Unit 55 Alternative Sustainable Solutions in Construction (J/650/4844) Assignment Brief 2026

Unit 55 Alternative Sustainable Solutions in Construction Assignment Brief

Introduction

The construction industry seeks to be dynamic and forward thinking but most buildings are still constructed using many of the same materials and processes that have been utilised for centuries.

While there is accumulated knowledge in the use of tried and tested methods they are not always the most efficient or cost effective. This, combined with the fact that the construction industry is one of the largest contributors to emissions, means that it is under increasing pressure and legislative requirements to improve its processes and practices. However, the industry also faces other challenges. As one of the most important sectors of the global economy, it is important that construction is able to meet the demands for housing and institutional and commercial development. Traditional methods of construction will not be sufficient. One of the ways in which the sector is exploring how to address sustainability and increase productivity is through the development and implementation of alternative forms of construction.

Buildings use about 40 per cent of global energy, 25 per cent of global water and 40 per cent of global resources in their construction and operation. Globally, governments have recognised the importance of tackling energy consumption in the built environment and have instituted legislation to address these issues. This has often been supported by financial incentives to implement alternative energy systems and processes. Technologies that harness renewable solutions are now established and are generating power and heat. Along with other innovations, such as heat pumps and biofuel, they are often incorporated into the design for new construction projects.

On successful completion of this unit, students will have examined how the construction industry impacts on the environment, explored alternative construction methods that are fit for purpose and government policy implications, and designed a fit-for-purpose structure using an alternative construction method.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, a student will be able to:

LO1 Explain how socio-economic, legislative and environmental factors impact on the consideration and selection of renewable energy resources and technologies

LO2 Investigate alternative construction methods suitable for new build and retrofit that include alternative energy solutions alongside techniques that improve energy efficiency through the design and specification of modern materials and technologies

LO3 Prepare a retrofit design solution for a given building to improve the performance of the building fabric and energy utilisation

LO4 Present the retrofit solution for the given building and evaluate the solution and presentation.

Essential Content

LO1 Explain how socio-economic, legislative and environmental factors impact on the consideration and selection of renewable energy resources and technologies

• Sustainable development:
• Meeting current and future demands, e.g., Brundtland definition, global demographics, trends and predictions, population growth, urbanisation, UN sustainability development goals, the balance of urban/rural space.
• Environmental protection:
• Environmental characteristics, e.g., environment features, global warming, carbon emissions, government and national targets, construction statistics.
• Environmental issues:
• Impact of environmental issues on alternative sustainable construction, e.g., climate change, planetary energy balance, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), carbon cycle science, the 2°C climate-change obligation, carbon capture, pollution prevention and management.
• Social and economic factors:
• Socio-economic impact of construction, e.g., government influences, construction statistics, housing statistics, affordable homes, urbanisation, greenfield and brownfield sites.
• Government policy:
• Local/regional/national planning, policies and regulations, such as approved documents, e.g., Part L, Part F, health and safety legislation, carbon taxes, Bonfield Review, PAS 2035.
• Systems thinking and socio-technical systems:
• Politics and economics of sustainable construction, e.g., Kyoto Protocol, Montreal Protocol, Paris Agreement, UN Climate Change Conference (COP), European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.
• Sustainability protocols:
• Sustainable construction of homes protocols, e.g., Passivhaus Trust, Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Code for Sustainable Homes, retrofit solutions, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

LO2 Investigate alternative construction methods suitable for new build and retrofit that include alternative energy solutions alongside techniques that improve energy efficiency through the design and specification of modern materials and technologies

• Energy demand and security of supply:
• Energy demand and security of construction design solutions, e.g., energy consumption changes, intensity and trends (domestic, industrial, transport, service sectors), factors affecting changes in energy consumption and demand, future demand planning based on trends and needs analysis, risk analysis for energy supplies for UK and local areas.
• Energy reduction and efficiency approaches:
• Reducing energy use, during construction and post construction, e.g., energy saving and reduction schemes, energy-saving technologies available, grants and government schemes, effect of such schemes on supply and demand.
• Low-carbon transport systems:
• Sustainable cities, green building, power storage and distribution, sustainable logistics, waste and recycling, vehicle to grid.
• Construction methods:
• Timber frame, prefabrication, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), offsite manufacture, modulisation/componentisation, robotics, autonomous building.
• Alternative methods of power generation:
• Solar power, passive solar heating, wind energy technology, ocean energy technology, hydroelectric and micro-hydro power turbine geothermal energy, combined heat and power, heat pumps, storage technologies.

