Centro de Território, Ambiente e Construção
Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho
Campus de Azurém
4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Phone: + 351 253 510 200 (517 206)
Fax: + 351 253 510 217
Email: geral@ctac.uminho.pt
Title | Steel Sustainability Assessment – do BSA Tools Really Assess Steel Properties? |
Publication Type | Papers in International Journals |
Year of Publication | 2016 |
Authors | Andrade J. B., Bragança, L., and Camões A. |
Abstract | Steel structures represent an interesting alternative to conventional construction solutions. Their characteristics can easily be highlightedwhen looking at construction sustainability principles, such as its durability, adaptability or recyclability. This paper compares the assessment procedure of three building sustainability assessment systems (BSA): SBToolPT-H, BREEAM's Code for Sustainable Homes and LEED for homes v4 when dealing with steel solutions. BSA tools are developed to independently provide an evaluation of buildings' sustainability performance considering different impact categories. However, thesemay not valorise all the possible benefits a construction solution can have due to weighing, calculation procedures' constraints and indicators addressed. The way these systems address steel sustainability advantages is discussed through their application to a case study single family building. This research work showed that existing BSA tools mainly focus on conventional construction and thus some sustainable benefits of other solutions can often be hardly acknowledged. To deal with sustainable construction aspects, in particular with steel construction, a systemic approach is needed, at early design stages to aid defining the sustainable building concept through tangible goals so to achieve the most appropriate balance between socio-cultural, economic and environmental fields. |
Journal | Journal of Constructional Steel Research |
Volume | 120 |
Edition | G.A.R. Parke, B. Young, R. Ziemian |
Pagination | 106-116 |
Date Published | 2016-01-11 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
ISSN | 0143-974X |
DOI | doi:10.1016/j.jcsr.2016.01.011 |
URL | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143974X16300025 |
Keywords | BREEAM, homes, LEED, SBTool, Steel, Sustainability |
Rights | restrictedAccess |
Peer reviewed | yes |
Status | published |
The Centre for Territory, Environment and Construction (CTAC) is a research unit of the School of Engineering of University of Minho (UMinho), recognised by the “FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (Foundation for Science and Technology), associated to the Department of Civil Engineering (DEC), with whom it shares resources and namely human resources.
Currently CTAC aggregates 25 researchers holding a PhD of which 20 are faculty professors of the Civil Engineering Department. Read more
Centro de Território, Ambiente e Construção
Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho
Campus de Azurém
4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Phone: + 351 253 510 200 (517 206)
Fax: + 351 253 510 217
Email: geral@ctac.uminho.pt