Sustainable Development

Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)

Published online 20 October 2008 in Wiley InterScience
(www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/sd.373

How Can the Construction Industry Contribute

to Sustainable Development?
A Conceptual Framework
Aysin Sev*
Faculty of Architecture, Building Technology Department, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University,
Findikli/Istanbul, Turkey

ABSTRACT
The importance of the construction industry for the three elements of sustainable develop-
ment, namely economic growth, social progress and effective protection of the environ-
ment, cannot be disregarded. This paper aims to evolve a conceptual framework for
implementing sustainability principles and strategies to the construction industry from a
life-cycle perspective to contribute to sustainable development. The framework relies on
three basic principles, which are resource management, life-cycle design and design for
human and environment. Following a literature review, each principle involving strategies
and methods to be applied during the life cycle of construction projects is explained and a
few case studies are presented for clarity on the methods. The framework, offering tools
for stakeholders of the construction industry, also aims to help to develop the most appro-
priate assessment tool, which is based on the priorities of critical conditions. Copyright
2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Received 30 November 2007; revised 26 March 2008; accepted 27 March 2008

Keywords: sustainable development; construction industry; building; stakeholder engagement; resource management; energy
consumption

Introduction

T
HERE IS AN INCREASING RECOGNITION THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE EARTH TO ABSORB THE IMPACTS OF HUMAN
activity is not innite. Present levels of consumption in industrialized countries are unsustainable and
cannot be continued without depleting the earths natural capital beyond repair. Improving construction
practices to minimize their detrimental effects on the natural environment has captured the attention of
building professionals across the world. The relationship between sustainable development and the construction
industry has become clear, since construction is of high economic signicance and has strong environmental and
social impacts.
The main objective of this paper is to evolve a conceptual framework to implement sustainability principles and
strategies to the construction industry from a life-cycle perspective to contribute to sustainable development. The

* Correspondence to: Dr. Aysin Sev, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Faculty of Architecture, Building Technology Department, 34427, Findikli/
Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: aysinsev@yahoo.com

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
162 Aysin Sev

framework developed with principles, strategies and methods offers tools for stakeholders of the construction
industry, such as urban designers, architects, planners, contractors and suppliers. This framework also aims to
help when developing the most appropriate assessment tool based on the priorities of critical conditions.

Contribution of the Construction Industry to Sustainable Development

Sustainable development has been dened in several ways, and the conceptualization of the term is an oxymoron
and widely contested (Williams and Dair, 2007; Redclift, 2005; Rassa et al., 2006; Hopwood et al., 2005;
Springett, 2005; Yanarella and Bartilow, 2000). In fact, all the denitions aim at the same purpose: the survival
of the earth. According to the World Commission on Environment and Development Report in 1987 (WCED,
1990), the denition contains two crucial elements. First, it accepts that the basic needs of the worlds poor people
must be provided to allow a reasonably comfortable way of life. Second, it accepts that the environments ability
to meet present and future needs must be sustained. The denition of the WCED also suggests that sustainability
is often cast as the triple bottom line of environment, society and economics (Hall and Purchase, 2006).
According to David Pearce (2003, 2006), the starting point of all denitions must indicate the needs of the
individuals to generate their personal well-being. The capability to generate this well-being relies on their wealth,
which is owned personally and publicly also. Houses, machines, clothing and electrical goods are personally owned
or rented assets, while roads, public buildings, airports are publicly owned assets. Therefore, personal ownership
is not a crucial part of well-being; well-being of society is also crucial for sustainable development. In parallel with
Pearce, Dobson (2007) also suggests that each gain for the common good will also be a gain for each and every
individual member of the society, so thoughts of environmental citizenship begin to emerge from the fog of policy
options. Thereby, it is clear that the leading sectors that are contributing to the development of nations, such as
construction, transportation, agriculture etc., have great potentials to achieve a sustainable future.
Sustainability is an overarching concept that affects, and can be affected by, every aspect of infrastructure devel-
opment. According to Redclift (2005), each scientic problem resolved by human intervention using fossil fuels
and manufactured materials is conventionally viewed as a triumph of management and a contribution to economic
good; however, it is also seen as a future threat to sustainability. The construction industry, which is important to
quality of life in terms of housing, workspace, utilities and transport infrastructure, is of high economic signicance
and has serious environmental and social consequences (Burgan and Sansom, 2006). Both the existing built
environment and the process of adding to it have numerous environmental, social and economical impacts (Table
1). Construction is directly and indirectly responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases, due to energy used
for raw material extraction, transporting, constructing, operating, maintaining, demolition etc. (Sorrell, 2003;
Rwelamila et al., 2000). Most of the energy is consumed by the construction sector and buildings are responsible

