Sustainable building in China has gained attention both domestically and abroad. Despite the fast increase in sustainable assessment tools developed locally or adopted from overseas, there are still criticisms about t...Sustainable building in China has gained attention both domestically and abroad. Despite the fast increase in sustainable assessment tools developed locally or adopted from overseas, there are still criticisms about the current situation of weak implementation and lack of comprehensive consideration. The lack of consideration of economic and social aspects or building performance on whole building life cycle all lead to departure from the true meaning of sustainable development. And lack of participation on the part of stakeholders makes it too theoretical to be carried out. This research aims to develop a model to address this problem. This research started with review of current sustainable assessment tools applied in China. As the assessment indicators have clear regional disparities, and almost no current tool considers all three pillars of environmental, economic and social in building life cycle. An industry survey was therefore designed for generation of indicators at different building stages, and personal interviews relevant to different occupation in building industry were conducted to complement the questionnaire survey. After that, the model Building Sustainable Score (BSS) was developed based on the stakeholders’ participation. Finally, the model is verified by a case study.展开更多
Nowadays our world is faced with various environmental problems. These environmental problems are caused by the increasing pollution in the world, increasing production and consumption of material goods. These problem...Nowadays our world is faced with various environmental problems. These environmental problems are caused by the increasing pollution in the world, increasing production and consumption of material goods. These problems have serious consequences for human health and also have a major impact on natural ecosystems. This paper discussed sustainable green building in terms of key principles for sustainable building, strategies and guidelines for sustainable green building, and steps for an integrated approach to green design. The study also looked at the status of green building and sustainability, as well as green building materials in Palestine. The study suggested a checklist to help assess the condition of buildings in Palestine and the extent to which they respond to the principles of sustainable green buildings, thus, contributing to help new and existing buildings to adopt a sustainable green building approach, in order to achieve the goals of sustainable green construction in terms of saving energy and resources and reducing waste, therefore, participating in preserving the environment and improving the quality of life.展开更多
This study presents findings of indoor environmental quality （IEQ） investigations conducted in elementary schools＇ classrooms in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）. Average TVOC, CO2, O3, CO, and particle concentrati...This study presents findings of indoor environmental quality （IEQ） investigations conducted in elementary schools＇ classrooms in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）. Average TVOC, CO2, O3, CO, and particle concentrations measured in the classrooms were 815 pg / m^3, 1605 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 1.16 ppm, and 1730 μg/m^3, respectively. Whereas, local authority known as Dubai Municipality recommended 300 pg/m^3, 800 ppm, 0.06 ppm, 9 ppm, and 150-300 μg/m^3 for TVOC, CO2, O3, CO, and particle, respectively. Dubai Municipality recommended temperature and retative humidity （RH） levels of 22.5 ℃ to 25.5 ℃ and 30%-60%, respectively. Average temperature and RH levels measured in the classrooms were 24.5 ℃ and 40.4%, respectively. Average sound level in the classrooms was 24 dB greater than recommended sound level limit of 35 dB. Six （6） classrooms had average lux levels in the range of 400-800 lux. Two （2） classrooms had average lux levels in the range of 100 200 lux. The remaining classrooms had lux levels around the recommended 300 lux. High occupancy density was observed in majority of the studied classrooms. Observations during walkthroush investigations could展开更多
The <em>Afya Jijini</em> program targeted improved access to and quality of health services in Nairobi City County through the strengthening of local health systems. The program took a systems thinking app...The <em>Afya Jijini</em> program targeted improved access to and quality of health services in Nairobi City County through the strengthening of local health systems. The program took a systems thinking approach recognizing that strong, coordinated commitments and contributions from various levels of multiple sectors such as health, public works, and education would be essential to the program’s success. Consistent with the World Health Organization’s proclamation that the provision of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are prerequisites for all public health endeavors, WASH-related efforts were woven into nearly all facets of the <em>Afya Jijini </em>program. IRC is a nonprofit located in the Netherlands focused on systems thinking approaches for sustainable WASH improvements. IRC’s 9 building blocks are tools to assist in breaking down the complexities of systems, identifying key actors and factors that contribute to sustainable improvements, and setting clear program indicators and targets for success. This conceptual manuscript seeks to explore the <em>Afya Jijini </em>program through the lens of the IRC’s building block approach to systems thinking. Examples of<em> Afya Jijini</em> programming aligned with each building block are presented to assist program planners and guide future interventions. <em>Afya Jijini</em> could have benefited from increased attention to several key building blocks, including<em> institutions</em>, <em>finance</em>, and <em>learning and adaptation</em>.展开更多
文摘Sustainable building in China has gained attention both domestically and abroad. Despite the fast increase in sustainable assessment tools developed locally or adopted from overseas, there are still criticisms about the current situation of weak implementation and lack of comprehensive consideration. The lack of consideration of economic and social aspects or building performance on whole building life cycle all lead to departure from the true meaning of sustainable development. And lack of participation on the part of stakeholders makes it too theoretical to be carried out. This research aims to develop a model to address this problem. This research started with review of current sustainable assessment tools applied in China. As the assessment indicators have clear regional disparities, and almost no current tool considers all three pillars of environmental, economic and social in building life cycle. An industry survey was therefore designed for generation of indicators at different building stages, and personal interviews relevant to different occupation in building industry were conducted to complement the questionnaire survey. After that, the model Building Sustainable Score (BSS) was developed based on the stakeholders’ participation. Finally, the model is verified by a case study.
