The aim of a traditional building project is to complete the development as cheaply as possible. There are certain rules and standards which must be observed but to win a contract and then complete it profitably, the only other considerations are economic. This is not an unreasonable situation: we all have to eat and the market economy appears to be the least bad way of fulfilling this need. However, the situation is causing considerable problems for the wider environment; so much so that it is beginning to threaten our quality of life. It is time to sit up and take notice.
So where does the problem lie? If not with the construction process or the free market approach, then where? As with so many environmental matters, it lies in the yawning …show more content…
In simple environmental terms, it would appear that the more insulation you can have, the better. More insulation means less energy use over the lifetime of the building, which means less resource depletion and less global warming. However, insulation costs money and we have a finite budget. Even if it is cost-effective to increase insulation levels, could this money be even more effectively spent on upgrading the windows, or the draft-proofing, or the energy systems? Also, (with some exceptions) insulation is not a structural material; we need thicker walls to contain thicker insulation. These walls cost more money, contain more materials and are more expensive to build. How do these factors feed into the equation? Then there is the type of insulation: what is the trade-off between the environmental impacts of production and operation, or disposal? Should you use phenolic foam for maximum insulation, or trade off some of the environmental impacts involved in its production and choose glass wool, or go further and select cellulose?
These decisions depend on the information available and the precise goals of the project. It is possible to calculate the optimum insulation type and thickness, given these parameters but there is no single correct decision. In the future, energy prices and sources will change, some materials will be found to be more hazardous than was previously thought and some production processes will improve. But a decision made today with today’s information and today’s values is the best anyone can ask
So where does the problem lie? If not with the construction process or the free market approach, then where? As with so many environmental matters, it lies in the yawning …show more content…
In simple environmental terms, it would appear that the more insulation you can have, the better. More insulation means less energy use over the lifetime of the building, which means less resource depletion and less global warming. However, insulation costs money and we have a finite budget. Even if it is cost-effective to increase insulation levels, could this money be even more effectively spent on upgrading the windows, or the draft-proofing, or the energy systems? Also, (with some exceptions) insulation is not a structural material; we need thicker walls to contain thicker insulation. These walls cost more money, contain more materials and are more expensive to build. How do these factors feed into the equation? Then there is the type of insulation: what is the trade-off between the environmental impacts of production and operation, or disposal? Should you use phenolic foam for maximum insulation, or trade off some of the environmental impacts involved in its production and choose glass wool, or go further and select cellulose?
These decisions depend on the information available and the precise goals of the project. It is possible to calculate the optimum insulation type and thickness, given these parameters but there is no single correct decision. In the future, energy prices and sources will change, some materials will be found to be more hazardous than was previously thought and some production processes will improve. But a decision made today with today’s information and today’s values is the best anyone can ask