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Published by zalhujairi97, 2022-12-29 03:05:09

ENGI351 - LEARNING JOURNAL - ZAINAB

ENGI351 - LEARNING JOURNAL - ZAINAB

Gulf University
College of Engineering
Architectural and Interior Design Engineering Department

ENGI351 - Sustainability Engineering and Design

LEARNING JOURNAL

Student Name Course Instructor
Dr. Omar Blibech
Zainab Alhujairi
Student ID
200206115058

Fall 2022-2023

Table of Contents

Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 3
Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 4
1. Built Environment and Circular Economy ..................................................................................... 5

1.1 Why Circular economy is the best choice? ................................................................................ 5
1.2 What is butterfly diagram? ........................................................................................................ 5
1.3 How to implement circular economy in the built environment? ..............................................7
1.4 Upcycle House............................................................................................................................ 8
2. Sustainable Design and Sustainable Engineering Principles ........................................................ 9
3. Sustainable Thinking and Design Process..................................................................................... 11
4. The Impact of Buildings on Climate Change.................................................................................13
4.1 What is climate change? ...........................................................................................................13
4.2 The Global Warming Potential (GWP) ....................................................................................13
4.3 What is carbon footprint? ........................................................................................................13
4.4 how do building affect climate change?...................................................................................13
4.5 How can Building Life Cycle Assessment help fight Climate Change? ..................................14
5. Green Construction Industry. ........................................................................................................15
5.1 What is green construction industry? ......................................................................................15
5.2 why green construction industry is important? ......................................................................15
5.3 How to implement sustainability in construction project?.....................................................16
5.4 Green construction obstacles ...................................................................................................16
6. Interior Design Engineering Projects, LCA Methodology and Future of Interior Built
Environments. ....................................................................................................................................17
6.1 LCA Goal Identification ............................................................................................................17
6.2 LCA Scope Identification..........................................................................................................17
6.3 The Purpose of the LCA............................................................................................................18
6.4 System Boundaries ...................................................................................................................18
6.5 Life Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCI) .........................................................................................19
6.6 Functional Unit (FU)................................................................................................................21
6.7 Inventory Analysis ................................................................................................................... 25
6.8 Impact Assessment (LCIA) ..................................................................................................... 28
6.9 Interpretation .......................................................................................................................... 32
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 34
References.......................................................................................................................................... 35
List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... 37

LEARNING JOURNAL 2

Introduction

This learning journal contains the gained knowledge and the reflections during my study of the
Sustainable Engineering and Design course. The course focuses on demonstrating
sustainability in engineering and design in detail, along with applying the life cycle design
process and passive and active design strategies. I will present articles written based on the
deep understanding that I reached during and after studying the course.

The course explains sustainability and its three dimensions, namely the environment, society,
and the economy, as they are the pillars of sustainability and in all fields, sustainability cannot
achieve without them. It goes on to explain about sustainable design and sustainable
engineering, as sustainable design aims to reduce resource consumption, reduce waste, and
create an environment for health and production. While sustainable engineering is a process in
which materials used with caution without endangering the environment or negatively affecting
future generations. Also showed the importance of energy and its impact on the environment,
as energy contributes to greenhouse gas emissions that negatively affect the environment and
load costs on the level of the family and the economy, which called energy efficiency.

During this course, I understood my responsibility as the next engineer. I must serve the
community in a socially responsible and sustainable way, and I understand the human,
environmental and societal challenges and know how to face them. Besides, the engineer
should design according to need, not desire.

I learned how to apply the building life cycle assessment, which consists of four steps, goal
and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, interpretation of LCA result. along
with, I learned new terminology related to sustainable engineering and design. Environmental
weighting is the environmental impact categories assessed in a life-cycle-based Ecological
Footprint to support the identification of the most relevant impact categories, life cycle phases,
process, and elementary flows. The carbon footprint is the weight of carbon dioxide emissions
generated in tons, which is a measure of the impact of human activities on the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels and is related to energy
use. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) is the ability of a greenhouse gas to trap excess
heat in the atmosphere. An Eco-indicator is an index that identifies damage in three
categories, human health, ecosystem quality, and resources.

LEARNING JOURNAL 3

Methodology

Through this journal, I will express my experience during the Sustainability Engineering Design
course by reflecting my understanding and knowledge in articles I wrote based on my knowledge
acquired throughout the course and self-study from various sources in which I collected
quantitative and qualitative data.

Thus, a designed methodology has implemented and deployed throughout several areas. In the
first area, I started by presenting the concept of circular economy and the difference between it
and the linear economy, while showing the impact of the linear economy on the environment
and what we must take the first step to reduce its impact. I will explain the butterfly diagram
which represents demonstrates continuous material flow in the circular economy. Then I touch
on the circular economy and how we can implement it in built environments with a present
example of circular economy in built environments called Upcycle House.

As for the second area, I will talk about sustainable engineering and sustainable design and
their principles. which is a sustainable design that integrates consideration of resource and
energy efficiency, healthy buildings, and materials, while sustainable engineering is a process
of using resources in a way that does not compromise the environment or deplete the
materials for future generations. both have the same pillars but in different directions of
principles.

While in the third area, I will present the combination between sustainability and design
thinking, and prove that should consider sustainability as the base of the design process.

