Alternative Sustainable Design for a Health Center Including a Scope of Sustainability in Construction - Case Study Example

2D CAD Assignment Insert (s) 2D CAD Assignment Introduction Sustainability in construction is critically important because the construction industry currently accounts for a significant percentage of the today’s increasing carbon emissions, energy use and landfill wastes among other forms of environmental pollution. For example, recent statistics indicates that nearly a half of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom are attributed to construction related activities such as extraction, manufacturing and transportation of construction materials as well as the actual construction, heating, lighting and cooling of homes and buildings. On the other hand, the wastes originating from the construction and materials from the demolition of buildings are responsible for up to 40% of the total landfills, some of which have been known to be hazardous and toxic (Ding, 2008, p.34). From the life-cycle point of view, making the buildings and the construction process more sustainable has proved to be one of the most effective solutions that can effectively be used to meet some of the current environmental challenges. This is particularly because the construction of building not only produces significant amounts of wastes, but also requires energy and transport, thereby resulting in ecological disruption, landscape damage, deforestation and habitat destruction. Generally, sustainability can be measured using a number of environmental assessment methods some of which include the BREEAM/CEEQUAL among others. For example, the BREEAM Building suite of assessment in the construction sites paves way for an environmentally safe real estate location. BREEAM Bespoke, Eco-homes, Offices, industries, schools and the CEEQUAL assessment schemes including code for sustainable homes are some of the environmentally stable assessment methods. These assessment methods may provide methods better understanding of the environmental impacts of the construction activities. This paper proposes an alternative sustainable design for a health center including a detailed scope of sustainability in construction. My design proposal particularly attempts to address the issue of sustainability through an alternative and more sustainable design for a health center with particular focus to appropriate selection of sustainable building materials, minimal site waste production, proper management and reuse of wastes as well as sustainable layout and orientation through the use of passive design techniques and use of SuDS. Fig1: The proposed Alternative Healthcare Center Design  Design/Orientation/Layout The incorporation of sustainable design features in healthcare centers is increasingly becoming important as many modern hospital facilities currently consume huge amounts of natural resources and energy. The construction processes during the construction and development of healthcare centers normally results in significant waste produced in each and every construction sites. Much of this waste generated is as a result of the design aspects of the construction projects. Through the environment assessment, there have emerged a greater potential for minimizing these wastes without depending largely on the reduction of the project or design quality only. Based on the three pillars of sustainability the proposed design will not only environmental and economic goals but will also seek to address the social aspects of the sustainability of the healthcare center. In addition, the design of the layout of the hospital will also seek to improve safety and quality outcomes such as infection reduction and patient satisfaction. One of the aspects of sustainability that has been taken into consideration in the design and layout is improvement of the energy efficiency of the healthcare facility through the use of patient oriented layout with short uncomplicated routes. Generally, the proposed alternative design will cluster related departments and sections of the facility in particular areas in order to shorten the walking distances between the frequently used spaces thereby enhancing easy movement and staff efficiency. For example, the waiting room of the healthcare facility will be centrally placed to enhance easy access of the various departments and sections of the facility from the waiting room. In addition, as part of the proposed alternatives attempt to improve efficiency at the healthcare facility, multi-purpose support spaces will be strategically placed in areas where they can easily be shared by different adjacent functional areas. Another layout design feature that will be incorporated into the current design in order to improve the sustainability of the healthcare center is the use of open ended layout designs and standard room sizes as opposed to specified designs. This is particularly intended to enhance the flexibility and future expandability of the facility. For example, due to the constantly changing medical needs, modes of treatment as well as workloads, the use of open ended layout designs will allow for future modifications and potential expansions of the building in the future to conform to the future needs. On the other hand, in order to maximize the space, the building will be redesigned in such a way that allows for the creation of the parking lot in the basement as opposed to the current location of the parking area. This will particularly works towards eliminating parking congestion and the resulting energy waste due to longer idling time at the parking lot. In addition the proposed parking garage will also be equipped with sensors that automatically open the entrance thereby further reducing the idling time and ultimately the overall carbon footprint of the healthcare center. Finally, the proposed alternative design will also take the aesthetics of the facility into consideration in order to promote the development of a warm therapeutic environment. This may be achieved by giving more attentions to proportions, creating open public spaces and lawns as well as creation of home like design features in both the rooms and offices within the healthcare center. Specification of SuDS There are a number of opportunities within the site that may allow for the implementation and adoption of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). Generally, SUDS as a method of putting check and balance in the building and construction is evidently one of the best ways of floods management in buildings. SUDS manage appropriately rainfall by replicating adversely what happens in nature. SUDS prevent construction drawbacks caused by running rainwater especially the runoffs from developing hence reducing to some degree the impact of excessive water flow in the construction sites (Maccarthy, 2010 pg.101). Currently, rain water from car parks, roads, roofs as well as other hard surfaces is collected through the SUDS into the sewer system. This reduces the damages that would have been caused economically, socially