LO3 Prepare a retrofit design solution for a given building to improve the performance of the building fabric and energy utilisation

• Selection of alternative sustainable solution techniques:
• Building types and their needs, consumer needs, technical aspects, economical aspects, social aspects, environmental aspects, manufacturer specifications.
• Calculation of the impact of a retrofit design solution and environmental benefits:
• Data analysis and calculations, e.g., review of product specifications, comparison of product, effectiveness of product selection, e.g., price, appearance, longevity, adhering to regulation, U-values, energy-generation values, sustainability, carbon emissions, footprint and neutrality.
• Digital planning and design software:
• Construction planning and design software tools to develop design ideas, e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Photoshop.
• Construction information:
• Construction design drawings, e.g., floor plans, elevations, sections, details, sketches, models, perspectives, rendered, photo-realisation.
• Financial and environmental implications:
• Cost-benefit analysis, socio-economic factors, financial implications of renewable and conventional energy systems, whole lifecycle costing.
• Presentation and skills:
• Consideration of audience, venue, environment, documentation, resources, time management, clarity, concision, voice.

LO4 Present the retrofit solution for the given building and evaluate the solution and presentation

• Communicating results:
• Types of communication methods, e.g., written, verbal, the medium, e.g., different report formats, online, presentation. Multi-media presentation tools, e.g., PowerPoint, Prezi, Google slides, Microsoft Sway, Adobe Spark.
• Video conferencing, e.g., Zoom, Adobe Connect, Google Hangouts, Slack video calls.
• Communicating skills:
• Verbal and non-verbal communication skills required to meet audience requirements, e.g., eye contact, pitch, pace.
• Communicating and persuading internal/external stakeholders, e.g., negotiation and sales skills.
• Reflection for learning and practice:
• Differences between reflecting on performance and evaluating a project − the former considers the research process, information gathering and data collection, the latter the quality of the research argument and use of evidence.
• The cycle of reflection and using reflection to inform future behaviour.
• Reflective practice, including feedback, e.g., self-evaluation, peer and expert.
• Reflective practice tools, e.g., Schön (1991) Reflection in Action and Reflection on Action, Kolb’s Model of Experiential Learning (1984), Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper ‘What’ Model (2001), Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1998).
• Reflective writing – writing to avoid generalisation, focusing on personal development and the research journey in a critical and objective way.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Recommended Resources

Print resources

COTTERELL, J. and DADEBY, A. (2012) The Passivhaus Handbook: a practical guide to constructing and retrofitting buildings for ultra-low energy performance. Devon: Green Books.

ELIZABETH, L. and ADAMS, C. (2005) Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GARBER, R. (2014) BIM Design: Realising the Creative Potential of Building Information Modelling. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

HICKEY, T. (2014) Construction Technology: Designing Sustainable Homes. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan Ltd.

HOGAN-O’NEILL, W. (2021) Prefabricated and Modular Architecture: Aligning Design with Manufacture and Assembly. Marlborough: The Crowood Press Ltd.

JONES, B. (2015) Building with Straw Bales: A Practical Manual for Self-Builders and Architects. Cambridge: Green Books.

PELSMAKERS, S. (2022) The Environmental Design Pocketbook. 2nd Edition. RIBA Publishing.

WATTS, A. (2019) Modern Construction Envelopes: Systems for architectural design and prototyping. 3rd ed. London: Birkhauser.

Links

This unit links to the following related units:

• Unit 3: Science & Materials
• Unit 4: The Construction Environment
• Unit 6: Digital Applications for Construction Information
• Unit 9: Principals of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
• Unit 13: Building Information Modelling
• Unit 16: Principles of Alternative Energy
• Unit 23: Construction Economics & Sustainability
• Unit 24 Principles of Off-site Construction
• Unit 35: Sustainable Methods of Construction.

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