5. EBSCO, A Sustainable Framework

7/29/2019 5. EBSCO, A Sustainable Framework

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A sustainable frameworkof green specification

for construction in Hong KongPatrick T.I. Lam and Edwin H.W. Chan

Department of Building and Real Estate,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong

C.K. ChauDepartment of Building Services Engineering,

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and

C.S. Poon

Department of Civil & Structural Engineering,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract

Purpose A specification can be an effective contractual tool to help achieve green construction.In Hong Kong, a multifarious specification arrangement exists in the construction industry, despiteprogress being madein the public and privateorganizationstowards green practice. The purposeof thispaper is to propose a green specification framework by modeling after established green specificationsystems.

Design/methodology/approach Three sample work sections of green specification have beenprepared for concrete, paint and lighting to represent structural, architectural and building servicestrades, with which a series of interviews with construction stakeholders was conducted. Assisted by astructured questionnaire, the time, cost, quality and liability implications of the proposed frameworkwere studied.

Findings Apart from minor additional cost, time and liability impacts, which would level off withincreasing use of green products and practice, the quality of construction is perceived to be good if theframework is adopted.

Originality/value The proposed framework embraces the important facets for specifying greenconstruction. A roadmap is also recommended for its sustainable adoption. The methodology andresults will be of good reference value for other jurisdictions.

Keywords Construction industry, Hong Kong, Specifications, Sustainability, Project management

Paper type Research paper

1. IntroductionWhilst drawings show the design of a construction project in graphical form,specifications depict the quality of materials and workmanship, in addition to other

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/1472-5967.htm

The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant from the Intra-FacultyCompetitive Allocation of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Project No. G-YF07).The assistance rendered by Carol Chan (Research Associate) and K.H. Chan (ResearchAssistant), as well as the insights of interviewees and respondents, are also gratefullyacknowledged.

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Received July 2010Accepted October 2010

Journal of Facilities Management

Vol. 9 No. 1, 2011

pp. 16-33

q Emerald Group Publishing Limited

1472-5967

DOI 10.1108/14725961111105718


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general requirements in text mode. The importance of sustainability in constructionhas prompted specifiers to make specifications a contractual tool in achieving greentargets of construction clients. Most developed economies have adopted differentspecification systems for their construction works; hence, different approaches are

being used in incorporating green requirements in their specifications.Countries which have established their national specification systems, such as the

MasterFormat developed by the respective Construction Specification Institutes (CSI)in the USA and Canada, are being matched with libraries of green specification clausesand guidelines produced by organizations such as the National Institute of BuildingSciences in the USA. The federal green specifications form part of the Whole BuildingDesign Guide (WBDG) in providing green guidelines for federal government projects.In parallel, the BuildingGreen Incorporated in the USA also produce green specificationguidelines in their BuildingGreen.com web site. Both sets of guidelines follow thestructure of CSI divisions in the MasterFormat for easy insertion and they providehints on accreditation under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) scheme. Canadian public works rely on the spec note environmental,which are notes located within the text or before the work sections of the NationalMaster Specification, to direct specifiers to the choice of green materials and theirinstallation.

In the UK, the National Green Specification provides guidance on sustainableconstruction in addition to information on green products. Specifiers can choose tofollow the guidance in developing their own specifications. Another body of standardspecifications called the National Building Specification (NBS) has also developedgreen elements in their standard suite of clauses for each trade. According to NBS(2008), it adopts the approach of integrating green issues with all the other performancerequirements, such as fire, strength, durability, etc. instead of setting them apart fromthe conventional design and specification processes. Another source of guidance is

from the Building Research Establishment, which provides specification notes toregistered users on materials with rankings based on its own environmental profilingmethodology.

Similar approach is being taken by the Australian national specification provider,the NATSPEC. Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles are written intothe standard specification clauses, which are made available on subscription basis.Clients who are committed to building sustainable construction can opt to use thoseclauses and a summary of ESD-related items included in the specification worksections are given in a report (NATSPEC, 2008).

