The document discusses strategies to mitigate the interactions between the built environment and global warming. It begins by defining the built environment as the human-made surroundings that provide context for human activity. It then discusses how construction materials and processes contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming through embodied energy and carbon. The document proposes a new sustainability development index calculated based on a figure of merit to better evaluate sustainability at the conceptual design stage of built environment projects. An illustrative urban development project is analyzed in detail to demonstrate the application of this new assessment methodology.

1. 1
MITIGATING BUILT ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTIONS
A Step Towards Global Warming Reduction
Dr. Ajit Sabnis

2. 2
What is Built Environment
The term Built Environment refers to the
human-made surroundings that provide the
setting for human activity, ranging in scale
from buildings to parks to infrastructure
projects. It has been defined as "the human-
made space in which people live, work,
Commute and recreate on a day-to-day basis."
ANTHROPOGENIC
ACTIVITIES

3. 3
BEINTERACTIONS
Construction
Materials
Embodied
Energy
Greenhouse
Gasses
I1
I2I3
I
I = I1 + I2 + I3
Synergy Effect

4. 4
ZC = Figure of Merit as defined in Equation 1;
EEC = Embodied Energy Coefficient = EE / EE (stone)
ECC = Embodied Carbon Coefficient = ECe / ECe (stone)
TEC = Transport Energy Coefficient = 0.00285 / EE
µ = Time Coefficient = EEC x (Design Period / GWP Period)
INTERACTION EQUATIONS
ZC = E/ρ x Cm x 1/Ca
SDI = I1 + I2 + I3
I1= √ (ZC x EEC x TEC)
I2= √ (ZC x ECC x TEC x µ)
I3= √ (ZC x EEC x ECC x TEC)

5. 5EXTREMELY COMPLEX
SUSTAINABILITY
PHENOMENON
ANDSOARETHEPATHWAYS SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT

6. BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Land use patterns
Transportation
Infrastructure
Building siting and design
Human Health and the Natural Environment
Ecosystems, Habitat, and Endangered species
Water quality , Air quality
Global Climate
Physical activity, Emotional Health
Community Engagement
Life Safety
MOBILITY BEHAVIOUR
Migration,
Search for better living
DIRECT
EFFECTS
INDIRECT
EFFECTS

7. 7
Built Environment
RESPONSIBLE FOR GHG EMISSIONS AND
CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL WARMING
INDISCRIMINATE USE OF NATURAL
MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION
RESULTING IN RESOURCE DEPLETION
ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS IS
ENERGY INTENSIVE RESULTING IN
CARBON SPIKE PHENOMENON.
ENGINEERSPERSPECTIVE

8. 8
PLANETARY
BOUNDARIES
Source:Asafeoperatingspacefor
Humanity,MacmillanPublishers,2009

9. 9

10. 10
KEELINGCURVE
CO2 Concentration 400 ppm in 2015

11. 11
 Fossil Fuel Depletion
 Ozone Depletion
 Smog Formation
 Acidification
 Eutrophication
 Deforestation
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
 Soil Erosion
 Habitat Alteration
 Loss of Bio-Diversity
 Water Depletion
 Ecological Toxicity
 Human Health

12. 12
Sustainable Development of a Society we inhabit
has to be firmly founded upon five fundamental
principal pillars -Economic, Social, Cultural,
Environmental and Spiritual.
SOCIAL
CULTURAL
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICAL

13. 13
Sustainable development The Conflict !
Development which meets the needs of current
generations without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs
- World Commission on Environment and Development
INTEGRATION
ROLE OF ENGINEERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS

14. Rio, Brazil, 1992 Kyoto, Japan, 1997.
Morocco, 2001 Paris, France, 2015

15. 15
SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS
SDG – 17 NOS.

16. 16

17. 17
GLOBAL PICTURE
The construction sector poses a major
challenge to the environment.
 Globally, buildings are responsible for at least
40% of energy use.
 An estimated 42% of the global water
consumption and 50% of the global consumption
of raw materials is consumed by buildings.
 An estimated 50% of the world’s air pollution,
42% of its greenhouse gases, 50% of all water
pollution, 48% of all solid wastes and 50% of all
CFCs are due to Built Environment.