In the fourth area, I will talk about the impact of buildings on climate change, by presenting
first the definition of climate change, GWP, and carbon footprint. then I will show with
qualitative data how buildings affect climate change. and the way of LCA to help fight the
climate change.

in the fifth area, I will talk about the green construction industry. in the first part, I will define it,
then present why it is important. after that, show the ways to implement sustainability in
construction projects. and finally, I present the obstacle to green construction.

The sixth area is about the building and how it is the highest contributors in environmental
impacts. The eighth article include my implementation of LCA on my project.

LEARNING JOURNAL 4

1. Built Environment and Circular Economy

1.1 Why Circular economy is the best choice?

The circular economy is a sustainable model of production and consumption, as it contributes
to extending the life cycle of products and reducing waste to a minimum by reusing products to
create more opportunities for them.

When comparing the traditional linear economy with the circular economy as shown in figure 1,
we see that the traditional economy consists of a linear line of collecting raw materials, then
manufacturing the product from it, and then using, and
when the shelf life of the product ends, it goes to the
landfill for thousands of years. Which leads to many
consequences on the planet, as this model consumes a lot
of energy and raw materials, and the extraction and use of
materials affects the environment Increasing energy
consumption leads to an increase in carbon dioxide
emissions.

While in a circular economy, processes are circular, the Figure 1: system diagrem of circular
materials used can be reused, repaired, disassembled, and economy and linear economy
recycled. When the shelf life of the product ends, it is not
https://www.rts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/diagram2.png

in the landfill, but is reused to create new goods repeatedly. it is based on waste prevention and

reuse to reduce the total carbon emissions that cause global warming to preserve the

environment.

1.2 What is butterfly diagram?

Materials are the major dilemma in the economy, especially building materials, as they require
the consumption of a huge number of natural resources and energy. Therefore, the circular
economy is an approach that must be used in built environments to reduce damage to the
environment.

Thus, butterfly diagram represents the demonstrates continuous material flow in circular
economy. As shown in figure 2 there are two main cycles, the technical cycle, and the biological
cycle. In the technical cycle, products and materials are circulated through reuse, repair,
remanufacturing, and recycling. In the biological cycle, nutrients from materials that are
biodegradable are returned to the earth to regenerate nature.1

Through my understanding of the diagram, I deduced that the technical cycle is different than
the biological cycle, as the technical cycle is represented in small loops within larger loops, as
the larger loop has a lower embedded value of the product. Therefore, the product must start

1 The butterfly diagram: visualising the circular economy. (n.d.-b). https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy-diagram

Figure 2: Butterfly Diagram The Butterfly Diagram: Visualising the Circular Economy (ellenmacarthurfoundation.org)

its journey in the circular economy through sharing, as it increases the life span of the product
through its continuous use among users while retaining its embedded value this saves the cost
and resources required by other loops in the cycle. The second loop is related to the share loop,
as the product requires continuous maintenance to increase its shelf life to provide greater
opportunities for consumers to benefit from and trade in it. And when the product is maintained
and its shelf life increases, the product is used again and again for the same purpose or for
different purposes, as the value derived from it increases and contributes to reducing the
generation of unnecessary additional waste. On the other hand, redistribution of the product can
be another way in which we can contribute to preserving the products by transferring them from
a market that no longer needs the product to another that needs it. When the product is nearing
the end of its shelf life, will moves to a larger loop and a new strategy, which is a renewal, where
the product is modified by repairing its damages, modifying its appearance, and also updating
its specifications, in order to renew its shelf life. The stage of remanufacturing is deeper than
renewal, as the product reaches a condition that requires intensive work to convert it into a
semi-new condition like the condition of the new product. When the product finishes rotating
into the previous loops, will reach its final stage, it is recycled, where it is disassembled into its
basic components to be processed into new components from which other products are made.2

As for the left side, it represents the biological cycle, where the processes that take place to
return the materials to their main source, which is the earth. The loops of the biological cycle
are the opposite of the technical cycle, where the cycle starts from the largest loop which is the
regeneration loop to the smallest which is the cascades loop. The regeneration loop is
represented by the heart of the circular economy, through which natural capital is built instead

2 The Circular Economy Basics Series - The Technical Cycle. (2022, October 25). My Site. https://www.circularinnovationlab.com/post/the-circular-
economy-basics-series-the-technical-cycle

LEARNING JOURNAL 6

of wasting limited natural resources, and it is present in all practices, including agricultural
practices, as it is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and
nitrate and ammonia pollution. Therefore, the trend towards sustainable agriculture would help
in restoring and maintain the environment by preserving the material quality of the most possible
assets, reducing the demand for external inputs, closing the nutrient loops, and reducing the
environmental impact of water discharges.3 The composting process contributes to the
transformation of biodegradable materials by-products into compost which occurs within the
presence of oxygen. There is also another way to recover the materials included in organic waste
in the absence of oxygen, which is anaerobic digestion. As the first process supports sustainable
agriculture in the production of fertilizers and the second supports the industry in the production
of energy, which is biogas that is like natural gas. As for the cascades, they are represented in
the use of existing materials in the production of new products. The cascades were represented
in the graph in three lines. I see that the first line is represented using already existing materials
in products, such as the use of orange peels in the production of textiles, and the second is the
reuse of biological waste in food products. Such as using banana peels to prepare ketchup, and
the third is using the material in other applications, such as using leftovers as animal feed. 4