In Hong Kong, the public sector has taken the lead to incorporate sustainableconstruction principles into its standard specifications. Both the Architectural ServicesDepartment (ASD) and the Housing Department have revised their standard

specifications, with sustainability as the key objective in line with global consciousnesson the environment (ASD, 2007). Yet, the green elements are dispersed in the clausessuch that it would not be convenient for further updating and it would be difficult forthe private sector to adopt these initiatives by incorporation into the individuallyprepared specifications of the latter. Unlike other developed economies as mentioned,Hong Kong does not have a common specification system which is available on asubscription basis (such as MasterFormat, NBS and NATSPEC). Previous studies(Lam et al., 2009a, b) have indicated the need for green specification guides and

Greenspecification for

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a common database for overcoming the barriers in adopting green building practice.Hence, although the detail contents can be left to individual designers, a commonframework for green specifying is considered necessary for striving ahead in thepromotion of sustainable construction.

An independent research has been carried out in an attempt to develop such a greenspecification framework in Hong Kong, with views collected from stakeholders fordrawing up a roadmap leading to its sustainable adoption. The experience gainedshould be of interest and reference value for other jurisdictions which have similarconstruction industry backgrounds and a multifarious specification regime.

2. Methods in this researchThrough a comprehensive literature review, the principles for sustainable constructionare made explicit. A study is then carried out on the green guidelines of the majornational specification systems mentioned above, including NATSPEC in Australia,National Green Specification in the UK, the federal green specification and the

GreenBuilding.com in the USA. Whilst overall coverage of all trades would give ageneral understanding of the green guidelines, the fundamental principles of asustainable framework can be illustrated adequately using representative worksections without undue repetition to suit the length of journal articles. Hence, tofacilitate comparison, particular attention was paid to three work sections of eachspecification system and they include Concrete, Paint and Lighting. The rationale forthe first choice is based on the fact that most modern high-rise buildings use concreteas a structural material to large quantities. Paint, an architecturally significantelement, was chosen as the other section due to its environmental impact in terms of itsmanufacture, application and post-occupancy effect on human being. Lighting ischosen since it forms part of the building services which consume energy throughoutthe life of buildings, in addition to the environmental issues which can arise during its

manufacture and disposal. Paint and lighting are also essential provisions in almostany building types. Moreover, these three work sections are present in all thespecification systems being studied.

Since all specification work sections are sub-divided into materials and workmanship(or execution), Tables I and II, respectively, show the relationships of the proposedcomponents under material and execution groupings with the major specificationsystems in Australia, the UK and the USA, focusing on the Concrete, Paint and Lightingwork sections. It can be seen that although not every component of the proposedframework finds application in the Concrete, Paint and Lighting work sections of all thespecification systems being studied, there is at least some relevance to certain worksections amongst the three. The nil items indicate that the particular work sectionsdo not mention the proposed components under a specification system being studied

(e.g. embodied energy not mentioned explicitly in the NBS lighting section), but therelevant sustainability principle should be embraced by the specification system in otherwork sections.

Having established the component headings for the proposed framework (Table III),three sets of prototype green specifications, namely for Concrete, Paint and Lightingwork sections, were drawn up using Hong Kong as the contextual background.Owing to the limitation of space for this paper, the work sections are mounted onweb site http://myweb.polyu.edu.hk/,bsplam/greenspecsframework/ for reference

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Framework

component

NATSPEC,Australia

NationalGreenSpecs,UK

FederalGreenSpecs,US(U)

BuildingGreenGuildelines,USA(*)

Materials

Concrete

Paint

Lighting

Con

crete

Paint

Lighting

Concrete

Paint

L

ighting

Processof

extractionor

manufacture

UFormwork

timber

Avoiduseoftoxicand

hazardousmaterials

UF

ormwork

timber

UAvoiduseof

syntheticpaint,

usenatural

paint

UReduce

useof

halogen

materials

U

Formwork

timber*Gravel

mining

U*Usenatural

paintand

solvent

U

*Uselow

m

ercury

contentlamp

Transport

distance

U

U

U

U*

U

U

Embodied

energy

ReferencedtoBEDPEDGPRO2(2006)