Environmental Social Economic

Raw material extraction and consumption, related resource depletion * *

Land use change, including clearing of existing flora * * *
Energy use and associated emissions of greenhouse gases * *
Other indoor and outdoor emissions * *
Aesthetic degradation *
Water use and waste water generation * *
Increased transport needs, depending on site * * *
Waste generation * *
Opportunities for corruption * *
Disruption of communities, including through inappropriate design and materials * *
Health risks on worksites and for building occupants * *

Table 1. Main impacts of construction industry and buildings

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
How Can the Construction Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? 163

for 50% of raw material consumption (Edwards and Hyett, 2001). Also, the waste produced by the construction
industry changes between 15 and 50% depending on the region of the world (Rees, 1990; Roberts, 1994). The
Kyoto Protocol in 1997 committed developed countries to lower their emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2%
between 2008 and 2012. While most available statistics are for developed countries, experts believe that these
impacts are worse in developing countries (UNEP, 2003).
Compared with other industries, the construction industry presents an unusual case in that it is long lasting.
Structures in developed countries have an average life of 80100 years. In many countries there are buildings,
bridges and other structures hundreds of years old. This means that the design of an ofce building will have
long-term repercussions on a structures environmental performance. To accomplish a high-performance, low-
environmental-impact structure, it is vital to incorporate sustainability principles by the beginning of a project.
A truly sustainable construction project should incorporate economic, social and environmental issues in the
planning, construction and demolition stages, with the aim of providing a building that is affordable, accessible
and environmentally conscious (Kibert, 1994; Wyatt, 1994). While traditional design and construction activities
focus on cost, performance and quality issues, sustainable design and construction adds the issues of minimiza-
tion of resource consumption, environmental degradation and the creation of a healthy built environment as well
as ensuring human health and comfort. Designers and constructors must approach each project not only with the
initial capital investment but with the entire lifecycle of the buildings as well. Instead of considering the built
environment as an object separate from the natural environment, it should be viewed as part of the ow and
exchange of matter and energy that occurs naturally within the biosphere (Yeang, 2000).
Social and political forces are bringing additional pressure for more environmentally conscious technological
solutions. Companies and facilities also recognize that initiatives such as proper materials and waste management,
efcient process and product design, resource efciency and recycling will be both protable and environmentally
preferable. In addition, new standards and mandates are encouraging companies to manage their environmental
costs and considerations better. International standards are now requiring companies to develop environmental
assessment and management systems (Lerario and Maiellaro, 1999; Owens and Cowell, 2002).

Sustainable Design Principles, Strategies and Methods for the Framework

Sustainable construction principles can be differentiated according to the three dimensions of sustainable
development, which are environmental, social and economic (Figure 1). The aim of this framework is to arouse
interest in the construction sectors potential for contributing to sustainable development by highlighting the

Sustainable construction principles and strategies

Principles

Resource management Life-cycle design Design for human

Strategies

Efficient use of energy Pre-building strategies Preservation of natural conditions

Efficient use of water Building strategies Conserving cultural resources

Efficient use of materials Post-building strategies Protecting health and comfort

Efficient use of land

Figure 1. Framework for evaluating the sustainability of the construction industry

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DOI: 10.1002/sd
164 Aysin Sev

environmental problems and prospects and dening the relationship between construction activities and environ-
mental, social and economic problems.
Sustainable construction must rely on three basic principles:
(1) resource management,
(2) life-cycle design and
(3) design for human and environment.