1.3 How to implement circular economy in the built environment?

The linear economic model still drives architecture so far, so the built environment sector is the
main consumer of resources, as it is responsible for more than 35% of the total waste generation
and up to 40% of carbon emissions.5 So that to reduce environmental damage, the European
Commission has begun putting points on letters in the field of circular economy. Where its plan
began in April 2018 first to open the stage of sustainability performance testing throughout the
entire life cycle of buildings, and that is for organizations that wish to be part of the transition
towards a circular economy. Until the "Circular Economy - Principles of Building Design"
document was issued, in which three main points were summarized. First, durability, as it is
based on planning the service life of the building and the elements. Secondly, the ability to
adapt, which is seeking to extend the service life of the building through replacement and
renovation. Finally, it is to reduce waste and facilitate the management of high-quality waste.6

All engineers must change their thinking towards sustainability and implement the circular
economy approach in built environments to mitigate the climate crisis. Studies have shown that
establishing a circular economy for five sectors, namely cement, aluminum, steel, plastics, and
foodstuffs, can contribute to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 billion tons per
year. 20507. The architect must play the main role in the process of designing circular buildings,
as he ensures the design of a high-quality architectural building that work with in the client's

3 The Circular Economy Basics Series - The Biological Cycle. (2022, October 25). My Site. https://www.circularinnovationlab.com/post/the-circular-

economy-basics-series-the-biological-cycle
4 The biological cycle of the butterfly diagram. (n.d.). https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/the-biological-cycle-of-the-butterfly-diagram
5 The circular economy. An opportunity for engineering. – Técnicas Reunidas. (n.d.). https://www.tecnicasreunidas.es/articulo/the-circular-economy-

an-opportunity-for-engineering/
6 Prosdocimo, D. (2022, September 1). Circular economy in the built environment. ARCHIVIBE Architecture and Design News.

https://www.archivibe.com/circular-economy-inthe-built-environment/
7 Completing the picture: How the circular economy tackles climate change.2021 https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/completing-the-picture

LEARNING JOURNAL 7

needs with design considerations, in addition to achieving the circular economy and linking the
client, contractors, consultants, and other engineers in project.

Architects and interior designers can implement the circular economy in interior environments
through deconstruction design (DFD) which it is the process of designing a structure with the

goal of more effectively managing its end-of-life. To minimize waste production and maximize

the recovery of high-value secondary building components and materials for reuse and recycling,
the process is designed to ensure that structures can be easily disassembled. This creative

method enables architects to apply DFD principles throughout the planning phase of

construction projects to guarantee that the ensuing stages of remodeling, fixing, and demolishing
buildings are carried out successfully.8

Choosing building materials with a low environmental impact is part of the solution, but most
building materials still depend on fossil fuels and their derivatives, which consume a lot of energy.
Therefore, the correct selection of materials is an essential element in the design process. can
be choose:

- new biobased materials derived from non-fossil sources,

- new technical materials, which may come from fossil sources but are made to be
deconstructed or rebuilt in a way that allows for the greatest possible grade of reuse,

- biobased or technical materials that have been previously utilized,

- hybrid system designs that incorporate previously used, biobased, and/or technical
elements.

1.4 Upcycle House

One of the examples of circular economy in built-in

environment, which is Upcycle House. ARUP* has

implemented a circular design strategy of building in
layers that items of different lifespans can be separated

and removed, allowing long lasting items to be retained

in use even if items with shorter lifespans require

replacement. As it contributes to facilitating reuse,
recycling, and recycling, and also allows the building to

be in separate layers where each element can be Figure 3 Upcycle House Gallery of Upcycle House / Lendager Arkitekter -
repaired separately without affecting the building or its
1 (archdaily.com)

infrastructure.

8 Design for deconstruction 5.1 Definition. (n.d.). https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB1456.pdf
* Arup is a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in London which provides design, engineering, architecture, planning, and advisory services across every aspect of

the built environment. The firm employs approximately 16,000 staff in over 90 offices across 35 countries around the world. Arup Group - Wikipedia

LEARNING JOURNAL 8

2. Sustainable Design and

Sustainable Engineering Principles

“Sustainable design integrates consideration of resource and energy efficiency, healthy
buildings and materials, ecologically and socially sensitive land use and an aesthetic that
inspires, affirms and enables”9. A sustainable design solution can solve the environmental,
social, and economic challenges of a project while also providing a lasting and desirable
product. The combination of the design and its function makes it something that is prized and
endures. The goal of sustainable design is to create solutions that are both sustainable and
profitable.

While “sustainable engineering is the process of using resources in a way that does not
compromise the environment or deplete the materials for future generations. Sustainable
engineering requires an interdisciplinary approach in all aspects of engineering, and it should
not be designated as a sole responsibility of environmental engineering. All engineering fields
should incorporate sustainability into their practice to improve the quality of life for all.”10

Sustainability in general, is based on three pillars,
which are environmental, social, and economic as

shown in figure 3. The environmental pillar consists

of environmental aspects of preserving natural

resources, reducing pollution, and preserving

biodiversity. As for the social pillar, it pertains to the

members of society, as it maintains equal

opportunities and preserves education and

employment to ensure the preservation of living

standards. The third pillar, which is economic,
represents profit, growth, costs, and investments. All

these pillars must be intersection to implement

sustainability, while fall of single pillar causes an Figure 4 sustainability pillars https://www.pinterest.com/
imbalance in sustainability. Thus, the intersection of
the environment and economic pillars only produces viable living conditions but lacks social

stability. But when the environmental and social pillars meet, the societal conditions become

livable in until the money runs out. And when the economic and social pillars intersect, living

9 Union Internationale des Architectes’ Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future, Chicago, 1993
10 UNESCO. (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organiztion). https://www.unesco.org/en

conditions become fair at the expense of environmental deterioration, after which a person
cannot live in it.