18. 18
GLOBAL PICTURE
 Cumulative CO2 emission since 1751 till 2014 ;
USA - 3,75,000 Million Tonnes
CHINA - 1,75,000 Million Tonnes
INDIA - 40,000 Million Tonnes
 Per Capita CO2 emission per Year ;
USA - 16.91 Tonnes
CHINA - 7.36 Tonnes
INDIA - 1.84 Tonnes
 Even in extreme Poverty condition, per capita
energy consumption is;
USA - 59,000 kWh / Year
CHINA - 25,750 kWh / Year
INDIA - 7,000 kWh / Year

19. 19
INDIA
CO2
6.5%
Construction
Industry
contribution
40 %
OPERATIVRE
PHASE
75 to 80 %
PRE USE AND
OTHER PHASES
20 TO 25 %
EXTENSIVE
STUDY DONE ON
THIS PHASE
NEGLECTED
PHASE - NEED
OUR FOCUS

20. 20
Carbon Spike – Pre use Phase

21. 21

22. 22
SUSTAINABILITY APPLIED
BROWN
DEVELOPMENT
GREEN
DEVELOPMENT
EXISTING
INFRASTRUCTURE
NEW
INFRASTRUCTURE
RETROFITTING STRATEGIC PLANNING
Expensive – Long Term
Benefits – Has
Limitations
Sustainability Can be
Achieved from
Conceptual Stage

23. 23
Mitigation
Strategies
RESPONSE
TO GW /CC
1st: ADAPTATION – ADAPT TO
CHANGES WITHOUT
INTERVENING IN THE CC
PROCESS
(Frog in a Pan attitude)
2nd: MITIGATION– HUMAN
EFFORTS TO REDUCE GW
RESTRICT TEMPRATURE RISE
TO 2 DEG C

24. 24
DECARBONISATION
Energy
Efficiency
Low Carbon
Power
Fuel
Switching
 REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL BURNING
 INCREASE CARBON SINKS
 REDUCE DEFORESTATION
 CONTROL POPULATION AND URBAN MIGRATION

25. 25
DE-CARBONIZATION HOW?
 IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
 ADOPT CLEAN ENERGY
 ADOPT SUSTAINABLE & SMART CONSTRUCTION
 SHIFT TO CLEAN ENERGY
 RE-ENGINEER HIGH ENERGY MATERIALS TO BE A
PART OF LOW CARBON ECONOMY
 INCREASE RECYCLABILITY
 MANAGE WASTE SMARTLY
 USE ALTERNATIVE AND LOCAL MATERIALS
 SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH NATURE

26. 26
TRENDS OF THE FUTURE
ZERO &LOW ENERGY
BUILDINGS
PRECAST / PEB / MONOLITHIC / MODULAR
HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS WITH AUTOMATION
PASSIVE ARCHITECTURE
ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED BUILDINGS

27. 27
WHERE WE BUILD
 Safeguarding sensitive areas such as buffers
and wetlands
 Safeguarding critical habitats
 New development – Scientifically reclaimed
areas
 Preserve green space avoiding habitat
fragmentation
 Putting homes, workplaces, and services
close to each other in convenient, accessible
locations.

28. 28
HOW WE BUILD
 Developing compact designs to preserve
open spaces
 Preserving water quality
 Mixing functions to reduce travel distances
 Designing communities and streets to
promote walking and biking
 Improving building design, construction,
and materials selection to use natural
resources more efficiently and improve
buildings’ environmental performance.

29. 29
SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT
1. LIFE CYCLE ENERGY ANALYSIS
EMBODIED ENERGY
EMBODIED CARBON
2. SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT INDICES
SEVERAL ECO-INDICATORS
3. GREEN RATING SYSTEMS - CRITERIA BASED
4. FOM BASED SDI – SUSTAINABILITY LEVELS IN %
CONCEPTUAL STAGE.

30. 30
Green Building Rating Systems
Most Green Building Rating systems available today
are criteria and voluntary based. Whole building
process are categorized into several criteria and
credited with points – Normalizing them into Star
Ratings or other nomenclature. They are good to
streamline the processes but do not accurately
measure the impact of BE on NE.
Material Properties play key role in establishing
structural stability, durability and longitivity. Present
rating systems do not integrate material properties in
the assessment process. This limitation calls for
development of a New Sustainability Indicator.