and environmentally as a result of high-velocity rainwater. Through the SUDS, erosion or even flooding is avoided through the channeling of surface run-off water through a pipe which is adjacent to the watercourse. This reduces the soaking of ground by running water which enters the natural; drainage system. The SUDS conservatively removes silts and other oil pollutants which are harmful to the external environment; silts, oils and any harmful pollutants which may be carried direct to the eternally natural environment is trapped, removed and broken down naturally through the SUDS sustainability method. Additionally, watercourses, wetlands may be damaged and lost as a result of SUDS drainage practice. Ultimately, the communities may feel positively proud of their connection to water environment as a result of SUDS edifice (Ottinger, 2010 p. 104). The SUDS drainage philosophy postulates that this system of sustainability management controls the flooding and pollution aspects of drainage by ensuring that the community and world life are largely considered in the SUDS design. SUDS deliver sustainability of construction effectively and efficiently through the following key building and construction notions; quality, quantity, biodiversity and amenity. Material Selection A number of renewable and environmentally friendly building materials will be selected to be used in the construction of the healthcare center in order to enhance its sustainability. One of sustainable materials that will be used in the construction in sustainable concrete that is made from a mix of cement and ballast with recycled raw materials such as crushed glass, wooden chips, slag and other common materials that would otherwise may have gone to waste. This will particularly reduce the percentage of carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of the concrete used. On the other hand, skylight roofing will be incorporated to help maximize the use of natural sunlight in the healthcare center. The other environmentally friendly materials that will be used in the building include renewable plant materials such as bamboo for the interior of the facility as well as recycled metals and stones. Generally, the selected construction materials are expected to offer immense benefits to both the client as well as the expected occupants of the healthcare center such as the patients and staff in a number of ways some of which include: Reduced maintenance costs over the life of the facility Maximized energy conservation Improved productivity and occupant health Better design flexibility Fig 1: Use of skylighting materials This is a sustainability method aimed at improving the quality of infrastructure especially in the construction domain. The green space strategy provides the means through which neighborhood qualities are improved in order to meet the planning needs of the community as per their populace and the required life quality. Additionally consideration of green spaces in management delivers wider objectives as per the moral ideals of building and construction management. The materials greatly adopted in the construction of spaces for example in car parks may include cabros. A sequential and systematic adoptive approach of the sensory trust to accessibility as well as coming up with a constructive move of proving accessibility for more spacious and comfortable location around the people. The nature conservation and landscape character should additionally be qualitatively assessed through a HCC strategic policy of developing accessibility routes. Structure and methodology: The primary element of the green guide specifications strategically considers the resources such as the quality of materials of construction, open space provisions by type, abundance of land as well as the quality of land space available for construction (Ottinger, 2010 pg. 134). The space construction is towards the final epoch of construction evaluated using the community’s priority of quality improvement; facilities increment majorly by putting into consideration the overall provisions of such spaces. Sporting space, for example sports ground should focus on the provisions for children, young people and outdoor sports, allotment and cycling. Such considerations in relation to sustainability management provide natural conservation and easy access to every neighborhood areas to the construction. The feedback and evaluation form the locally based building consultants may then be adopted in use in order to develop local actions, priorities and actions. Use of Appropriate Renewables Harnessing renewable energy such as solar and wind are some of the firstly looked at considerations in sustainable development. This is due to the fact that apart from buildings construction, there is adversely minimal depletion of mineral resource and no direct water or air pollution. Currently, there are evidently technologically stable guidelines in relation to wind access and significant electricity accessibility (Maccarthy, 2010 pg. 123). MSc renewable energy: Technology and Sustainability deals majorly with a combined impact on environment through the use of non-sustainable energy. The renewable energy for a sustainable future looks into the materialistic resources exploitation in regard to construction and management field. In addition, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are unsuitable towards meeting the continuous demand for reliable , continuous construction sustainability on large scale which ultimately comprises most demands in the building and construction pace setting states. The criterion for energy acceptance in construction sustainability continues to be considerable of the cost, safety, security and supply and the overall environmental considerations. Addressing environmentally based implications in construction sustainability usually have got cost effects; and the current climate change debate makes the IAEA classification of energy renewability more complex in the construction industry. Conclusion In conclusion, the proposed alternative design approach particularly will address the issue of sustainability through an alternative and more sustainable design for a health center with particular focus to appropriate selection of sustainable building materials, minimal site waste production, proper management and reuse of wastes as well as sustainable layout and orientation through the use of passive design techniques. Improved sustainability in the healthcare center will not only lower the waste production and energy consumption in the facility but will also help better the patient outcomes and staff retention. References Ding, G.K. 2008. Sustainable Construction, the Role of Environmental Assessment Tools. Journal of Environmental Management, 86(4): pp 451–464. Mccarthy, J. F. 2010. Construction project management: a managerial approach. Westchester, Ill, Pareto Building Improvement. Ottinger, R. L., Robinson, N. A., & Tafur, V. 2005. Compendium of sustainable energy laws. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More