The principles in sustainable design and sustainable
engineering are based on the three main pillars, but
the direction of the principles differs according to the
purpose. As sustainable design seeks to reduce
negative impacts on the environment, maintain the
health and comfort of the building's occupants, and
improve the building's functionality. To achieve this,
sustainable design is based on five principles shown
in Figure 2.

As for sustainable engineering, its principles Figure 5 sustainable design principles (PDF) WAYS OF INNOVATING IN
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRINCIPLES (researchgate.net)

centered on the three pillars are illustrated in Figure
5. The first principle is centered on the social pillar,
where it provides for the opportunity for individuals
and communities to increase their capabilities,
which is achieved by knowing the needs and
desires, which in turn will work to meet the needs
of individuals and allocate costs and benefits
through Buying and selling to maintain positive
investment. The second principle includes making
sure, as far as possible, of the safety of all inputs
and outputs of materials and energy to preserve
resources and the health of individuals and
organisms for the survival of biodiversity. The third
principle is to stay within the absorptive capacity of Figure 6 sustainable engineering principles 1.4 Principles of
the ecosystem in terms of resource development Sustainable Engineering | EME 807: Technologies for Sustainability Systems (psu.edu)
and waste absorption. The fourth principle is to
comprehensively engineer processes and use system analysis, integrating spillover impact
assessment tools.11

11 1.4 Principles of Sustainable Engineering | EME 807: Technologies for Sustainability Systems. (n.d.). https://www.e- 10
education.psu.edu/eme807/node/68

LEARNING JOURNAL

3. Sustainable Thinking and

Design Process.

When we talk about sustainability, the main goal is to meet current needs without affecting the
future needs of future generations. Typically, sustainability is represented by three crossing rings
that link the community, economy, and environment. While design thinking is a proven,
repeatable methodology for creating problem-solving creative and analytical approaches to
achieve extraordinary results. It is useful to integrate design thinking with sustainability.
Sustainability is based on society, the environment, and the economy, while design thinking is
in the direction of human values, technology, and the business, all of which contribute to
development. Sustainable design thinking integrates users, services, and systems and combines
sustainability principles and design thinking methodology, thus producing a greater impact
towards promoting and achieving sustainability. 12

Figure 7 Framework for sustainable development and design thinking ED571612.pdf

Sustainability is not only represented in recycling and preserving the environment, as most
people see it, but it is a way of life that all individuals must keep pace with. besides, the design
and construction of buildings and infrastructure have direct and indirect impacts on the
environment. Therefore, designers must consider sustainability as the basis of the design
process to build a better future for future generations. With the knowledge gained about
sustainable systems, designers can transform built environments by meeting user needs while
adding value to the design and seeking to reduce negative impacts on the environment and the
health and comfort of the building occupants.

12 Ricardo, H., Gonçalves, I., & Costa, A. C. (2018). Forecasting tourism demand for Lisbon’s region through a data mining approach. International
Conference on Information Systems, 58–66. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED571612.pdf

LEARNING JOURNAL 11

Every designer must follow the design process to
come up with a design that meets the user's
needs, solves problems, and improves the project.
As shown in figure 7, the first step is defining the
problem, and for me, to define the problem, we
must start by asking questions (who, what, when,
where, why) without thinking about an answer to
them. Rather, we think about the validity of these
questions and try to prove the problem. After
defining the problem, the second step is to
research and collect information that serves them
in answering questions. Then the third step is
brainstorming, which is to draw diagrams that
contain the data and information that collected
and ideas that can solve the problem. Then
comes the part of developing ideas into solutions Figure 8 the design process https://discoverdesign.org/handbook
which is in the fourth step, by drawing sketches
that place ideas and solution on the project. The fifth step is to present ideas to the client and
receive feedbacks from him to develop ideas, as there is no perfect solution from the first time.
After obtaining the feedback, the last stage comes, which is modifying according to the
feedbacks, and developing solutions to reach the final solution.13

The design program and how it is defined are two of the most critical factors that affect the
development of a sustainable design solution. Without a comprehensive understanding of the
program requirements, a project will not be able to meet its energy efficiency goals. Besides
energy efficiency, other factors such as long life, form, materials, and native place are also
considered to determine a sustainable design solution. Changing the process involved in the
design process significantly affects the product's design. Although all designs can be sustainable,
the education of the designers is also important to ensure that they are able to effectively solve
problems. This can be done by various sustainable models and principles.

13 The Design Process | Discover Design: A student design experience. (n.d.). http://archive.discoverdesign.org/design/process.html 12
LEARNING JOURNAL

4. The Impact of Buildings on
Climate Change

4.1 What is climate change?

Climate change is a phenomenon represented by long-term changes in the climate, including
temperature, precipitation, and winds due to human activities that produce carbon dioxide emissions.
Where this in turn affects the basic natural resources used by the individual.

