scholarly journals Earth and Straw Bale: An Investigation of Their Performance and Potential as Building Materials in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Min Hall
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
First Century ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Natural Building ◽  
Straw Bale

<p>Is there a future for ‘natural’ or ‘alternative’ building systems in New Zealand? Do they have a role to play in the quest for more sustainable housing solutions? These are the questions that underpin this thesis which looks at the state of earth and straw bale building in New Zealand at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, using the Nelson area as a case study. A database of all the earth and straw bale houses in the region has been compiled, followed by a written survey in the form of a questionnaire of 82% of the owners of these houses. Interviews with eleven experts and house owners provided additional information. This information, and that gleaned from a review of research carried out both in New Zealand and overseas has been collated and analysed to present an overview of the current situation. The way in which both earth and straw bale construction have changed over time is documented and the issues currently being faced for both systems are identified. The thesis concludes that there is a future for these natural building systems in New Zealand and identifies areas for further research that would help facilitate this.</p>

scholarly journals Earth and Straw Bale: An Investigation of Their Performance and Potential as Building Materials in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Min Hall
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
First Century ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Natural Building ◽  
Straw Bale

<p>Is there a future for ‘natural’ or ‘alternative’ building systems in New Zealand? Do they have a role to play in the quest for more sustainable housing solutions? These are the questions that underpin this thesis which looks at the state of earth and straw bale building in New Zealand at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, using the Nelson area as a case study. A database of all the earth and straw bale houses in the region has been compiled, followed by a written survey in the form of a questionnaire of 82% of the owners of these houses. Interviews with eleven experts and house owners provided additional information. This information, and that gleaned from a review of research carried out both in New Zealand and overseas has been collated and analysed to present an overview of the current situation. The way in which both earth and straw bale construction have changed over time is documented and the issues currently being faced for both systems are identified. The thesis concludes that there is a future for these natural building systems in New Zealand and identifies areas for further research that would help facilitate this.</p>

The Earth Charter and the Debate On Biotechnology—the New Zealand Case

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-140
Author(s):  
Prue Taylor
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Transgenic Animals ◽  
Ethical Principles ◽  
Source Document ◽  
Ethical Debate ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earth Charter

AbstractThis article examines the relevance of the Earth Charter to ethical debate on biotechnology. It uses the New Zealand Bioethics Council as a case study to demonstrate the positive contributions that the Charter could make to a nation's efforts to articulate ethical principles. It begins by examining the general tasks of the Council and demonstrates that the Charter is primarily useful as a fundamental source document and a critical tool for stimulating ethical dialogue. But its articulation of universal responsibility, together with its inspirational and educational nature, are also of significance. Moving from the general to the particular, the article applies one of the Charter's principles, "respect for all life", to the particular issue of transgenic animals. It is argued that this principle could help to fundamentally reframe debate on this issue.

scholarly journals Managing Coastal Sand Drift in the Anthropocene: A Case Study of the Manawatū-Whanganui Dune Field, New Zealand, 1800s–2020s

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Ruwan Sampath ◽  
James Beattie ◽  
Joana Gaspar de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
First Century ◽  
Dune Field ◽  
Holistic Management ◽  
Sand Drift

In the Anthropocene, dunes act as a natural defence from sea-level rise and storm surges while providing ‘ecosystem’ services. This article uses scientific and historical data to examine the Manawatū-Whanganui dune field in New Zealand from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century. Dunes that were destabilised due to European settlements and their activities were drifting inland causing social, economic and political problems. Attempts to prevent dune mobility occurred at the time in many parts of the world. Thus, knowledge was shared between countries through experts and migrants. The consequences of the implemented solutions and new environmental conditions mean that dunes are still a major issue in the region. A comparative analysis of historical and present-day dune management practices provides a better understanding of long-term dune drift. In conclusion, interdisciplinary analyses of long-term relations between dunes and society must be taken into account for their holistic management.

scholarly journals The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Spišáková ◽  
Daniela Mačková
Keyword(s):  
Lower Energy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Modern Methods ◽  
Natural Building ◽  
Modern Building

Abstract The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.

scholarly journals Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Silverio Hernández Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Indoor Pollution ◽  
The People ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Alternative Materials ◽  
Pollution Emissions