31. 31
1. SYNERGIC EFFECT IS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
2. LCA HAS ITS OWN LIMITATIONS.
3. COST STIMULANTS AND ENGINEERING PROPERTIES
OF MATERIALS ARE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
WHILE ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF BUILT
ENVIRONMENT.
4. SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION IS CURRENTLY
FOCUSSING ON OPERATIVE AND MAINTENANCE
PHASES OF LIFE CYCLE OF A BUILDING NEGLECTING
PRE-USE PHASE.
5. SMALLER FOOTPRINT BUILDINGS AS CASE STUDY
PROJECTS.
PRESENT ASSESSMENT LIMITATIONS

32. 32
 RESIDENTIAL - 18 FLOORS – RCC FRAME
 TOTAL AREA - 25076 sqm
 WALLS – SOLID CONCRETE BLOCKS
 FLOORING – IN COMBINATION
 JOINERY – WOOD AND UPVC
 FORMWORK - CONVENTIONAL
 WATER PROOFING – CRYSTALLINE METHOD
ILLUSTRATIVE URBAN PROJECT
( Real Time Data )

33. 33
Computation of Total Embodied Energy (EE)
per Square meter (Tot. Area=25076 sqm)
Total
Qty
EE Total EE
Kgs MJ / kg MJ
Reinforced Concrete Cum 10800.00 0.43 1033.66 1.96 2025.97
Plain Concrete Cum 1215.00 0.05 116.29 1.96 227.92
VDF Concrete 100 mm th Cum 2510.00 0.10 240.23 1.96 470.85
Reinforcement (Fe 500) MT 986.00 0.04 39.32 21.60 849.32
Concrete Block Masonry Cum 4276.00 0.17 306.94 0.59 181.09
Plaster(CM 1:6) Cum 1179.00 0.05 82.75 1.80 148.95
Wooden Doors Cum 103.00 0.00 3.49 10.40 36.31
UPVC Windows / Doors Sqm 2810.00 0.11 1600.00 179.29
Ceramic tiling Cum 118.00 0.00 9.41 10.00 94.11
Granite Tiling Cum 22.00 0.00 2.53 11.00 27.79
Natural Slate stone Cum 178.00 0.01 17.75 2.00 35.49
Steel Works MT 210.00 0.01 10 27.10 271.00
Painting works(3 coats) Sqm 68710.00 2.74 14.32 39.24
Formwork Conventional Sqm 65198.00 2.60 229.00 595.40
Membrane Water proofing Sqm 5219.00 0.21 14.32 2.98
5185.73
PRIMARY PARAMETERS
For following items EE is in MJ / m2
Unit Qty
Qty
Per m2

34. 34
Embodied Energy Distribution
Primary Parameters

35. 35
Computation of Total Embodied Carbon (ECe)
per Square meter (Tot. Area=25076 sqm)
Total
Qty
EC TOT ECe
kgs CO2e/ kg kg CO2e
Reinforced Concrete Cum 10800.00 0.43 1033.66 0.205 211.90
Plain Concrete Cum 1215.00 0.05 116.29 0.205 23.84
VDF Concrete 100 mm th Cum 2510.00 0.10 240.23 0.205 49.25
Reinforcement (Fe 500) MT 986.00 0.04 39.32 1.860 73.14
Concrete Block Masonry Cum 4276.00 0.17 306.94 0.063 19.34
Plaster(CM 1:6) Cum 1179.00 0.05 82.75 0.130 10.76
Wooden Doors Cum 103.00 0.00 3.49 0.870 3.04
UPVC Windows / Doors Sqm 2810.00 0.11 87.00 9.75
Ceramic tiling Cum 118.00 0.00 9.41 0.700 6.59
Granite Tiling Cum 22.00 0.00 2.53 0.700 1.77
Natural Slate stone Cum 178.00 0.01 17.75 0.13 2.31
Steel Works MT 210.00 0.01 10 2.030 20.30
Painting works(3 coats) Sqm 68710.00 2.74 1.31 3.59
Formwork Conventional Sqm 65198.00 2.60 18.43 47.92
Membrane Water proofing Sqm 5219.00 0.21 1.31 0.27
483.75
PRIMARYPARAMETERS Unit Qty Qty / m2
For following items EC is in kgCO2e / m2

36. 36
Embodied Carbon Distribution
Primary Parameters

37. 37
 By using low energy alternative materials and
construction methodologies, it is possible to
reduce the impact due to energy consumption
and GHG emissions, by about 30-40%
 Impact assessment using LCA has its own
limitations due to non-inclusion of certain
upstream activities within system boundaries.
As a result of this, the assessment suffers from
Truncation error as high as 50%.