4.2 The Global Warming Potential (GWP)

There are greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that trap heat in the atmosphere instead of
releasing it, causing global warming. There are four main types of greenhouse gases: methane,
carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. The global warming potential depends on
the greenhouse gas's ability to trap excess heat and how long it stays in the atmosphere14.

4.3 What is carbon footprint? Figure 9 carbon footprint

The carbon footprint expresses the weight of carbon
dioxide emissions generated in tons, and it is a
measure of the impact of human activities on the
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through
burning fossil fuels and is linked to energy use. Which,
the more energy a building uses and produces
greenhouse gases, the higher the carbon footprint,
and therefore energy use must be reduced. In the
building and replacing the energy source that emits
greenhouse gases with a renewable source free of
them.15

4.4 how do building affect climate change?

Buildings are responsible for greenhouse gases during and after the construction phase, as the first
type of building that is made of concrete and steel produces a lot of carbon emissions, as the
materials represent 10% of the global annual greenhouse gases. In addition, the energy that you
use to operate the building also produces greenhouse gases. Which, the largest consumer of
electricity energy in buildings is air conditioners, and their numbers are increasing with the rise in

14 Understanding Global Warming Potentials. (2022, May 5). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials
15 Budds, D. (2019b, September 19). How buildings contribute to climate change. Curbed.

https://archive.curbed.com/2019/9/19/20874234/buildings-carbon-emissions-climate-change

LEARNING JOURNAL 13

temperatures due to global warming. Also, air conditioners contain a gas called F, which is more
dangerous to the environment than carbon dioxide16

Therefore, the solution is going to create green buildings, it contributes to preserving the
environment as they use less water, energy and other natural resources. It also combats climate
change and reduces heat through a strategy of saving energy by covering the building with plants.
This contributes to reducing the heating rate in the winter to 5% and increasing the cooling
capacity by up to 33% in the summer. And also create fewer greenhouse gas emissions.17

It is possible to produce a green building approved by greenhouses by 62% less through simple
changes in the building such as adding green walls and roofs, using LED lights in addition to
increasing windows and adjusting ventilation systems.

4.5 How can Building Life Cycle Assessment help fight Climate Change?

Life cycle assessment is a scientific, criteria-based methodology that objectively measures the
environmental impact of a process, product, or service. The carbon footprint of the building is
measured during the life cycle assessment to obtain an accurate knowledge of its contribution to
global warming. Life cycle assessment helps find solutions to reduce the carbon footprint and
materials that produce greenhouse emissions to design a more sustainable building based on
reliable and quantifiable data.

16 Gates, B. (n.d.). Buildings are bad for the climate. Gatesnotes.Com. https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/Buildings-are-good-for-people-and-bad-
for-the-climate

17 Why green buildings aren’t just good for the planet. (2022, February 17). World Economic Forum.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/02/green-buildings-can-boost-productivity-well-being-and-health-of-workers

LEARNING JOURNAL 14

5. Green Construction Industry.

The construction sector is one of the most harmful sectors to the environment, as it produces
40% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the world. It consumes large amounts of raw
materials and natural resources and also produces large amounts of waste, estimated at one-
third of the world's total waste18 Therefore, it is the responsibility of decision makers to move
towards green building by using sustainable materials and to consider the green standards in
the construction project.

5.1 What is green construction industry?

The green construction stands on three pillars, which are materials, energy, and waste. When
building is called sustainable, the materials used must be sustainable, as they can be reused,
repaired, recycled, and recycled. And it must achieve energy efficiency, that is, less energy is
used for the same task tool. As well as to reducing waste production.

According to the State Organization of Building Research Networks, the Conseil International du
Bâtiment (CIB), Green construction is “. . . creating and operating a healthy built environment
based on resource efficiency and ecological design.”19

5.2 why green construction industry is important?

green construction is important and should be implemented on a larger scale around the world
because it contributes to improving the environmental, social, and economic aspects at the same
time. As from the environmental aspect, green building contributes to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by reducing energy use throughout the life stages of the building. It preserves the
environment's resources, as it uses sustainable materials.

From the social aspects, there are studies and research carried out by a group of researchers
to study the impact of green construction on community members. Allen et al. (2015), through
their studies, found human health in green buildings compared to non-green buildings. They
found that those who live in green buildings enjoy a high degree of comfort and psychological
and physical health. In the work environment, they found that green buildings contribute to
raising the productivity of employees as well and reducing their absence from work. And in
residential buildings, the tenant turnover rate and vacancy rate decreased.20

on the economic side, sustainable buildings contribute to the increase in profit, which is proven
by the report issued by Morgan Stanley, which shows that projects that use sustainable materials

18 Miller, N. (n.d.). The industry creating a third of the world’s waste. BBC Future. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211215-the-buildings-made-from-rubbish 15
19 Kibert, C. J. (2012). Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery (3rd ed.). Wiley.
20 Karji, A., Ghorbani, Z., rokoui, & Tafazzoli. (n.d.). REVISITING SOCIAL ASPECT OF GREEN BUILDINGS: BARRIERS, DRIVERS, AND