Resource Management
Around 50% of all global resources are consumed by the construction industry (Edwards and Hyett, 2001). All
building activities involve the use, redistribution and concentration of some components of the earths resources,
such as water, energy and materials. During these activities effects occur, changing the ecology of that part of the
biosphere (Hudson, 2005). The continued existence and maintenance of the built environment involves depend-
ence on the earths resources and environment, which must supply it with certain inputs. The inputs into the built
environment include not only construction materials but also the energy derived from non-renewable sources for
the transportation of materials, their assembly and construction on the site as well as the energy required to sustain
indoor environmental conditions. The consequences of the consumption of resources act on the local site as well
as on the global environment. For these reasons the design team, together with the contractor and occupants, must
regard the creation of a building as a form of resource management. For example, the supply of electricity involves
the conversion of fuel into energy and this process depletes non-renewable resources and hazardous gas emissions
occur, negatively affecting the environment.
Resource management provides the reduction, reuse and recycling of natural and nite resources that are input
to a building. Since the non-renewable resources that play major role in the creation of a building are energy,
water, material and land, the conservation of these non-renewable resources has vital importance for a sustainable
future. Resource management yields specic design methods, as dened in Figure 2.

Principle 1. Resource management

Strategies

Efficient use of energy Efficient use of water Efficient use of materials Efficient use of land

Methods

Low-energy urban Potable water reduction Adapting existing Using existing

development Utilizing non-potable buildings to new uses built environment
Passive heating and water subsititution Incorporating recycled Respecting the
cooling through systems or reclaimed materials natural landscape
orientation Recycling water Reducing material use Preventing the
Using alternative Designing low-demand by properly sizing the expansion of the
energy sources landscaping building built environment
Choosing materials with Collecting rainwater Selecting durable
low embodied energy materials
Avoidance of heat gain Selecting materials that
and loss through are recyclable
insulation and additional Reducing waste
devices material
Utilizing energy
efficient equipments

Figure 2. Methods to achieve the resource management principle

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
How Can the Construction Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? 165

Efficient Use of Energy

The type, location and magnitude of environmental impacts caused by energy consumption depend on the type
of energy used. Burgan and Sansom (2006) suggest that the operational energy consumption of most buildings
far outweighs their embodied energy. For example, for an air-conditioned ofce building over a 60-year design
life, the ratio of embodied to operational energy is around 1:10 (Burgan and Sansom, 2006). It is for this reason
that legislative effort is needed to improve the energy efciency of buildings.
The main goal in energy conservation is to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, as well as increasing the use
of renewable energy sources, and the methods to achieve this goal are as follows (Figure 2).
Low-energy urban development improves the quality of life in a city, including ecological, cultural, political, insti-
tutional, social and economic components. Low-energy cities have zoning laws favourable to mixed use in order
to develop energy-consciousness that depends not on transportation with motor vehicles, but on public transporta-
tion and pedestrian walkways. Integrating land-use, transport and environmental planning is important to mini-
mize the need for travel and to promote efcient and effective modes of transport, including walking. According
to Herala (2004), integrating land use planning promotes sustainable development and prevents environmental
problems. Urban form and location of activities together with economic incentives and well organized public
transport have a signicant impact on trafc ows. The settlement formation of a city, which determines orienta-
tion and clustering of buildings, also affects the microclimatic conditions.
A remarkable example of this method is the Elephant and Castle Master Plan by Foster and Partners in the UK.
The master plan restructures the 200-acre southeast London and proposes radical changes based on sustainability
criteria. The area is a transport and trafc hub with above- and below-ground train lines and bus routes. It restores
public space to the community and banishes trafc from the site (Gissen, 2002).
Passive heating and cooling through orientation maximizes the use of renewable resources from the site, such as
solar energy and wind power (Karolides, 2002). When designing a building, the designer must look at the greater
environmental impact and contextual implications of the building in relation to the site, and must search for
alternatives to orient the building according to the sun path for passive solar gain and daylighting (Yeang, 1997;
Gordon, 2005). Windows facing east allow for early warming of spaces during winter, while south-facing windows
will aid afternoon warming. West-facing windows need to be carefully designed so they do not add to overheating
the spaces. Vegetation can also be an effective solution for passive heating and cooling. For example, evergreen
trees planted on the north of a building will protect it from winter winds, and trees on the south face will prevent
summer heating. For example Eastgate designed by Pearce Partnership in accordance with Arup Services Ltd. is
the largest retail and commercial project in Zimbabwe, utilizing passive heating and cooling methods without
mechanical air-conditioning. By studying termite mounds, the project team discovered a natural form of air-con-
ditioning by the help of solar and wind power. During the day the tops of the mounds are warmed by the sun,
and at night the warm tops create suction, drawing cool air in at the base. The air chills the concrete slabs under
the ofce oors and keeps the interior comfortable during the day. The sun is also used to light the ofces and
the central atrium of the complex (Gissen, 2002; Hawkes and Forster, 2002).
Using alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, water and geothermal energy will eliminate dependence on
fossil energy sources. While active energy generation is usually considerably more resource intensive than alterna-
tive power sources, sun and wind driven systems are renewable and eco-friendly since they do not emit pollutants,
thus being sustainable. A remarkable example is the City Hall in London by Foster and Partners. The building
boasts energy consumption that is less than half of what today is considered to be good practice by utilizing natu-
rally chilled borehole water brought up 125 m from the aquifer below the London clay. The boreholes use less
energy than conventional chillers and cooling towers (Burgan and Sansom, 2006).
Choosing materials with low embodied energy will help to reduce energy consumed through mining, processing,
manufacturing and transporting the materials. The embodied energy of a material attempts to measure the energy
that goes into the lifecycle of the materials. For instance, aluminium has a very high embodied energy because of
the large amount of electricity consumed to mine the raw material.
Avoidance of heat gain and loss through insulation and additional devices reduces heating and cooling loads, result-
ing in energy consumption through the operation of the building. For example, high-performance windows and
wall insulation prevent both heat gain and loss, so the building requires HVAC equipment with lower capacity,
and the initial investment will be decreased (Yeang, 1997; Barnett et al. 1995). Adding devices for solar shading

