The harmonisation of man with nature
 
• 1972 – UN first International Conference on the Environment – Stockholm
• 1988 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• Rio de Janiero June 1992
• 1992 Commission for Sustainable Development
• 1997 Earth Summit + 5
• 1997 Kyoto Protocol Agreed
• 2005 Kyoto Protocol comes into force
• 2007 -The Bali Summit (Climate change)
Concrete & Sustainability Sustainability Milestones
 
• Ensuring that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• The concept encompasses Economic, Environmental & Social Factors which are often referred to as:
a) The three pillars of Sustainability or  b) The triple bottom line
Concrete & Sustainability The Concept of Sustainability
 
• Sustainability aims to achieve a balance between environmental protection, commercial growth & the needs of people
• This is now part of global policy affecting all types of development including: a) Industry b) Buildings c) Infrastructure
• The concept is characterised by Multiplicity & Indeterminance - This is a problem!
Concrete & Sustainability The Concept of Sustainability
 
• Multiplicity There are over 100 environmental assessment software pages in the English language alone
Packages have different assessment criteria Countries going there own way
• Indeterminance Weighting Environmental, Economic & Social factors is very difficult & produces results which are open to subjective interpretation
Concrete & Sustainability The Concept of Sustainability
 
• Sustainability – Current Situation Irl. Task Force B1 did not reach a satisfactory conclusion – significant controversy
BRE Ireland has been established one of its objectives is to establish an Irish version of BREEAM
 Attempt at European level to develop a standardised Sustainability  Assessment Method has run into problems
European Technical Committee 350 (TC 350) initial proposals rejected since Social & Economic factors were not represented. Also, fire and durability factors not considered.
Concrete & Sustainability The Concept of Sustainability
 
 
• Set targets to measure & improve the above
Concrete & Sustainability The Concept of Sustainability
 
• Building Energy Rating (DEAP) based on U.K. SAP
•  A – Rated Homes
 
• Code developed by:
 – Steering Group consisting of Government, Industry and NGO representatives
• It is a standard for key elements of design and construction which affect the
sustainability of a new home.
• It will become the single national standard (but only being adopted in England) for
sustainable homes, used by home designers and builders as a guide to development,
and by home-buyers to assist in their choice of home.
• The Code is intended as a single national standard to guide industry in the design and
construction of sustainable homes. It is a means of driving continuous improvement,
greater innovation and exemplary achievement in sustainable home building.
Concrete & Sustainability
• The Code will complement the system of Energy Performance Certificates
introduced in June 2007 under the Energy Performance of Buildings
Directive (EPBD).
• The EPBD will require that all new homes (and in due course other homes,
when they are sold or leased) have an Energy Performance Certificate
providing key information about the energy efficiency/ carbon performance
of the home.
• Energy assessment under the Code will use the same calculation
methodology therefore avoiding the need for duplication.
• In the short-term, Code compliance is voluntary but home builders are
encouraged to follow Code principles since assessment under code
standards are likely to become mandatory in the future
Concrete & Sustainability
 A Code for Sustainable Homes in Ireland ?
• The Code builds upon EcoHomes in a number of ways, for example:
• Introduces minimum standards for energy and water efficiency at every
level of the Code, therefore requiring high levels of sustainability
performance in these areas for achievement of a high Code rating;
• Uses a simpler system of awarding points (than Ecohomes), with more
complex weightings removed
• The Code includes new areas of sustainability design, such as Lifetime
Homes and inclusion of composting facilities
• The Code sits alongside the planning system which guides sustainability in
broader locational and aesthetic issues
Concrete & Sustainability
 A SIGNAL FOR THE FUTURE
• The Code is closely linked to Building Regulations, which are the minimum
building standards required by law. Minimum standards for Code
compliance have been set above the requirements of Building Regulations
• It is intended that the Code will signal the future direction of Building
Regulations in relation to carbon emissions from, and energy use in
homes, providing greater regulatory certainty for the homebuilding industry
Concrete & Sustainability
• The design categories included within the Code are:
 – Energy / CO²
 
 
Residential
Operational Energy = 90%
 
Fuel energy in KJ/Kg clinker
Current position of cement industry in Ireland
 
 Year 2000  Year 2004
 
Concrete & Sustainability Protecting our Planet for Future Generations
Table 1: Cement Types According to EU Cement Standard EN 197 - 1
CEM 1
CEM 11
CEM 111
CEM 1V 
CEM V 
Portland Limestone Cement
Portland Slag Cement (GGBS)
Based on Cement Clinker and Slag (High Slag %)
Based on Cement Clinker and Pozzolanic Materials
Based on Cement Clinker and Specific Quantities of Other Materials
Based on Cement Clinker (≥50 % ) and GGBS (≤50%)
{Ireland
• Material efficiency , smaller elements & larger clear spans
•  Airtightness
• Indoor air quality – concrete is an inert material
Concrete & Sustainability
 
• The production of concrete accounts for 7% of world production of CO²
•  After water, concrete is the most used material on earth – by volume more than all other construction materials added together 
• In Ireland we consume 700 kg per capita per annum – higher than UK & Germany
• Ireland has abundant resources of the constituent materials of concrete – no coal or steel smelting
Concrete & Sustainability Statistics
Part L - 2003
Roof  U-Value from 0.25W/m² to 0.16W/m²
Floor U-Value from 0.45W/m² to 0.25W/m²
 
Overall Requirement
• Overall 40% increase in energy efficiency of homes is required
• 30% Reduction in CO² Emissions
Options for improving energy efficiency
• Min. 10% renewable energy
• Boiler efficiency min. 86% (Currently 78%)
• Walls / Floors / Roofs / Windows
•  Airtight construction
• Insulated concrete formwork and precast housing can achieve 2.88m³/m²hr @50Pa.
 
