors that are causal and influential for changes in CO2 emissions. Both independent variables and dependent variables must be stationary at the same level. In addition, the LS-ARIMAXi-ECM model deploys a co-integration analysis and error correction mechanism (ECM) in its modeling. The study’s findings reveal that the LS-ARIMAXi -ECM model is a forecasting model with an appropriate time period (t − i), as justified by the Q-test statistic and is not a spurious model. Therefore, it is used to forecast CO2 emissions for the next 20 years (2019 to 2038). From the study, the results show that CO2 emissions in the construction sector will increase by 37.88% or 61.09 Mt CO2 Eq. in 2038. Also, the LS-ARIMAXi -ECM model has been evaluated regarding its performance, and it produces a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 1.01% and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.93% as compared to the old models. Overall, the results indicate that determining future national sustainable development policies requires an appropriate forecasting model, which is built upon causal and contextual factors according to relevant sectors, to serve as an important tool for future sustainable planning.

scholarly journals Elements of Sustainable Development in the Context of the Environmental and Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 6188
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kapecki
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Macroeconomic Indicators ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Right ◽  
Global Carbon ◽  
Education Business

Sustainable development is the need of the hour today. For over three decades, since the term was used in public little has been done about it. Such important activities for the protection of our ecosystem have been mainly discussed at scientific conferences or in the comfort of academic lecture halls. Successive global crises, especially the ecological, economic, financial and now humanitarian one related to the COVID-19 pandemic have demolished global economies, sidelined the development of a sustainable economy and especially sustainable construction, treating it more as a whim of the rich than expedience. The construction sector accounts for up to 40 per cent of the global carbon dioxide emissions and generates more than 0.5 billion tonnes of waste every year. However, when it comes to improving macroeconomic indicators after another crisis, the easiest way to look for savings is to use the production of emerging markets, without considering their lower economic and environmental awareness. Each time, the lust for profit prevailed over environmental protection. Education, business, and institutional factors failed, as indicated in the conclusions. That was the case until November 17, 2019, when the first man was infected with the coronavirus. Will we draw the right conclusions from that while facing a crisis unprecedented in human history? Can we change priorities from having to being?

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