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
166 Aysin Sev

will also reduce the heat gains in summer, whereas wind wings protect the building from prevailing winds and
heat loss in winter.
Utilizing energy efcient equipment will reduce the operational energy consumption of the building, which con-
stitutes the greater part of energy costs during the lifecycle. Careful selection of high-efciency heating, cooling
and ventilation systems together with a high-performance shell becomes critical (Williams and Dair, 2007). High-
efciency condensing boilers are more efcient than conventional boilers, and convert more than 88% of the fuel
they use to heat (Energy Saving Trust, 2005). The initial investment for this equipment may be higher; however,
this will be paid back by future savings (Storey and Baird, 2001).

Efficient Use of Water

Water is an increasingly precious and scarce source all over the world. Methods for improving water efciency
focus on reducing the output as well as the input. The reduction in use also decreases the amount of waste water.
The methods to achieve the efcient use of water can be stated as follows (Figure 2):
Potable water reduction can be achieved by utilizing efcient plumbing xtures such as water saving,
vacuum-assisted and bio-composting toilets, low-ow shower heads, automatic shut-off sinks, waterless urinals,
re-circulating dishwasher for commercial applications and steam trap programs.
Non-potable water substitution systems collect and use by-product water to replace potable water for various uses.
Some of the uses for non-potable reclaimed water are cooling system heat sinks, irrigation systems, toilet ushing
and process cooling (Armstrong, 2002).
Recycling water is another method for conserving water, which is consumed in two ways: gray water and sewage.
Gray water is produced by activities such as hand washing, and does not need to be treated intensively as sewage.
It can be recycled in a building to irrigate ornamental plants or ush toilets.
Designing low-demand landscaping: using plants native to the local ecosystem also reduces water consumption on
site, since these plants have been adapted to the local rainwater levels, thus eliminating additional watering
(Mendler and Odell, 2000). The efciency of water can also be improved by means of underground drip irrigation
systems, which reduces water loss caused by evaporation of surface water during watering or after rain.
Collecting rainwater for irrigation greatly reduces the consumption of treated water. Rainwater can also be used
for household applications including drinking water. In fact, people in many regions of the world have traditionally
relied on harvested rainwater for their water supply.

