Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997
Environmental Management of Aalborg Technical College
Miljørigtig projektering af Aalborg Tekniske Skole
Arbejdsrapport nr. 28, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen
The present demonstration project on environmental management in project design is about the extension of Aalborg Technical College. The project is part of the building project phases called "project proposal" and "master project". The aim of the project is to gain experience within method development as well as testing in the field.
The building project comprises erection of a new wing (approx. 5,800 m2) of Aalborg Technical College. The new wing is connected with existing buildings situated at Øster Uttrup Vej 1 in Aalborg.
The leading principle of the project is to allot to the college’s users a healthy teaching environment and a healthy indoor climate conditioned that the solution is optimised as to the environment.
The prerequisites of the projects take into consideration the actual economic frames and time limits of the project.
First of all a general inventory of a schoolhouse was prepared. This inventory was supplemented with existing experience as to life cycle assessments (LCA) of building activities and building materials. Moreover, the building programme and the architect’s proposal were scrutinised together with the master proposal and the local conditions.
Concerning resource consumption and emissions from building materials it is generally assessed that extraction/production and operation and (up to a point) the disposal out is the phases above all contributing to the environmental impacts. With regards to materials e.g. cement, asphalt, concrete, plaster, and steel constructions have turned out to be amongst the building materials that lead to the highest waste of resources and energy consumption.
The Title number at Øster Uttrup Vej is very suitable for a schoolhouse as the character of the building site and its surroundings limit the possible applications of the site.
When scrutinising the building programme of the project the functional demands are crucial. Wishes and demands to the building as to resources and the environment are stated in brevity and in general outlines. When considering the pros and cons of the building proposals, economic conditions are taken into account together with the architectonic manifestations.
The architect’s proposal integrates the environmental aspect in the architectonic manifestations rather than in proportion to the substance cycle as suggested in the building programme.
On the basis of the general inventory and the client’s conditions a gross list was drawn up in order to itemise the environmental management in project design.
The prioritisation of environmental impacts was accomplished on the basis of the client’s preferences, in particular in proportion to the operating phase that is worded in the environmental policy. Moreover, the possibilities of the master project as to degrees of freedom of the building project have been considered. Orderisation of priorities has taken place in consultation with the client, consultants, and the architect.
The targets that have been put in order of priority embrace spheres that the client wants to be scrutinised thoroughly, namely:
 | Drawing up of environmental targets, a.o. in relation to impacts on the surroundings during the building phase. |
| Utilisation of daylight instead of artificial light. |
| Utilisation of natural ventilation. |
| Visible registration and measurement of resource consumption during operation. |
| Selections of environmentally sound internal surfaces. |
| Environmental inventory of selection and design of heat distribution system. |
| Life cycle assessment of the weather screen. |
| Environmental assessment of the project proposal. |
| Preparation of plan for environmental targets stated in the tender material. |
A number of possible means supplement the targets. Accordingly an environmental activity plan has been prepared. The activity plan describes in detail how each individual investigation is to be accomplished.
The environmental inventories described in the environmental activity plan are accomplished during the master project phase. The environmental inventories are based on experience and scrutiny of scientific literature. The inventories have brought about several proposals and recommendations as to means such as selection of materials, construction principles, surfaces, installations, organisation etc. Means have been presented to the client, consultants, and the architect.
Below is stated an example of environmental targets in tender material. The targets concentrate on minimum requirements as to the contractor’s environmental management and documentation hereof and on supply of environmental information regarding selected materials and components. The example has been put before the client and the architect.
Decisions on a possible more advanced environmental inventory and embodying of environmental targets into the tender material have rested with the client. In due course they were to be accomplished under the auspices of the building project and in compliance with the existing narrow economic framework.
Author/ institution
Nelle, Nielsen & Rauschenberger A/S
Aalborg Technical College
This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Production
ISSN no. 0908-9195
ISBN no. 87-7810-770-9