This report presents an evaluation of emissions from indoor building materials that may cause health damage to the people who occupy the building, since these materials emit toxic chemicals into the air and indoor surfaces. This report presents a case study which evaluates Gypsum Boards, frequently used in the construction of dividing walls and ceilings. The experimental part of this report is based on a three-dimensional space that simulates a common room; for example, a classroom or a workstation. The indoor environmental conditions, such as ventilation, temperature, and humidity, affect chemical emissions from building materials. The technical methodology used, is based on the comparison of conventional materials and alternative materials with similar characteristics and different composition, using similar testing methods, environmental conditions, and instruments and tools. This is a very important report to understand problems related to environmental pollution, specifically of air and its effects indoors, directly on public health, and indirectly on building systems and selection of materials. The tests conclude that alternative materials (with recycled content) are better than traditional ones, because they reduce indoor pollution.

scholarly journals Post-earthquake Demolition in Christchurch, New Zealand: A Case-Study Towards Incorporating Environmental Impacts in Demolition Decisions

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-64
Author(s):  
R. E. Gonzalez ◽  
M. T. Stephens ◽  
C. Toma ◽  
K. J. Elwood ◽  
D. Dowdell
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Building Codes ◽  
Earthquake Sequence ◽  
Future Evolution ◽  
Canterbury Earthquake Sequence ◽  
Environmental Considerations

AbstractThe 2010/2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence resulted in severe loss and disruption in Christchurch, New Zealand due to liquefaction and damage from strong shaking. Following the earthquake, over 60% of concrete buildings with 3 + stories in the Christchurch CBD were demolished, resulting in a widespread displacement of people and business, an excess of $NZD 40 billion in losses, and significant environmental impacts from the demolition. Following the event, it was revealed that environmental impacts were not a direct consideration in demolition decision making. This paper provides a quantitative evaluation of the environmental impacts of the demolitions in Christchurch to highlight the importance of including environmental considerations when deciding between repair or demolition of a damaged building. First, the quantitative and qualitative factors that led to the demolitions following the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence are discussed to provide context for the argument that environmental impacts should be included in such considerations. Next, the environmental impacts of building demolitions in Christchurch are presented in terms of the embodied CO2 and energy in the building materials; the demolition process and waste disposal are not considered in this initial evaluation. Finally, a brief discussion on incorporating environmental impacts into the demolition decision making paradigm is presented. Moreover, consideration of environmental impacts of demolitions supports the need to move toward low-damage design in the future evolution of building codes.

From Settlement to Super-diversity: The Anglican Church and New Zealand’s Diversifying Population

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-129
Author(s):  
Andrew Butcher
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Indigenous Population ◽  
First Century ◽  
Cautionary Tale ◽  
Multicultural Society ◽  
Anglican Church ◽  
The Common ◽  
Christian Population

AbstractAnglicanism in New Zealand can be traced back to the beginning of New Zealand settlement itself. From its earliest days, the Anglican Church has deliberately set out to bridge divides between New Zealand’s indigenous population, Māori, and Europeans, though with mixed success. This article will illustrate that, even with this experience in bicultural engagement, the Anglican Church has not adapted well to the super-diverse multicultural New Zealand of the twenty-first century. Census data reveal that the Anglican Church has had a precipitous drop in numbers, and has a demographic profile that is much older and whiter than the general New Zealand, let alone Christian, population. This poses significant challenges for its ongoing sustainability. Given the common experience of super-diversity with other Western countries, this article provides a case study and a cautionary tale about the challenges and realities of the Anglican Church adjusting to a new multicultural society.

scholarly journals Lifestyle and Embodied Energy: A Proposed Hybrid Analysis Method for Housing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Adele Louise Leah
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Hybrid Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