Efficient Use of Materials

Concurrent with the depletion of fossil fuels and water is the rapid depletion of other material resources. At least
3 billion tones of materials are used in buildings each year, which is equivalent to about 40% of total global mate-
rial ows and building material waste is estimated to be about 2 billion tones per year (Kim and Rigdon, 1998a).
Therefore, the reduction in the amounts of resources that are used to construct the buildings is a necessity. The
methods to achieve material efciency can be stated as follows (Figure 2).
Adapting existing buildings to new uses is an effective method to reduce the material consumption, and preserve
the embodied energy of the building. Renovating abandoned structures could be considered the ultimate form of
recycling (Gordon, 2005). It results in far less construction waste than demolition, and is usually completed more
quickly than new construction. This method also contributes to energy efciency by reducing the need for trans-
portation of goods.
Incorporating recycled or reclaimed materials in the construction projects signicantly reduces the use of raw
materials, as well as reducing the waste disposal by converting waste into useful new products. Furthermore,
recycling usually needs less energy than producing new materials.
Reducing material use by properly sizing the buildings will result in tremendous resource savings. A building that
is oversized for its design purpose, or has oversized facilities, will excessively consume materials. This method
directly relates to the programming and design phases of the architectural process.
Selecting durable materials is an effective way of extending the life of existing buildings as well as reducing mate-
rial consumption. This reduces the natural resources required for manufacturing and the amount of capital spent

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
How Can the Construction Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? 167

on installation and the associated labour. Durable materials also need less maintenance, thus reducing the operat-
ing budget of the building (Kim and Rigdon, 1998a).
Selecting materials that are recyclable is also an effective method for material efciency. Searching for ways to use
materials that can be recycled preserves the natural resources and the energy embodied in their manufacture as
well.
Reducing waste material by prefabrication and modular coordination techniques enables material conservation
by preventing cutting and dimensioning activities on site.
Greenpeace Headquarters in Washington, DC, designed by Kendal Wilson in accordance with Bill Richardson,
presents a remarkable case for energy and material efciency by utilizing renewable and regional materials, as
well as solar energy. Reusing ve existing buildings, the architects established an ofce space with an open plan,
maximizing occupant access to daylight and natural ventilation. They used solar energy by emphasizing daylight-
ing, automatic dimmers and placing photovoltaic cells and water heating panels on the roof. The ofces are located
near a major underground commuter train station and include space for bicycle storage (Leventhal, 2001; Gissen,
2002).

Efficient Use of Land

Land is one of the limited resources on our earth. In many places, the land is more damaged than previously
believed. Soil erosion, groundwater contamination, acid rain and other industrial pollutants are damaging the
health of plant communities, thereby intensifying the challenge and necessity to restore habitats. Sustainable
design must develop a respect for the landscape and expend more effort understanding the interrelationships of
soils, water, plant communities and associations, and habitats, as well as the impacts of human uses on them.
Adaptive reuse of an existing building may also eliminate the need for new construction, thus preventing the
expansion of built environment and occupation of agricultural and eco-sensitive areas.

Life-Cycle Design
Improving the sustainability of a building requires a systematic and comprehensive understanding of all the social,
environmental and cultural impacts that occur throughout the buildings life cycle (Tshudy, 1996). The conven-
tional model of a building life cycle consists of design, construction, operation and maintenance, and demolition
(Kim and Rigdon, 1998a, 1998b). This model does not address the sustainability issues related to procurement
and manufacturing of materials, or reuse and recycling of architectural resources. However, the cradle-to-grave
design approach recognizes environmental consequences of the entire life cycle of the building from the acquisi-
tion of all materials, energies and natural resources that go into a building to the point in time when the building
has completed its useful life and is demolished (Figure 3). The life-cycle approach seeks to balance environmental
concerns with traditional issues that always affect the decisions and choices in the design phase.
The life cycle of a building can be handled in three stages: pre-building, building and post-building. Analysing
the building processes in each of these stages provides a better understanding of how a buildings design, construc-
tion, operation and disposal affect the natural environment. Each stage involves a series of methods, which will
improve the sustainability of the product (Figure 4).

Pre-Building
During the pre-building process site selection, exible and durable design, selecting sustainable materials and
products are the main strategies, and the methods to implement these strategies are as follows.
Selecting the appropriate site initiates the process of calculating the degree of resource use and disturbance of
existing natural systems that will be required to support a buildings development (Dines, 1996). The infrastructure
of a site is as important as environmental issues, such as access to daylight and integration of renewable resources.
Selecting sites that are serviced adequately by public transportation and utilities reduces site development costs
and lessens environmental impacts. Moreover, the design team must analyse site resources, relationships and
constraints to maximize energy efciency while conserving and restoring ecological and cultural resources (High
Performance Building Guidelines, 1999).