BENEFITS. In Research Gate [Conference Paper]. CSCE 2021 Annual Conference.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353224927_REVISITING_SOCIAL_ASPECT_OF_GREEN_BUILDINGS_BARRIERS_DRIVERS_AND_BENEFITS

LEARNING JOURNAL

and project management techniques have rental rates faster by up to 20% than average, in
addition to that they require a rental premium of 3%.21 In addition, it achieves energy and water
efficiency, as it consumes 26% less energy and saves 13% in maintenance costs compared to
average commercial buildings.22

5.3 How to implement sustainability in construction project?

The implementation of sustainability in construction begins at the design stage, during which
the engineer decides the sustainable features and steps that must be taken to implement the
construction. In addition to the use of sustainable materials in construction to contribute to
reducing the impact on the environment, such as bamboo, cork, wood, and recycled metal. Or
the use of materials used in demolished buildings that have been preserved, such as the durable
metals, concrete, and other materials.

When building, smart building processes are chosen that contribute to the real impact on the
environment. Like modular construction, it involves the use of larger components that are
manufactured in an off-site facility and then assembled to create the structure. As it reduces the
waste that may be produced by the traditional construction process and contributes to
maintaining energy efficiency by modern equipment, moreover, it produces high-quality
construction in a shorter time. In addition to this, putting alternative energy sources such as
solar panels into operation, give the building a long-term value that contributes to generating
green energy and energy efficiency.

5.4 Green construction obstacles

Creating green buildings is not an easy task, as there are obstacles facing engineers and
contractors in the green construction process. The first is the presence of heavy equipment
during the construction process, as it produces emissions that cause pollution in the
environment, so there are regulations that determine the level of emissions during construction.
It is possible that the new technology is the alternative solution for heavy equipment, but its
cost is very high. The economic aspect is often the main obstacle, as the cost of sustainable
building practices is seen by people as additional and unnecessary to the project, while in the
long run, its cost is lower than traditional buildings.

21 Green means go: Sustainable construction is driving the industry forward. (2020, May 16). Construction Digital. 16
https://constructiondigital.com/built-environment/green-means-go-sustainable-construction-is-driving-the-industry-forward

22 Hwang, B. G., Zhu, L., Wang, Y., & Cheong, X. (2017). Green Building Construction Projects in Singapore: Cost Premiums and Cost
Performance. Project Management Journal, 48(4), 67–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/875697281704800406

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6. Interior Design Engineering

Projects, LCA Methodology and

Future of Interior Built

Environments.

A technique known as life cycle assessment (LCA), also known as life cycle analysis or Cradle
to Grave analysis, can be used to assess the environmental impacts of a product or service over
time. A product's environmental impact can occur at any point in its life cycle, from when raw
materials are obtained to when the product is used to when it is discarded. The existence of a
product can be divided into distinct phases known as stages of the life cycle. LCA can be used
to assess a product's environmental impact at any stage of its life cycle, from the beginning to
the end. These assessments are critical for Greenly Earth.

When raw materials are transferred from the extraction site to the factory (plant) site. (cradle),
and during the raw material processing to the final desired product phase. Finally, the product
is disposed of. (grave)

6.1 LCA Goal Identification

The study's goal, according to the ISO 14040 standard, should define the study's intended use
and the purpose for implementing it. The intended audience, or those who will be informed of
the findings. The goal is to determine whether or not the results will be used in public comparing
claims in collaboration with the study's commissioner. The objectives for conducting the research
by the commissioner,

as well as the planned purposes and audience for the study's findings, should all be clearly
recorded. This is the most crucial element to consider while determining the scope of the
investigation.

6.2 LCA Scope Identification

The scope should identify the study's detail and depth, as well as show that the goal can be
met within the limits. While determining the scope of the study, the following items should be
reviewed and mentioned:

1. The product's system
2. The roles of the product system, functional unit, and reference flow

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3. The system's capacity
4. Allocation of resources procedures
5. The methodology and effect categories to be analyzed, as well as the interpretation to be

performed
6. Information requirements
7. Beliefs and restrictions
8. Standards for data quality
9. Criteria for a critical review
10. Report format and type required for the study

Some of these elements are covered in further depth farther down. Because LCA is an iterative
process, certain components of the scope may need to be updated as data and information are
obtained to satisfy the study's aim.

6.3 The Purpose of the LCA

1. Quantify or otherwise describe each input and output that occurs during the life of a
building.

2. Describe any potential environmental effects of these material flows.

3. Alternative strategies that enhance those effects ought to be considered.

6.4 System Boundaries

System boundaries are established to define the processes associated with the product, with
consideration of data, cost and the various intended applications. To determine the boundaries,
several dimensions are used, which are:

o The boundaries between the technological system and nature:

A life cycle typically starts at the point where raw materials and energy carriers are extracted
from nature. while waste generation typically occurs in the final stages.

o Geographical area:

In most LCA studies, geography is crucial because different regions have different infrastructures
for producing electricity, managing waste, and managing transportation. Ecosystems'
susceptibility to environmental effects also varies regionally.

o Time horizon:

It is necessary to establish boundaries in both time and space. LCAs are performed to assess
current impacts and forecast potential future outcomes. Time limits are imposed by the
technologies used, pollutants' lifespan, etc.