38. 38
Sustainability
Development Index (SDI)
based on Figure of Merit (FoM)
Is a new concept in evaluation
methodology. Applicable to all
infrastructure projects and buildings
even at conceptual stage.
SDI developed is expressed in terms
Sustainability Percentage.

39. 39
Figure of Merit (FoM)
& Applications
In engineering designs-
FoM is applied to find out
material suitability, Compare utility,
applicability and design options.
In commercial domain-
FoM helps end users to decide
upon the dependability of a
particular brand.
In risk assessment-
FoM helps in decision making in
respect of a type of risk mitigation
measure to be adopted.

40. 40
 FoM is a non-dimensional number derived using
two critical engineering characteristics-
modulus of elasticity and density and two cost
stimulants-construction cost per unit area and
unit cost of materials.
 FoM values are graphically represented to
determine the sustainability quadrant and
sustainability ranges within which materials
fall by plotting FoM against other critical
material parameters.
FOM AS SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT INDEX

41. 41
FOM - EE ACCEPTABILITY CRITERIA
FOR CERAMICS

42. 42
FOM RANGE VALUES FOR METALS

43. Sustainability Development Index (SDI) Values
ILLUSTRATIVEPROJECT

44. 44
GRAPHICAL
REPRESENTATION
FORMWORK
SYSTEMS

45. 45
SDI % FOR ILLUSTRATIVE
BENCHMARK PROJECT
MEAN SDI of (I1+I2+I3) = 13414

46. BENCHMARKING :
BASELINE VALUES - EE
3.52 GJ / m2

47. Primary Parameters kg CO2e
Concrete 180.73
Steel 60.99
Block masonry 22.77
Plastering and Mortar 3.2
Doors Wooden 5.09
Windows Wood 8.23
Flooring 12.25
Painting 0.74
Formwork 20.72
Water Proofing 1.31
316.03
Primary Parameters- ECe/m2
ESTABLISHED EC BASELINE VALUE 316 kgCO2 / m2
Baseline Values
GHG Performance

48. EE / m2
EC / m2
SDI% / m2
GJ kgCO2e (I1+I2+I3)
Benchmark Project(BMP) 3.5 316.0 13414
Illustrative Project(IP) 5.2 486.8 23635
Projects
EE, EC and
Interaction
Values
IP vs. BMP
67% 65% 57%

49. SUSTAINABILITY COMPARISON (%)
CLUSTER PROJECTS

50. 50
Sustainability Range Values
Residential Buildings

51. 51
EE - SUSTAINABILITY RANGE
CLUSTER OF PROJECTS URBAN SCENARIO
NS- NO
SUSTAINABILITY
MS-MODERATE
SUSTAINABILITY
HS- HIGH
SUSTAINABILITY
LS- LOW
SUSTAINABILITY

52. 52
Ec - SUSTAINABILITY RANGE
CLUSTER OF PROJECTS URBAN SCENARIO

53. 53
SDI - SUSTAINABILITY RANGE
CLUSTER OF PROJECTS URBAN SCENARIO

54. 54
The main challenges to sustainable
development which are global in
character include, poverty exclusion,
unemployment, climate change,
conflict and humanitarian aid, building
peaceful and inclusive societies,
building strong institutions of
governance, and supporting the rule of
law.

55. 55
SUSTAINABLE
STRUCTURES
SITE
PLANNING
RESOURCE
EFFICIENCY
MATERIALS
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
STRUCTURAL
FORM
NON
POLLUTION

56. 56
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN :
Sustainable urbanisation calls for concepts and
designs with reduced usage of natural materials,
importance to locally available materials and
resources, without disturbing the ecological
balance, minimizing the impact of buildings on
environment and providing necessary conditions
for human comfort and health.
AND To achieve this, sustainability assessment at
conceptual stage becomes evident.

57. 57
THANK YOU
Dr. Ajit Sabnis
ajitsabnis57@gmail.com