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Nature

Raw materials Product

Renovation
acquisition manufacture

Waste Construction Operation,

reclamation maintenance
and repair

Reuse
Demolition
Recycle

Pre-building phase Building phase Post-building phase

Figure 3. Sustainable building life cycle

Principle 2. Life-cycle design

Strategies

Pre-building Building Post-building

Methods

Selecting the appropriate site
Flexible design
Selecting sustainable materials
and products
Minimizing site impact
Using nontoxic construction
materials and products
Waste management
The adaptive reuse of an
existing building
Reusing building materials
and components
Recycling materials

Figure 4. Methods to achieve the life-cycle design principle

Flexible design, which can be achieved with modular design techniques and standardization, supports future
changes cost-effectively and resource-efciently. For instance, a standardized plan with uniform ofce sizes pro-
vides an organizational framework that can be recongured as required, even the company changes. The design
should also support technological changes (Kohn and Katz, 2002).
Selecting sustainable materials and products substantially improves environmental performance. Raw material
sources, production and transport to the site, installation and use, and nally disposal or reuse must be questioned
and evaluated prior to selecting the materials. Nontoxic materials from local, renewable, sustainably acquired
resources that minimize pollution during manufacturing, installation and maintenance are preferable. Selecting
regional materials minimizes the energy needed for distribution, thus reducing the embodied energy of the
material.
One of the most important responses of the construction industry to sustainable development is product certi-
cation, through which industry endorses efcient use of resources, and provides accreditation that meets dened
standards of compliance (Redclift, 2005). An example is the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the UK, which

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
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How Can the Construction Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? 169

established the 1995 group of companies, in an effort to make the timber industry more sustainable. The manage-
ment systems dene targets and devise a system of informal self-regulation, under the control of managers
appointed for the purpose. The benets of achieving sustainable production of wood, via the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC), included the right to use the logo of the FSC on appropriate products (Redclift, 2005; WWF,
1996).

Building
During construction, operation and maintenance, minimizing site effects, using nontoxic materials and waste
management must be the priority task to improve the sustainability of buildings. The methods to achieve these
tasks are as follows.
Minimizing site impact can be achieved by a proper planning and management of construction activities as well
as preventing invasion of heavy equipment, which damages the actual formation and the ecosystem of the site.
Excavations should not alter the ow of groundwater throughout the site. Finished structures should respect site
topology and existing drainage. Trees and vegetation should only be removed when absolutely necessary for access.
For sensitive sites, road-building and heavy trucks must be avoided, and materials must be hand-carried.
Using nontoxic construction materials and products is vital to the health and safety of construction workers and
occupants, who usually spend more than three-quarters of their time indoors (Kim and Rigdon, 1998b). Nontoxic
materials and products exhibit limited or no hazardous gassing tendencies, have minimal or no toxic properties,
do not shed dust and bre, and do not absorb pollutants that are later released. The construction contaminants
must also be prevented from accumulating in HVAC systems and in absorbent products, such as carpet and fur-
nishing. The previously mentioned building, Greenpeace Headquarters, presents a signicant example by utilizing
nontoxic materials and products. The designers made great efforts to eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from the
building and also specied low-volatile-organic-compound (VOC) adhesives and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
certied wood products. They used formaldehyde-free wheatboard and particleboard in the doors and built-in
furniture. They chose countertops, tiles and ooring with high recycled content (Leventhal, 2001).
Waste management is a critical high performance strategy. Providing dedicated areas for recycling bins, chutes
and other accommodations to promote ease of waste management as well as ensuring that there is adequate storage
space for and access for removal of recyclables will help waste management, thus minimizing resource con-
sumption. Pollution prevention is also an effective method for waste management, which has been successfully
implemented in factory fabrication applications (Vanegas et al., 1995).

