Lifetime studies are becoming commonplace in product evaluations. However,
this does not apply to buildings and related activities owing to the relatively
longer period involved, which leads to uncertainty. Many books which deal with
the design and construction of sustainable houses have been published. However,
sustainability also depends on the post-occupation activities of the users, which
have not been highlighted. This book attempts to fill that gap in knowledge
through the use of results from a recently completed research project.
The book demonstrates the implications of choices the designers, developers and
building-users make to achieve sustainability in the residential building sector,
through an analysis that covers the full lifespan. It identifies the problems
associated with current practices through a lifespan model that considers costs,
embodied and operating energy use, environmental impact, and global warming
potential. The model was developed based on current practices employed in New
Zealand and highlights the need for a new holistic approach to be taken. By
considering the full lifespan, and many items such as finishes, furniture and
appliances, which are usually disregarded in evaluations, the text demonstrates
the importance of material and systems selection and user behaviour. It discusses
the major issues ranked based on their importance for achieving greater sustainability
in residential projects and highlights those which are not in common
knowledge.
The book also demonstrates the practical use of life cycle analysis for achieving
best practice in construction and use of residential buildings. It provides a
practical guide to designers and the general public in applying the lessons learnt
to individual projects to achieve sustainability in residential buildings.
The book consists of a general discussion of issues ranked based on their
importance for achieving sustainability, with case studies intended for the general
reader and detailed justification of the importance of issues for the more
specialised reader.
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