文摘Nowadays our world is faced with various environmental problems. These environmental problems are caused by the increasing pollution in the world, increasing production and consumption of material goods. These problems have serious consequences for human health and also have a major impact on natural ecosystems. This paper discussed sustainable green building in terms of key principles for sustainable building, strategies and guidelines for sustainable green building, and steps for an integrated approach to green design. The study also looked at the status of green building and sustainability, as well as green building materials in Palestine. The study suggested a checklist to help assess the condition of buildings in Palestine and the extent to which they respond to the principles of sustainable green buildings, thus, contributing to help new and existing buildings to adopt a sustainable green building approach, in order to achieve the goals of sustainable green construction in terms of saving energy and resources and reducing waste, therefore, participating in preserving the environment and improving the quality of life.
文摘This study presents findings of indoor environmental quality （IEQ） investigations conducted in elementary schools＇ classrooms in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）. Average TVOC, CO2, O3, CO, and particle concentrations measured in the classrooms were 815 pg / m^3, 1605 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 1.16 ppm, and 1730 μg/m^3, respectively. Whereas, local authority known as Dubai Municipality recommended 300 pg/m^3, 800 ppm, 0.06 ppm, 9 ppm, and 150-300 μg/m^3 for TVOC, CO2, O3, CO, and particle, respectively. Dubai Municipality recommended temperature and retative humidity （RH） levels of 22.5 ℃ to 25.5 ℃ and 30%-60%, respectively. Average temperature and RH levels measured in the classrooms were 24.5 ℃ and 40.4%, respectively. Average sound level in the classrooms was 24 dB greater than recommended sound level limit of 35 dB. Six （6） classrooms had average lux levels in the range of 400-800 lux. Two （2） classrooms had average lux levels in the range of 100 200 lux. The remaining classrooms had lux levels around the recommended 300 lux. High occupancy density was observed in majority of the studied classrooms. Observations during walkthroush investigations could
文摘The <em>Afya Jijini</em> program targeted improved access to and quality of health services in Nairobi City County through the strengthening of local health systems. The program took a systems thinking approach recognizing that strong, coordinated commitments and contributions from various levels of multiple sectors such as health, public works, and education would be essential to the program’s success. Consistent with the World Health Organization’s proclamation that the provision of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are prerequisites for all public health endeavors, WASH-related efforts were woven into nearly all facets of the <em>Afya Jijini </em>program. IRC is a nonprofit located in the Netherlands focused on systems thinking approaches for sustainable WASH improvements. IRC’s 9 building blocks are tools to assist in breaking down the complexities of systems, identifying key actors and factors that contribute to sustainable improvements, and setting clear program indicators and targets for success. This conceptual manuscript seeks to explore the <em>Afya Jijini </em>program through the lens of the IRC’s building block approach to systems thinking. Examples of<em> Afya Jijini</em> programming aligned with each building block are presented to assist program planners and guide future interventions. <em>Afya Jijini</em> could have benefited from increased attention to several key building blocks, including<em> institutions</em>, <em>finance</em>, and <em>learning and adaptation</em>.
