Akbar, M R (2012) Evaluating sustainability in high-rise developments. PhD thesis, Ulster University, UK.
Abstract
Sustainable development has already been globally acknowledged for achieving carbon reductions along with social progress, economic well-being and environmental responsibility. In response to sustainable development objectives, international and national building assessment systems encompass a broad range of criteria and principal guidelines to attain higher sustainability performance. The contribution of sustainable tall buildings in the urban environment is crucial despite their small percentage of the total UK housing provision. In addition, different researchers have expressed their concerns about high rise buildings because of poor design, energy consumption, impacts on society and environmental issues. However, the principal focus of contemporary high rise developments is energy efficiency and environmental performance integrated with social and economic prosperity. In this study, evaluation of sustainability performance of high rise buildings has been identified as a potential research area to explore a robust process and performance indicator model of this growing market. The aim of this research is to determine the principal design criteria for developing a performance indicator model to determine the sustainability performance of high rise buildings. The approach to this study is based on a comprehensive literature review and empirical investigations, which involves the evaluation of best practice case studies, experts' opinions and judgements to obtain the final structure and weightings for the modeL The process and establishment of a Sustainability Performance indicator Model (SPIM) with 8 factors and 70 design criteria derived from practical and professional input is the main output of this research. The SPIM provides a simple and clear means for the real estate market to assess and enhance the sustainability performance of high rise buildings. The application of the Model on a local case study building verifies the integration of SPIM criteria in practice. The research findings underline the principal parameters that strengthen the understanding of the key role and contribution of robust design criteria for sustainable high-rise development. The research takes into account new indicators such as location, existing infrastructure assessment, economic sustainability, vertical transportation, post occupation assessment and highlights an increased economic sustainability focus in the Model. The results provide empirical evidence that advocates a paradigm shift to focus economic criteria in the evaluation and enhancement of the sustainability performance of high rise buildings. Apart from the practical application of the SPIM, the outputs from the research provide a solid foundation for further academic research and development activities. There are many building assessment tools to evaluate different building types, but SPIM is developed to measure the sustainability performance of high rise buildings. Similarly, the process and parameters of the SPIM provide a starting point to derive the design criteria and assessment schemes in different parts of the world within local context. Therefore, the findings of this research can be utilised as a design tool at the planning stage to improve the sustainability of high rise developments. Nevertheless, application of the SPIM parameters at post occupancy stage can determine the real sustainability performance of the building.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | energy consumption; evaluation; high rise; performance; sustainable development; valuation; efficiency; market; sustainability; energy efficiency; UK |
| Index terms: | environmental issue, performance indicator, building assessment, tall building, society, social progress, occupation, sustainable development, literature review, well-being, integration, research and development, infrastructure assessment, evidence, high-rise building, housing provision, high rise, urban environment, efficiency, environmental performance, energy efficiency, case study, carbon reduction, sustainability performance, paradigm, best practice, economic sustainability, real estate, energy consumption, investigation, robust design |
| Subjects: | economic analysis, construction type, evaluation and assessment methods, climate science, environmental issues, asset management, research management, housing and residential development, communities and social development, sustainability assessment, infrastructure engineering, health safety and environment, real estate economics, sustainability and energy, data analysis and analytics, energy systems, mental health and wellbeing, business, data collection methods, design methods, urban sustainability, sociology, organizational analysis, performance management, education and knowledge transfer |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety, Organizational Design, Urban Studies, Design Practice, Construction Technology, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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