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o Production of capital goods:

Including capital goods in the analysis depends on the main objective of the LCA. This is done
by comparing the production and operation of new equipment with the continuous use of
existing equipment.

o Boundaries between the life cycle of the studied product and the relevant life cycles of
other products:

Sometimes the decision rule for collective contribution is applied, which is the exclusion of
processes that make a minor contribution to the overall environmental load of the product
system. The rule is applied while the single process block was very few and insignificant. But
this process should not be considered of environmental importance as a contribution to
emissions of toxic chemicals.

6.5 Life Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCI)

Life cycle inventory analysis (LCI) entails gathering and calculating data to calculate the inputs
and outputs of materials and energy associated with a product system under consideration. In
this case, all inputs and outputs of a unit process and a product system are related to the unit
process's main output and the product system's final product, respectively.

The Selected Project

The selected project is startup incubator at gulf university for engineers who have creative ideas
and intend to enter the world of entrepreneurship in a professional way. it is contained three
floor, first floor does not include the project, while the second floor required to design small
selected area for reception, open library, and waiting area. And hole third floor, consist of co-
working space with further facilities. This project will analyze and evaluate LCA phases to improve
it.

Data Profile

Type
Educational - Business Building

Location
Sanad, Bahrain

Area
978 m2

Year Figure 10 the building – personal work
Unfinished

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The Plan 3D Renders

Figure 11 ground floor - personal work Figure 12 reception area render - personal work
Figure 15 first floor - personal work Figure 13 booths area render - personal work
Figure 14 incubator area render - personal work

Figure 17 second floor - personal work Figure 16 open work space render - personal work
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6.6 Functional Unit (FU)

FU Flow Chart

Functional Unit Table

Figure 18 Life Cycle - FU chart 21
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Figure 19 Functional unit table

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Figure 20 Functional unit table (cont.)

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Figure 21 Functional unit table (cont.)

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6.7 Inventory Analysis

1.Production unit process

Figure 22

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2. Transport process 26

Figure 23

3. Construction process

Figure 24

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4. Operation & Maintenance process 27

Figure 25

5. End-of-life process

Figure 26

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6.8 Impact Assessment (LCIA)

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the
environmental impact of a product based on data on resource use, energy consumption, and
other emissions that are supplied following inventory analysis. The corresponding materials and
energy are converted by LCIA into impact indicators that are clear. These metrics describe how
seriously each effect category contributes to the environmental load. There are multiple steps in
an LCIA, as seen in Figure. 1. These indications are reached by a sequence of actions that ISO
14040 and ISO 14044 advise. Examples of impacts on the ecological environment include
acidification, eutrophication, ozone layer depletion, global warming, and others. These
descriptions are known as category indicators in LCIA, which are numerical objects that fall under
impact categories.
Due to an indication of environmental effects as a percentage of a reference unit, the LCIA is
unable to calculate the impacts' exact size. the integration of environmental data throughout
both time and space.
And there is considerable uncertainty in modeling environmental effects. Also, the possibility of
some environmental harm in the future.

Figure 27: system Boundary diagram – LCA Process

Figure 28 Elements of the LCIA procedure. LCIA, life
cycle impact assessment.

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Impact Assessment Classification

1.Production unit process

In production unit process, aluminum material is the highest value of contributor with
78884833901 KG of GWP,

2. Transport process

In Transport process is the largest contributor with bricks in highest value of GWP with 29
1.6237x 10^19 KG of GWP.

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3. Construction process

Figure 29

While in Construction process, aluminum material is the highest with 1.753 x10^1 of GWP.

4. Operation & Maintenance process

Figure 30

While in M/O process, Water Consumption is the highest contributor by 12712427.52 kg of
GWP

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4. End-of-life process

Figure 31

The largest contributor in End-of-life process is gypsum board partition which is
16331447.56 Kg of GWP.

Summary:

o In my project which is incubator at gulf university, I evaluate the inventory prosses for
the LCIA by using five schedules of processes to determine the GWP.

o In production unit process, aluminum material is the highest value of contributor with
78884833901 KG of GWP. it is importent material in construction of the building on
window and doors frames, panels, domed roofs, and other wide-span constructions. it is
highest material because it has highest eco-indicator.

o In Transport process is the largest contributor with bricks in highest value of GWP with
1.6237x 10^19 KG of GWP. because it has highest quantity.

o In Construction process, aluminum material is the highest with 1.753 x10^1 of GWP.
because it has high value of Eco-indicator.

o The largest contributor in End-of-life process is gypsum board partition which is
16331447.56 Kg of GWP. Because it is not sustainable material, because in demolition
step it will be as waste.

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6.9 Interpretation

Figure 32 flow chart of highest and largest contributor – student work

The Solutions

01: There is a lot of aluminum ore. Aluminum can be easily recycled at a cheap energy cost,
but its extraction requires a lot of energy. Can be reduce the value in production by replace to
100% recycling aluminum which decrease GWP from 78884833901 kg to 24460413613
kg.

02: Transport prosses is the largest contributor in LCA, because brick material in this prosses
has highest contributor, which GWP is 1.6237x 10^19 kg. Bricks used as structural
component for interior and exterior walls. And when transport the bricks material with 40 ton
truck with 15 eco-indicator value, thus, the GWP of brick will be 1.26412 x10^19, and the
total GWP of the prosses will be 4.2696 x 10^18. The second alternative solution is change
the transport truck with 40 tons for all materials so the total GWP will be reduce from
1.6237x 10^19 Kg to 1.31659 x10^19 Kg.