 
 
What is Thermal Mass?
• Thermal Mass describes the materials in a building’s construction that are able to store and release large quantities of thermal energy
• These materials are normally the dense structural elements that form part of the building’s fabric.
Thermal Mass Thermal Mass
41804180WaterWater
23762376MarbleMarble
21842184GlassGlass
19401940ConcreteConcrete
18001800SandstoneSandstone
11 Air Air
@ 20@ 20CC kj/mkj/m³³.K .K  MaterialMaterial
 
What is Admittance ?
 Admittance quantifies the potential thermal mass of a construction. It describes the ability of a construction to exchange heat with the internal environment when subjected to a cyclic variation in temperature - typically 24hrs. for buildings
 
4.2913 mm plaster, standard concrete block, 13 mm plaster
5.8113mm dense plaster, 215mm dense concrete block, 13mm dense plaster (Party Wall)
Internal Partitions and Party Walls
(Updating the constructions shown above to comply with existing building regulations can be achieved by
specifying increased levels of insulation. Admittance values should not change significantly in doing so.)
0.86105 mm brick + 50 mm airspace + 19 mm plywood + sheathing + 95 mm studding
+ 95 mm mineral fibre, insulation between studs, 13 mm plasterboard
TimberTimber
FrameFrame
5.75105 mm brick + 50 mm EPS insulation + 100 mm dense concrete block + 13 mm dense
plaster
ConcreteConcrete
External
Walls
Admittance
W/m2K
 
HouseHouse DoolinDoolin, Co. Clare, Co. Clare – – Grafton ArchitectsGrafton Architects Thermal Mass captures free heat from the sun during the day, off Thermal Mass captures free heat from the sun during the day, off setting heatsetting heat
requirements for later that nightrequirements for later that night
 
Summer Day
Office Building
Office Building
Extraction Transport Manufacturing
with occupancy Refurbishment
 
 
 
 
There is 10 times more embodied energy / tonne in softwood than in structural concrete
 
9.09.0 Aluminium (from scrap) Aluminium (from scrap)
150150 Aluminium (from ore) Aluminium (from ore)
2525 -- 2626Structural Steel (from ore produced inStructural Steel (from ore produced in
a blast furnace)a blast furnace)
11.311.3Reinforcing steel (from scrap,Reinforcing steel (from scrap,
produced in an electronic arc furnace)produced in an electronic arc furnace)
55 -- 1212Brick Brick 
0.90.9Concrete (reinforced)Concrete (reinforced)
 
 Arup Consultants
• CO² Emissions are considered in the Construct Phase and the In Use phase
• Due to lighter weight timber as a marginal advantage in the construct phase
•  After 11 years in the in use phase concrete and timber frame have identical CO² footprints
Sustainable Housing CO² Life Cycle Analysis – Arup Consultants
 
• Steel requires 30 times more energy to produce than concrete
• CO² produced per tonne of structural steel is 10 times greater than for RC
Concrete and Steel Mass Basis Comparison
 
• Steel = 2.6Gj/m² to 2.9GJ/m²
Concrete and Steel Performance in Structures
 
Roadstone Dublin
 
 
Extended Overhang
 
 
• Brown field site – former sewerage works
• Heat exchanger in ventilation system retrieves 50% to 70% heat from the exhaust air 
• Curved cowl – uses stack effect to circulate air 
BedZED Beddington Zero Energy Development
 
High levels of insulation
Triple glazed windows
South facing conservatories
BedZED Beddington Zero Energy Development
 
50%50%65%65%Fossil fuel car mileageFossil fuel car mileage
33%33%50%50%Mains waterMains water
33%33%25%25%ElectricityElectricity
33%33%57% (44%)57% (44%)Hot waterHot water
90%90%88% (73%)88% (73%)Space heatingSpace heating
TargetTarget
 ABK Architects
• No suspended ceiling
 
 
• Delays temperature peaks by
up to 6 hours
 
Ceiling sloped from perimeter inwards to maximise daylight
 
• Replace Suspended Ceilings
 
• Up to 20% savings in energy costs
• Under floor pipes offer 64W/m² cooling capacity
• Eliminating false ceiling can save 5% to 7% on initial
building costs
 
Human Health Indoor air quality is vital for peoples health Concrete is inert & non-toxic
Thermal Comfort Concrete provides good protection from the burden of solar gain - keeping people comfortable
Concrete & Sustainability Passive Thermal Control Devices
 
 Automatically Ventilating Atrium
Solar Control Glass
Trinity College Dublin
 
• Higher densities
Sustainable Housing High Density
 
reasonably priced, safe accommodation
• Widespread use in sustainable projects
• High density development
• Thermal mass reduces running costs
Performance Conclusions
requirements
• Precast has performance advantages over and above other
forms of concrete construction
Brian O Murchu