<p>This thesis set out to form a bridge between the disciplines of architectural history, social and women’s history, building technology and environmental assessment, by investigating changes to existing houses over time and linking these with changes in lifestyle and technology. The primary aim of this research is to establish a Hybrid Analysis Method for Housing (HAMH) as a vehicle for the investigation of the relationship between the environmental impact of the building materials in a house and the lifestyle of its inhabitants, both immediately after construction and in the present day.  The method is developed using existing research techniques through the study of typical, working class, family houses in New Zealand (Tarikaka Settlement, Wellington) before being applied to a comparable sample of houses in England (Silver End, Witham). Although different in terms of layout, style, building materials and methods of construction, the two groups of case study houses have commonality in the people for whom they were originally designed, the period in which they were constructed and in their conception and planning.  The HAMH incorporates both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The former relates to oral interviews with people who lived around the time the case study houses were first constructed, complemented by oral interviews covering the same questions with the present inhabitants of the case study houses. The quantitative part of the research is an investigation of the embodied energy of building materials invested in the case study houses since their construction.  The research findings highlight a change in the purpose and function of housing which has taken place since the case study houses were constructed, when the house was very much a place of production and the adjacent public spaces were places for social interaction. Present day houses appear to be for eating and sleeping, relaxing, and engaging with technology, with the adjacent public spaces being dominated by the car.  The results of the comparative study show that although the Tarikaka Settlement case study houses as constructed had much lower levels of embodied energy than the Silver End houses, the alterations and improvements made to them, combined with the necessary maintenance means that the cumulative embodied energy of these houses in 2012 is higher than the Silver End houses. The analysis of embodied energy highlights the importance of occupancy levels in the environmental impact of houses.  This thesis suggests that the real value of the HAMH is its use as a vehicle for comparison and as such, it needs to be applied to other groups of houses, constructed in different time periods and in other locations. This should enable meaningful comparison between houses designed differently, using varied methods of construction and materials that are inhabited by different people with differing lifestyles, with the overall aim being to see how lifestyle and the environmental impact of building materials relate to each other. This thesis argues that unless the impact of household behaviour is understood, many efforts to produce more sustainable housing may be less effective than envisaged.</p>

scholarly journals Lifestyle and Embodied Energy: A Proposed Hybrid Analysis Method for Housing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Adele Louise Leah
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Hybrid Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

<p>This thesis set out to form a bridge between the disciplines of architectural history, social and women’s history, building technology and environmental assessment, by investigating changes to existing houses over time and linking these with changes in lifestyle and technology. The primary aim of this research is to establish a Hybrid Analysis Method for Housing (HAMH) as a vehicle for the investigation of the relationship between the environmental impact of the building materials in a house and the lifestyle of its inhabitants, both immediately after construction and in the present day.  The method is developed using existing research techniques through the study of typical, working class, family houses in New Zealand (Tarikaka Settlement, Wellington) before being applied to a comparable sample of houses in England (Silver End, Witham). Although different in terms of layout, style, building materials and methods of construction, the two groups of case study houses have commonality in the people for whom they were originally designed, the period in which they were constructed and in their conception and planning.  The HAMH incorporates both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The former relates to oral interviews with people who lived around the time the case study houses were first constructed, complemented by oral interviews covering the same questions with the present inhabitants of the case study houses. The quantitative part of the research is an investigation of the embodied energy of building materials invested in the case study houses since their construction.  The research findings highlight a change in the purpose and function of housing which has taken place since the case study houses were constructed, when the house was very much a place of production and the adjacent public spaces were places for social interaction. Present day houses appear to be for eating and sleeping, relaxing, and engaging with technology, with the adjacent public spaces being dominated by the car.  The results of the comparative study show that although the Tarikaka Settlement case study houses as constructed had much lower levels of embodied energy than the Silver End houses, the alterations and improvements made to them, combined with the necessary maintenance means that the cumulative embodied energy of these houses in 2012 is higher than the Silver End houses. The analysis of embodied energy highlights the importance of occupancy levels in the environmental impact of houses.  This thesis suggests that the real value of the HAMH is its use as a vehicle for comparison and as such, it needs to be applied to other groups of houses, constructed in different time periods and in other locations. This should enable meaningful comparison between houses designed differently, using varied methods of construction and materials that are inhabited by different people with differing lifestyles, with the overall aim being to see how lifestyle and the environmental impact of building materials relate to each other. This thesis argues that unless the impact of household behaviour is understood, many efforts to produce more sustainable housing may be less effective than envisaged.</p>

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