03: should decrease the GWP by replace aluminum material to alternative material, like
windows frame and doors can be replaced to wood material. which will be help to reduce the
GWP of aluminum from 1.753 x10^12 kg to 17530027689 Kg.

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04: the GWP of Water Consumption should be decrease by connecting the tank to the
sprinkler bales for garden watering, and rainwater collection.

05: gypsum board is not sustainable material, because in demolition phase will be as waste,
cannot be reuse, recycle or renewable. so that, the solution is replace it to sustainable material
like saveBOARD material, it is multipurpose and consider as low-carbon green alternatives,
with 100% recycled material.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the results of the inventory analysis and impact assessment are summarized in
points for the interpretation step, which culminates in a set of results and suggestions, where
the interpretation must contain a set of points in accordance with the ISO specification. The
second is a research evaluation that includes tests for completeness, sensitivity, and
consistency to improve confidence in the results of the LCA and LCIA study. And then
recommendations, limits, and conclusions for the target audience of the LCA or LCIA by
drawing the results and highlighting the limits while providing proposed solutions.

The new design will be considered implement more sustainable materials, increases energy
efficiency by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and
lowering the costs on a household and economy-wide level. also, will consider the waste
reduction and water conservation.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, I have enough understanding about sustainable engineering and
design. It concluded that the circular economy is the sustainable model of
production and consumption, and it is the best option in the environments
described because it does not waste resources and reduces waste and carbon
dioxide emissions. And the integration of design thinking with sustainability creates
a combination of sustainability principles and design methodology, which
strengthens the impact on promoting sustainability in design. I concluded that
buildings have a significant impact on climate change, so I think that decision
makers should move towards creating green buildings. And now I have an
understanding and knowledge of assessing the life cycle of buildings, as it
calculates the environmental impact of the building components from the first
stage, which is the extraction of materials, to the last stage, which is the end of
the life span. the results of the inventory analysis and impact assessment are
summarized in points for the interpretation step, which culminates in a set of
results and suggestions, where the interpretation must contain a set of points in
accordance with the ISO specification. The second is a research evaluation that
includes tests for completeness, sensitivity, and consistency to improve confidence
in the results of the LCA and LCIA study. And then recommendations, limits, and
conclusions for the target audience of the LCA or LCIA by drawing the results and
highlighting the limits while providing proposed solutions. The new design will be
considered implement more sustainable materials, increases energy efficiency by
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and
lowering the costs on a household and economy-wide level. also, will consider the
waste reduction and water conservation.

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References

1. The butterfly diagram: visualising the circular economy. (n.d.-b). https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-
economy-diagram

2. The Circular Economy Basics Series - The Technical Cycle. (2022, October 25). My Site.
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of-the-butterfly-diagram

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16. Gates, B. (n.d.). Buildings are bad for the climate. Gatesnotes.Com. https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/Buildings-are-
good-for-people-and-bad-for-the-climate

17. Why green buildings aren’t just good for the planet. (2022, February 17). World Economic Forum.
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18. Miller, N. (n.d.). The industry creating a third of the world’s waste. BBC Future.
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19. Kibert, C. J. (2012). Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery (3rd ed.). Wiley.

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20. Karji, A., Ghorbani, Z., rokoui, & Tafazzoli. (n.d.). REVISITING SOCIAL ASPECT OF GREEN BUILDINGS:
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BARRIERS_DRIVERS_AND_BENEFITS

21. Green means go: Sustainable construction is driving the industry forward. (2020, May 16). Construction Digital.
https://constructiondigital.com/built-environment/green-means-go-sustainable-construction-is-driving-the-industry-
forward

22. Hwang, B. G., Zhu, L., Wang, Y., & Cheong, X. (2017). Green Building Construction Projects in Singapore: Cost
Premiums and Cost Performance. Project Management Journal, 48(4), 67–79.
https://doi.org/10.1177/875697281704800406

23. Kanters, J. (2020). Circular Building Design: An Analysis of Barriers and Drivers for a Circular Building Sector.
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List of Figures

Figure 1: https://www.rts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/diagram2.png

Figure 2: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

Figure 3: Gallery of Upcycle House / Lendager Arkitekter - 1 (archdaily.com)

Figure 4: https://www.pinterest.com/

Figure 5: (PDF) WAYS OF INNOVATING IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRINCIPLES
(researchgate.net)

Figure 6: 1.4 Principles of Sustainable Engineering | EME 807: Technologies for Sustainability Systems
(psu.edu)

Figure 7: ED571612.pdf

Figure 8: https://discoverdesign.org/handbook

Figure 9: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecomatcher.com%2Fthe-basics-of-
a-carbon-
footprint%2F&psig=AOvVaw0P0Y4wXSxbYB6AHgB0mTbM&ust=1672210373505000&source=images&c
d=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJjNl5ybmfwCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAx

figure 27: https://www.rit.edu/sustainabilityinstitute/blog/what-life-cycle-assessment-lca

figure 28: http://www.iea-ebc.org/Data/publications/EBC_Annex_31_LCA_Methods_for_Buildings.pdf

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