Post-building
The post-building process begins when the useful life of a building ends. In this stage, building materials and/or
components become resources for other buildings or wastes to be returned to nature. From the perspective of the
designer, the least considered phase of the building life cycle occurs when the buildings useful life has been
exhausted. The demolition of the building and disposal of the resulting waste signicantly impacts the environ-
ment. Degradable materials may produce toxic waste, whereas inert materials consume increasingly scarce landll
space. The methods to be implemented to reduce or eliminate waste in this phase are as follows.
The adaptive reuse of an existing building signicantly reduces waste and conserves the energy used for material
manufacturing and construction. The energy embodied in the construction of a building and the production of
materials will be wasted if the existing resource is not properly utilized. This approach may also preserve cultural
heritage by keeping a historical building in use and maintained.
Reusing building materials or components is a way of minimizing waste production, if an old building is not com-
pletely available for reusing. In such cases, it may be preferred to renovate and reuse individual components, such
as windows, doors and interior xtures.
Recycling materials, after demolition, enhances the sustainability of construction industry. Waste means new
resources for new constructions. In most cases, making products by recycling demolition wastes creates less air
pollution and water pollution than making new products. Recycling also creates jobs as well as saving valuable
resources, thus protecting the natural environment.

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Principle 3. Design for human

Strategies

Preservation of natural conditions Conserving cultural resources Protecting health and comfort

Methods

Respecting topographical Conserving the urban context Thermal comfort

conditions Preserving historical buildings Daylighting
Preserving the water table Natural ventilation
Reducing the urban heat Acoustic comfort
island effect Selecting non-toxic, non-
Preserving existing flora and outgassing furniture, flooring,
fauna wall finishes, and cleaning and
maintenance materials

Figure 5. Methods to achieve the design for human principle

Design for Human

A sustainable construction industry must balance human needs with the carrying capacity of the natural and
cultural environments. In a modern society, more than 70% of a persons time is spent indoors. An essential role
of architecture is to provide occupants safety, health, physiological comfort, physiological satisfaction and produc-
tivity. Many building designers have been preoccupied with style and form-making, disregarding environmental
quality and human satisfaction in and around the built environment. For example a product may save energy and
perform well; however, if it does not positively affect the occupants comfort and enhance productivity, it is not a
sustainable product.
The following three strategies enhance the coexistence between the environment, buildings and their occupants
(Figure 5).

Preservation of Natural Conditions

It would be a mistake to consider the human apart from the natural environment, so the natural conditions such
as topographic features, vegetation, water drains, wind patterns, other species and habitats must be preserved. The
methods are as follows.
Respecting topographical conditions is of vital importance, since it mitigates the negative impacts of the product
on the natural conditions. Radical formations are not only expensive, but they devastate the sites microclimate by
changing existing air quality, water drains and wind patterns.
Preserving the water table is also important to be in tune with the environmental conditions. Buildings that do
not require excavation below the local water table are suitable for this task. If the water table is exposed during
construction activities, it also becomes more susceptible to contamination from polluted surface runoff.
Reducing the urban heat island effect through planting and pavement selection improves environmental quality
and mitigates negative impacts on the natural conditions.
Preserving existing ora and fauna will make the nished product a more enjoyable space for human habitation.
Local wildlife and existing vegetation should be recognized as part of the site, and preserved to not damage the
ecosystem of the environment and occupants well-being.

Conserving Cultural Resources

Cultural resources are those tangible and intangible aspects of cultural systems, both past and present, that are
valued by or representative of a given culture, or that contain information about a culture. Although material

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
How Can the Construction Industry Contribute to Sustainable Development? 171

evidence of past cultures is nite, cultural resources in general are not, but are produced by each successive gen-
eration. Conserving cultural resources is of vital importance to sustain human life. From an architectural point of
view, the two ways to conserve tangible and intangible cultural sources are as follows.
Conserving the urban context preserves the community life as well as contributing to sustainable urban develop-
ment. There is a strong relationship between the natural environment, community life and urban context. Cultural,
behavioural, socio-economic and spatial characteristics formed in the process of urbanization are the components
that compose building patterns. Designing a building contrary to the urban context will damage the existing city-
scape and skyline.
Preserving historical buildings is signicantly important, since these buildings are tangible cultural resources
transmitting knowledge from generation to generation.

