Sustainable Construction

Abstract

Roots, evolution and status quo of sustainable construction. This year the new SBTool 07 should be adapted to the Swiss conditions. The adaptation and assessment will be conducted on a real project data base.

Objective

At the end of the semester, the students know the emergence of the term sustainability as well as the current political and scientific discussion in this regard. With precise technical knowledge and adequate tools in the field of sustainable construction they will be able to meet the often indistinct usage of the term sustainability. The students recognise the ecological and in addition frequently crucial economic necessity for a life-cycle-far view (i.e. from extraction of raw material up to deconstruction) and know to argue with tangible examples to that effect. For this purpose it is important to understand the involved players and their activity motives and therewith to be able to evaluate challenges, deficits and strategies to the promotion of more sustainable construction. Thus, an integral view that includes all the so-called dimensions (social/cultural, ecological, economical, and institutional) is crucial. After the lecture, the students shall also be capable to estimate which aspects in a specific local, regional or national setting are truly relevant in order to achieve coherent as well as realisable solutions.

Content

The following topics give an overview of the themes that are to be worked on during the lecture. On agreement with the students conceptual changes and modifications of the contents are possible under reserve. - History of sustainability - Current understanding of sustainability - Concretion of sustainability for the construction industry (national/international) - International population development, demographic change - Forms of settlements - Energy and resources scenarios - Player models and constellations - Life cycle analysis/assessment (planning, construction, operation/use, deconstruction) - Economic efficiency, ecological and social sustainablility - Regionality - Climatic compatibility - Spatial planning - Sustainable settlement/quarter development - Architectural and aesthetic quality - Constructional quality, quality management - Exemplary projects - The construction as a system - Flexibility and modularity - Construction biology, biodiversity, ecological surroundings

Resources