Sustainability and the Built Environment
The design, construction, use and demolition of the built environment can have a significant affect on the environment and the sustainable use of resources.
There are many ways to improve the sustainability of the built environment such as using non-toxic, low embodied energy building materials and using materials in such a way that they can be re-used or recycled. Using materials from low environmental impact sources, for example value added plantations rather than native forests, is an important sustainable practice.
Construction and Demolition Waste
Minimising the waste produced by the construction and deconstruction of the built environment has a number of benefits. Not only does construction and demolition waste take up valuable landfill space but it is often comprised of valuable resources.
Organisations and tools for sustainability of buildings
The Northern Territory Government’s Building Sustainability Services (BSS), Department of Planning and Infrastructure, provides technical policy advice and services, benchmarking and reporting tools, and oversees projects to promote ecologically sustainable NT Government infrastructure. BSS also provide useful information on sustainability for organisations, schools, households and the public in general.
There are a number of rating systems and tools for considering energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of the built environment. For information and links to Building rating schemes.
For information on the Building Code of Australia Minimum Energy Performance Requirements.
NABERS (the National Australian Built Environment Rating System) is a performance-based rating system for existing buildings and rates a building on the basis of its measured operational impacts on the environment.
NABERS is designed to provide a simple indication of how well environmental impacts are managed which gives building owners, managers or occupants the opportunity to reduce these environmental impacts. The Australian Building Greenhouse Rating Scheme is used to assess the energy and greenhouse efficiency of buildings and the NABERS office water scheme is used to assess water usage. A full range of measured operational impacts including assessing waste and indoor air quality are being developed to add to the environmental impacts considered.
The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) is a peak body of key organisations committed to a sustainable built environment in Australia. ASBEC currently has 29 members comprising mostly industry and professional associations with members who are involved in the planning, design, delivery and operation of our built environment, and those concerned with the impact of the built environment upon society.
The Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) is a not-for-profit incorporated association representing building and design professionals who specialise in assessing the environmental impact of buildings.
ABSA accredits assessors to conduct assessments required by certain building and planing regulations, such as the Building Code of Australia and the NSW Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) Thermal Comfort Simulation Method.
BASIX is a NSW Government initiative that ensures new homes are designed and built to use less potable water and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. BASIX is a flexible tool which allows the user to select from a range of options in order to meet the energy and water reduction targets.
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme can assist purchasers of household water-using products to compare the relative water efficiency of the available models.
Smart Approved WaterMark is Australia's water saving labelling program for products and services which are helping to reduce outdoor water use.
Your Home is a suite of consumer and technical guide materials and tools developed to encourage the design, construction or renovation of homes to be comfortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable.
Sustainable Housing in Central Australia is a guide to efficient use of energy and water for buyers, builders and renovators in Central Australia.
GreenSmart is an industry-driven initiative to encourage a mainstream application of environmentally responsible principles to housing design and construction.
The Master Builders Association (MBA) provides a training program called Green Living. The Territory Construction Association is the Northern Territory contact for the MBA. NSW and Victoria provide information about the Green Living program at the following websites:- MBA Green living brochure and Victorian MBA green living
Environmentally friendly building materials
From the above Victorian MBA website you can access a draft document called Ecoselector which may help you to choose environmentally preferable building materials.
Ecospecifier is a guide to eco-preferable products and materials for the construction industry. It is produced by a not-for-profit collaboration which aims to help create a more sustainable physical environment by increasing the use of environmentally preferable and healthy products, materials and design processes.
EcoRecycle Victoria have produced The Resource Efficient Builder guideline to provide advice on how builders can be more efficient, produce less waste, recycle more and have less impact on the environment.
The views expressed in the linked websites should not be considered to be the views of the Northern Territory Government.