Embodied

energyofbuildingmaterials

UR

educe

use

offossil

fuel-based

mat

erials

UUseofwater-

basedpaint,

withlower

embodied

energythanoil-

basedpaint

U

Energy

intensivesteel*

Cement

replacementdue

tohigh

embodied

energy

Useofrecycled

materials

URecycle

d

aggregate

s

andconcrete

Recycling

principlesstated

buttobe

includedat

specifiersoption

URecycled

aggregates

UTakebackor

returnscheme

forpacking

U*

Recycled

aggregates;

recycled

steel

U*Recycle

paintcontent

andcans

UTakeback

schemefor

packingand

scrap

Manufacturers

information

andcertification

U

U

U

U

U

U*

U*

U

Applicable

published

standards

U

U

U

U

U

U

U*

U*

U

Teststoverify

greenness

Tocomplywithvoluntaryenvironmental

ratingsch

emes(e.g.GreenStar)where

relevant

UEvaluateand

classifyflyash

ascement

replacement

UToxicitytest

andVOC

emissiontest*

Testforlead

free

U

Testfor

toxicity,

d

immingand

sensor

capability

Waste

management

U

U

U

U

U

U

U*

U*

U

Table I.The proposed framework

(materials) in relation tothe contents of major

green specificationguidelines


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Framework

component

NATSPEC,Australia

NationalGreenSpecs,UK

FederalGreenSpecs,US(U)

BuildingGreenGuildelines,US(*

)

Execution

Concrete

PaintLighting

ConcretePaintLighting

Concrete

Paint

Lighting

Workmanship

requirements

W

orksectionsspecifygoodpractice

Avoid

cutting

waste

Worksections

specifygood

practice

*Experie

nce

requirem

entoffly

ashwork

er

*Testexisting

finishesforlead

Proceduresof

applicationto

minimizepollution

duringconstruction

Executeenvironmentalmanagement

plan

Offsite

prefab

Avoid

light

pollution

UPreventwater

run-off

*Isolate

applicationfrom

restofbuilding

Protectionmeasures

tovulnerableparties/

structure

Environmentalcontrolsforfire,

vibration,dust,water,fauna,trucking,

noiseandculturalheritage

Storematerialstoprevent

deteriorationandaffecting

neighbours

UAdmixtureto

retardco

ncrete

setting

U*Protect

workersand

occupants

Recyclingpractice/

instructions

W

orkwithaviewtofurtherrecycling

Returnpalletingand

packagingtosuppliers;

segregationofwaste

undertake-backscheme

UReuse

formwork

U*Closeand

sealallpartially

usedcans

UCoord

inatefor

take-bac

k

Applicablepublished

codeofpractice

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

U

Indoorandoutdoor

airquality

ReducingcontaminantsandVOC

Reducingcontaminants

andVOC

ImplementIAQmanagement

Additional

acceptancetestson

completionofworks

forverifyinggreen

effects

Tocomplywith

re

quirementsof

voluntaryrating

sc

heme(e.g.Green

Star)whererelevant

UVerifyequipment

properly

installedas

specified

Instructionfor

maintenanceand

operation

Submissionofmaintenanceand

operationmanuals

Submissionof

maintenanceand

operationmanuals

Submissionofmaintenanceandoperationmanuals

Table II.The proposed framework(execution) in relation tothe contents of majorgreen specificationguidelines

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by readers. A series of structured interviews with client, consultant, contractor andsuppliers (Table IV) was conducted to tap their views on the time, cost, quality andliability implications of each component of the proposed framework for the three worksections, using a pre-released questionnaire as a common tool during face-to-face

discussion (Appendix). On the one hand, it should also be noted by readers that thespecification details are applicable to Hong Kong but not necessarily to other places.For example, due to the recent enactment of the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap311) in Hong Kong, the limits of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) need notbe specified in detail since a reference to the legislation would suffice. On the otherhand, in situations where there is no corresponding stipulation in Hong Kong,reference was made to relevant parameters as published in other developed economies(with sources acknowledged in the remark column). For example, since Hong Kongdoes not have directives related to the removal of lead paint, reference was madeto guidelines published by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Materials Workmanship/execution

Process of extraction or manufacture Workmanship requirementsTransport distance Procedures of application to minimize pollution

during constructionEmbodied energy Protection measures to vulnerable parties/

structureUse of recycled materials Recycling practice/instructionsManufacturers information and certification Indoor and outdoor air qualityApplicable published standards for materials Applicable published code of practiceAdditional tests for greenness/suitability onmaterials

Additional acceptance tests on completion ofworks for verifying green effects

Waste management plan for surplus/residue Instruction for maintenance and operation

Table III.Proposed green

specification frameworkshowing components for

a typical work section(headings to be added to

conventionalspecifications with

suitable clause contents)

