Sustainable Estate Development

Graham Bell, Depute Director,Estates & Buildings Department

Sustainable Development

• Context

• Our Approach

• Project Example

• What’s next

Why adopt sustainability ?...External Drivers

• Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (42% climate emissions reduction by 2020)

• Funding and Research Council pressure

• EU Emissions Trading Scheme

• UK Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) (tax costing nearly £1m per year)

• EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive / EPCs

• Edinburgh Standards for Sustainable Building

…plus rising standards every 3 years as a result of EU legislation and the Sullivan Report

Why adopt sustainability ?...Internal Drivers

• Utilities Policy 2003 – adopted BREEAM

• Contain rising energy costs / reduce maintenance burden

• Universities & Colleges Climate Commitment /- promote ourselves as pro-active agents

• Universities that Count / Green League - benchmarking Student and Staff expectations

• Strategic Plan 2012-2016 – infrastructure enabler/social responsibility theme

• Social Responsibility and Sustainability Strategy 2010-2020

• Climate action plan 2010-2020

• Estates Strategy 2010 – 2020

• Keep well out of the Courts!

Project Management Process Map

AB13: Establish Sustainability Strategy

C3: Update Brief & Sustainability Strategy

Sustainability Strategy Template (T46)

Covers BREEAM sustainability criteria:

• Location and orientation of building

• Renewable energy; energy consumption; renewables; CO2;

• Whole Life Costing

• Ventilation; water usage

• Construction waste

• Transport

• Adapting to climate change

• Materials selection

• Pollution prevention

• Ecology and biodiversity

• Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)

Construction based on:

• Sustainability principles• Selection of team / contractor• Workshop to start• Life time approach

– set best practice standards– Establish sustainability guidelines

for design team / contractor– Maximise efficient use of energy,

materials

Case Study

King’s Buildings Library - Approach

Case Study

King’s Buildings Library - workshop

Comparison and assessment of forms of construction to achieve most sustainable form of construction:

• Traditional masonry construction: not used (slow, inflexible)

• Timber kit construction: considered for ground floor use

• Engineered timber kit construction: considered for use at upper levels

• Solid wall construction: considered for areas requiring fire protection

• Lightweight cladding construction: not used (higher maintenance cost)

• Terracotta construction: not used (outwith budget)

Case StudyKing’s Buildings Library – external wall

options

Case StudyKing’s Buildings Library – design development

The industry benchmark / one way we signal what we seek from Design Team and Contractor:

• Target Outstanding: 1

• Certified Excellent: 2

• Target Excellent: 3

• Certified Very Good: 5

• Target Very Good: 6

Environmental Sustainability… the results

High Efficiency Low NOx BoilerHigh Efficiency Low NOx Boiler75 cubic metre Thermal Store75 cubic metre Thermal Store

Environmental Sustainability CHP: low carbon energy source

12 cylinder Jenbacher Engine12 cylinder Jenbacher Engine

• Three Energy Centres

• 12% emissions reduction

• 8,500 tonnes CO2 less / yr

• Moved EPC score up by 2

• Generate £1m+ savings / yr

Complying with further expectations from Government / funders:

• Corporate Target

• Corporate Policy

• Measurement

• Procurement

• Supply Chain

• Reporting

… complementing our 67% Waste Recycling on campus

Environmental Sustainability

Zero Waste Scotland / WRAP

Emphasis on re-using existing buildings for new purposes:

Social and Cultural Sustainability

e.g. Old Royal High School becomes the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation

Sustainable Development

What’s next?

• BREEAM Education standard

• Challenging Carbon Targets – how far can we go? (scattered estate)

• Rising Energy Costs / consumption – business driven

• Carbon footprint – 2025 Estates Study

• Guidance on aspirations / expectations