Protecting Health and Comfort

Every sustainable building strategy must enhance the mission of the building, which is to provide quality condi-
tions. Sustainable buildings must provide a healthy and comfortable indoor environment while conserving resources
and protecting the nature. The factors affecting the indoor environmental quality include, but are not limited to,
indoor air quality, thermal property, humidity, natural light and ventilation, noise level and furnishing.
Thermal comfort improves the occupants health, comfort and productivity. The space inside a building provides
conditions that allow occupants to survive freezing cold or blistering hot outdoor conditions. Air temperature,
humidity, solar radiation, velocity of air ow and human metabolism are determinants of thermal comfort. Build-
ing envelope considerations, such as reective roong, low-E windows, window tinting and solar shading are some
of the tools that enable designers to optimize thermal comfort as well as improving energy efciency. Siting the
building according to seasonal heat gain and use is another key to thermal comfort, as is landscaping. Individual
control over a space is also important for comfort.
Daylighting is an important issue providing quality of light and improving the productivity of occupants, and
includes controlling and distributing light for uniform levels, avoiding glare and reections and controlling arti-
cial light to achieve energy efciency. Edwards (2006) suggests that natural conditions are of signicance in
achieving not just a comfortable working environment but also a productive one. Occupants of spaces having
daylight are certainly happier, and evidence shows that they are more productive (Armstrong and Walker,
2002).
Natural ventilation is the use of fresh air of sufcient volume and air-change to ventilate enclosed spaces without
the use of mechanical means. Ventilation conditions inside a space have a direct inuence on the health, comfort
and well-being of the occupants. Natural ventilation has the potential of reducing the energy needed for cooling
and ventilating commercial buildings, while providing acceptable thermal comfort and indoor air quality. The
climate suitability, window orientation and operable windows are the key factors for natural ventilation. Examples
include providing cross-ventilation to make use of wind chimneys to induce stack ventilation, and using water-
evaporation systems in hot dry climates to induce air movement.
Being able to open a window, to sit in the sun or shade and to have contact with nature appear to be key char-
acteristics in sustainable building design (Edwards, 2006; Raw and Roys, 1993). Over-engineered buildings, no
matter how energy efcient, can be counterproductive if occupants are denied power to intervene in the quality of
living and working spaces (Battle, 2000).
Acoustic comfort must be achieved by controlling sources of noise from mechanical and electrical equipment and
from sources exterior to the building. Proper selection of windows, wall insulation and wall framing, and materi-
als are essential to reducing noise from outside. Some sound insulating materials, such as acoustic ceiling tiles
and straw-bale construction, can offer the advantages of recycling and using natural materials. Hard versus absorb-
ent surfaces also have a major impact on noise level inside a space. Noise elimination, control or isolation from
HVAC equipment should also be addressed through acoustic zoning, equipment selection, construction and
appropriately designed ducts, piping and electrical systems.
Selecting non-toxic, non-outgassing furniture, ooring, wall nishes and cleaning and maintenance materials also
affects occupants health and comfort. Long term exposure to chemicals can have a detrimental effect on humans
health. The availability of green items is widespread and growing (Childs, 2005).

Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment Sust. Dev. 17, 161173 (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/sd
172 Aysin Sev

Discussion and Conclusions

As we look forward into the new millennium, sustainability seems to be the only solution to environmental prob-
lems. If the human population is to survive on earth, sustainability must be applied to every sector, such as con-
struction, transportation and agriculture. Since the major energy consumer is the construction sector, it has a
signicant role to contribute to sustainable development.
In striving to achieve sustainability in the built environment three principles emerge: resource management,
life-cycle design and design for human. There is a myriad of considerations sometimes conicting with each
other including resource consumption, indoor environmental quality, durability, renewable resources, environ-
mental impact and life-cycle considerations. No project will be designed and constructed perfectly according to all
sustainable construction principles and strategies. However, the designers and owners must determine the prin-
ciples having priority related to their conditions.
Sustainable building design and construction is an integrated and holistic process with the aim more than the
sum of the individual components. Much more important than agonizing over the signicance of each strategy is
the process of creating environmentally conscious and healthy spaces that provide human contact to the natural
environment, supporting the local economy and culture.
The framework proposed in this paper provides a brief overview of sustainability principles, strategies and
methods, and emphasizes the need for an integrated approach and understanding of the different components of
a sustainable system. Rather than focusing on individual components of this framework, the priorities must be
determined according to local conditions and the product must be assessed according to these priorities. The new
design approach must recognize the impacts of every design choice on the natural and cultural resources of the
local, regional and global environments.
In order to achieve sustainable development for society as a whole and for construction predominantly, intelli-
gent decision making is required, which includes full consideration and knowledge of impacts associated with
each alternative.

Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to Professor Aydan Ozgen and Dogan Ozgen for their valuable suggestions and support in this
research.

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DOI: 10.1002/sd