What is Sustainability?

Sustainability can mean many things, however here we are concerned with looking at ways to reduce the impact of buildings on the environment while meeting the expectations of modern users and minimising running costs.

Historic and traditional buildings make up around 25% of all buildings in the UK. Over time they are often altered or converted to comply with new regulations, improve their performance or meet a new need.

Historic and traditional buildings not only represent a financial and social investment, they tend by their nature to be kind to the environment. Often they are built from materials which are low in embodied energy (the fuel used to make and transport materials) and low in toxins (very few chemicals were used in construction before 1940).

Historic and traditional buildings do present some challenges. For example, prior to 1950 it was uncommon to insulate buildings, and heating was provided by inefficient and dirty methods such as open coal fires. There are simple measures that can be employed to address these challenges – the first step is to understand the particular building that you are dealing with rather than immediately adopting modern construction methods, which can result in problems.

The Trongate Study demonstrates a systematic approach to:

• The setting and understanding of project goals, which include sustainability

• An holistic approach to the design and management of the built environment

• A mechanism for assessing, monitoring and informing the design and procurement process

• And ideally a mechanism for disseminating the lessons learnt, to inform the wider construction community.