To achieve sustainable design, material selection, and construction are no different to those required to achieve any other aspect of good design. The process relies on an understanding of the potential environmental issues, to compliment and contextualise what is already known among these professional experts.
Sustainable construction has straightforward aims: to minimise waste on and off site; reuse materials and make use of those reused or recycled; avoid complex components that are difficult to recycle at end of life; and choose construction systems that can be delivered by local operatives by existing or new skill sets.
Design is a holistic process that seeks to create the best solution across a broad range of requirements, which includes social and economic sustainability as well as environmental responsibility. A good designer will always look first at exploiting the opportunities of the site and the client's brief to produce a building which, as far as possible, works passively to minimise energy and resource use. The next step is to incorporate technologies for minimising resource demand that are appropriate to the site, the building occupants’ needs and their capacity to manage and operate them. Also, designing to enable future change of use, easy maintenance, and eventual disassembly and reuse will lengthen the lifespan of a building and minimise its overall impact.
EAUC-Scotland's Sustainable Construction Topic Support Network (TSN) is open to all, providing an opportunity for those working in or with the further and higher education sector to share ideas and questions and to get together to hear from particular speakers or discuss topics of interest.
The University of Manchester used £2.2m funding from the HEFCE/Salix Revolving Green Fund (RGF) to implement energy efficient technologies. This is how they made improvements to...
A quarterly briefing paper which is submitted to AUDE members which ensures the voice of the EAUC and its Members are heard at this strategic level. September 2014 issue.
A quarterly briefing paper which is submitted to AUDE members which ensures the voice of the EAUC and its Members are heard at this strategic level. May 2014 issue.
Filter Trial Results improve air quality, reduce waste, energy consumption and CO2 emissions for Imperial College London – Delivering savings of over £50,000.
Muirhead Tower is a 16-storey building consisting of two tower blocks and a podium base. Completed in 1971, it houses the University of Birmingham College of Social Sciences,...
Andrews Water Heaters, part of Baxi Commercial Division, has supplied two Queen’s Award winning MAXXo direct red storage water heaters, together with a SOLARo pre-heat...
Like many higher education institutions Keele University has a well defined Renewable/Sustainable Energy Strategy.
HEFCE and Salix formed a partnership in 2008 and established a 50:50 investment of £20m. Today, there is approximately a client base of 55 clients
The Project Knowledge Slide area is home to a collection of more than 200 Project Knowledge Slides (PKS) from Recycling Fund and SEELS clients.
In total, Salix supports over 120 technologies work types. A full list of these can be found by clicking on the link below.
This case study demonstrates how d+b facades insulated aluminium rainscreen overcladding, replacement windows and single ply overroofing at The Bournemouth and Poole College.
This case study describes how d+b facades transformed poor accommodation into a contemporary learning environment.
A presentation from the EAUC annual conference 2014 on sustainable university retrofits: challenges, opportunities, user engagement and lessons learned.
A presentation about BREEAM New Construction 2011 with an overview of the changes introduced, the 2014 changes to energy efficiency requirements and the responsible sourcing of...
A summary document from AUDE about the Shaping Agendas report, plus the report itself, which provides further information on the relevant issues to higher education estates.
Open to staff, students or external individuals, the EAUC Scotland Team proudly presented the second EAUC Scotland Conference in Glasgow on 20 February 2014.
Victoria University students undertook the green challenge of converting a heritage listed house into a sustainable EcoLiving Centre, the first of its kind in Melbourne’s...
The Solar Decathlon Competition challenges teams of university students to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive.
GLEE, the University of Bradford’s Student Experience enhancement project that has radically improved the old, inefficient learning environment of the City Campus Library.
This facility will provide unique curriculum and learning opportunities for further and higher education and for research and development throughout Belfast and Northern Ireland.