Showing papers by "Silvia Vilčeková published in 2012"

Reduction of Carbon Footprint of Building Structures

Abstract: Degradation of environment is currently at huge risk because of factors related to population growth, resource consumption, industrial activity, etc. This situation is causing serious environmental problems which called for new building developments to bridge the gap between this need for reduction of environmental impacts and ever increasing requirements on living. The developments were generally directed at the reduction of the energy consumption during occupation. But this increase of savings in operational energy is reflected on higher embodied energy and associated emissions from material production. The case study is focused around some issues of environmental performance pertaining to embodied energy, embodied emissions CO2-eq. and SO2-eq. from building structures. The optimization of material compositions of structures with passive energy standard are aimed at using materials from biomass in order to create green design. The plant materials serve as a long-term carbon store and use solar energy for production of raw material. The designed passive house from optimized compositions of alternatives achieves low embodied energy (2357.374 MJ per useful area), high negative balance of embodied CO2-eq. (-356.764 kg CO2-eq. per useful area) within construction phase of LCA. One of possible ways of reduction of carbon footprint of building is introduced in the paper.

Environmental Assessment of Building Materials and Constructions

Abstract: Since previous instances the requirements of environmental safety, suitability and responsibility of buildings have increased. The criteria of sustainability are included in building environmental assessment systems and tools used in different countries for evaluating their sustainable and environmental performance. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the one of most significant filed in building environmental assessment system (BEAS), which was developed at the Technical University of Kosice. The Slovak system was developed on the basis of existing systems used in many countries. BEAS as a multi-criteria system which is incorporated in proposed main fields: site selectionp building construction; indoor environment; energy performance; water management and waste management. Selection of building materials and structures is very important in term of embodied energy and emissions of pollutants. The field of building construction will be introduced in the paper. The aim is also weighting and analysis of significance of building construction indicators in system BEAS with is applicable in Slovak conditions.

Environmental assessment of buildings in Slovakia

Abstract: Environmental building assessment is a specific complex of proceedings oriented towards systematic and objective evaluation of building performance. These processes lead to design, construction and operation of buildings with respect to criteria for sustainable development. In the recent years the evaluation of building performance in terms of environmental, social and economic aspects is a discussed topic in the Slovak Republic. The purposes of building assessments from these aspects are due to the determination of real building states from a safety and reliability point of view, the possibility of building comparisons, the effect of environmental buildings potential and the proposal of measures resulting in sustainable buildings. In Slovakia the building environmental assessment system (BEAS) has been developed at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Kosice. The proposal of BEAS applicable in the condition of the Slovak Republic will be presented in this paper.

Environmental, economic and social aspects and indicators in relation to energy performance of buildings

Abstract: The new approach of sustainability assessment of buildings requires the quantification of impacts and aspects for the environmental, social and economic performance of buildings using quantitative and qualitative indicators. These indicators are included in building environmental assessment systems and tools used in different countries for evaluating the integrated building performance. The building environmental assessment system (BEAS) has been developed in Slovakia as well through the last years. BEAS as a multicriteria system includes environmental, social and cultural aspects which are incorporated in proposed main fields: site selection and project planning; building construction; indoor environment; energy performance; water management and waste management. The aim of paper is the identification and determination of weights of fields in BEAS. Eleven experts participated in the study. Consequently the order and weights of significance of main assessment fields was determined.