Integrating key aspects of landscape and sustainable building development with the use of environmental assessment tools

Gowri Shankar, Gayathiri (2021) Integrating key aspects of landscape and sustainable building development with the use of environmental assessment tools. PhD thesis, University of Gloucestershire. doi:10.46289/ARTS2271

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Abstract

In this research, the Building Research Establishment and Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) tool, which is the longest serving tool of its kind in the world, is evaluated using a robust Landscape Framework. The BREEAM tool evolved in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1990 to address critical environmental issues such as climate change, the fossil fuel crisis and rapid urbanisation. The English planning system encourages new buildings and major refurbishment to adopt this tool to promote Sustainable Building Development (SBD). Recently, landscape practitioners in the UK have raised concern that the tool focuses around energy, transport, materials, and ecological aspects (such as native species), while other fundamental landscape values are not considered. Landscape is fundamental in terms of building and infrastructure, as it is a combination of different components such as land use, nature and wildlife and is a key aspect of culture. The SBD context is often characterised as comprising three pillars - environment, society and economy. However, to fully integrate landscape, this research incorporates a fourth pillar, that of culture. A Landscape Framework is developed as part of this research using these four pillars and captures fundamental values of landscape in relation to SBD from both the academics’ and practitioners’ perspective. The evaluation exercise identified that the BREEAM tool has a significant gap, which is in addressing the landscape. The evaluation of other building and infrastructure assessment tools emphasise that a sustainable approach is required from the outset of a building development until the end of its life. Consequently, a Sustainable Landscape Development Framework has been proposed as part of this research to be integrated with the existing BREEAM tool, by setting out five stages to capture the full life cycle of building development. This approach redefines SBD and reconnects people with the surrounding environment.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Thesis Advisors:	Thesis Advisor Email URL Mitchell, Allan amitchell@glos.ac.uk UNSPECIFIED Booth, David dbooth@glos.ac.uk https://www.glos.ac.uk/staff/profile/david-booth/ Gaskell, Peter pgaskell@glos.ac.uk https://www.glos.ac.uk/staff/profile/peter-gaskell/
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Landscape; Sustainable building; Environmental assessment; Building Research Establishment and Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences N Fine Arts > NA Architecture > NA9000 Aesthetics of cities. City planning and beautifying.
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Creative Arts
Depositing User:	Susan Turner
Date Deposited:	05 Aug 2021 15:54
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2023 07:36
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/10034

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