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 Rosalind Franklin refurbishment has been a cornerstone in the School of Science and Technology teaching and learning facilities at Nottingham Trent University.
The Manchester College upcycled a derelict Grade 2 listed public baths building, designed by renowned architect Henry Price in 1910
It's very common for buildings to be lit up, heated and cooled even when there is nobody using them. This may be an obvious area to consider when reducing energy costs, but...
This report helps inform and monitor the implementation of BREEAM and shows the scheme and rating for BREEAM developments in the UK
The data is collected annually and submitted to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, providing high quality benchmarking statistics critical to good estate management.
This case study demonstrates how d+b facades helped the University of Glasgow improve their library building
This case study describes how d+b facades refurbished Chelmsford College with aluminium rainscreens, doors and high performance timber-aluminium composite replacement windows.
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. November 2013 issue.
BRE Global have developed a number of free resources online covering a range of areas to help you and your understanding of BREEAM. These training webinars are typically short,...
This case study demonstrates how d+b facades provided Imperial College London with aluminium rainscreen overcladding and high-performance replacement windows.
Global market leader of sustainable flooring solutions, Interface, has helped the School of Management at Bradford University gain a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating...
This guide explains how you can assess the sustainability of different products and the companies that make them. And it outlines the right questions to ask manufacturers in...
CarbonBuzz is a tool that will help you close the gap between calculations and actual building performance.
A presentation by David Stutchfield, Energy Officer, University of Andrews about two new buildings: the Medical Sciences Building and Biomedical Sciences Annexe.
High performance science buildings at the University of California, Irvine - a presentation by Wendell C. Brase, Vice Chancellor, Administrative & Business Services
A presentation by David Somervell, Sustainability Adviser The University of Edinburgh about Sustainable Estate Development.
EAUC Member responses about PassivHaus standards
The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) highlights the fact that education is central to UNEP’s mandate of “inspiring,...
A video produced by AUDE and HEDQF as an exploration of the adaptive re-use of existing buildings by universities both at home and abroad.
The project comprised design and build of an insulated aluminium rainscreen and window replacement to the seven storey Tamar Building.