Role ofinterviewee

Specification tradediscussed No. of interview

No. of returnquestionnaire only

Consultant Concretor 1 0Supplier Concretor 2 (one for recycled aggregates;

one for ready mix concrete)0

Maincontractor

Concretor 1 0

Client Painter 1 0Consultant Painter 2 0Maincontractor

Painter 5 0

Client Lighting 2 0Consultant Lighting 1 2Specialistcontractor

Lighting 1 0

Total 16 2

Table IV.Distribution of interviewsand questionnaire returns

(in lieu)


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Therefore, all interviewees were briefed via a covering letter sent to them beforehandor during the interviews that the detail contents of the specification clauses presentedto them were by no means definitive or finalized for implementation, but for facilitatingdiscussions on the likely impact of similar requirements under the proposed

framework. Their views are consolidated and presented later in this paper.

3. Literature supports on the components of the proposed framework3.1 Overarching principlesOne of the earlier frameworks for attaining sustainability in the construction process wasproposed by Hill and Bowen (1997), which include the four main pillars of sustainabilityin terms of social, economic, biophysical and technical principles. For implementationpurpose, these principles evolve into project environmental assessment, environmentalpolicy, organizational structure and environmental management program. The latterinvolves operational procedures, setting of standards and inspection with penalties andbonuses, which can be translated into governance by a set of green specifications.

Ofori (1998) supplemented these principles by pointing out the constraints being faced bydeveloping countries. Other sustainability principles expounded by BS8900, 2006 includeinclusivity, integrity, stewardship and transparency (BSI, 2006). Stewardship refers tomonitoring and sharing of sustainability skills. Chan et al. (2009) studied the market forgreen building in Asian cities and identified the favorable conditions as rising energycosts, government regulations and client demand, etc. These findings echo the view thatgreen buildings cannot be left to goodwill and collaboration alone (MinterEllison, 2007).Clients demand can be communicatedand enforcedthrough contract documents, of whichspecifications form part.

3.2 Materials3.2.1 Process of extraction or manufacture. Construction entails the extraction of

aggregates, metal ores and minerals from the ground and the consumption of suchsubstances can mean that they are unavailable for use by future generations (BRE,2010). Timber is another example arising from deforestation activities. Manufacturingprocesses may bring about pollution to the environment and consume substantialamounts of energy. Products which are natural or minimally processed can be greendue to their low energy use and low risk of chemical releases during manufacture(BuildGreen, 2008). Selection of such materials or those with less hazardous propertiesfrom cradle to cradle (i.e. from manufacture to re-cycling) is the first and foremosttask of specifying.

3.2.2 Transport distance. Specifying local materials can help minimizetransportation impacts, which include fossil fuel consumption, air pollution andlabor (WBDG, 2006). Whilst this principle generally hold true for countries with vast

territories and construction material production facilities spread across differentregions, metropolitan cities such as Hong Kong do not possess their own materialextraction and manufacturing resources. Nearly, all construction materials areimported. Hence, the essence of this specification component is not to limit materialsources to the local supply market, but to consider materials available from countriesnearby, such as Mainland China or the Asia Pacific region. Yet, this poses the issues ofharmonization of standards and fair trade agreement, where institutional efforts (suchas WTO) are instrumental.

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3.2.3 Embodied energy. According to GreenSpec (2008), the embodied energy of abuilding material can be taken as the total primary energy consumed frommanufacture to site, or depending on the data source, from manufacture to disposal(cradle to grave). The energy consumed in maintaining, repairing, restoring,

refurbishing or replacing materials during the life of a building is sometimes referredto as the recurring embodied energy (Canadian Architect, 2008). Although it is notpractical to specify the numerical value of embodied energy for materials inconstruction contracts, the principle should be reflected in the selection of materials, orwhere replacement is allowable. Examples include the preference of water-based paintover solvent-based paint and the replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement bypulverized fuel ash (PFA) within specified limits.

3.2.4 Use of recycled materials. Chick and Micklethwaite (2002) reported from theirUK survey that clients have a central role to play in relation to the specification ofrecycled products and materials and that public sector clients are more inclined to this.In a study on single family housing in Sweden, Thormark (2000) indicated that it couldbe more important to design a building for recycling than to use materials whichrequire little energy for production. In some cases, products with recycled content needto be specified with caveats regarding where they should be used, such as rubberflooring made from recycled vehicle tyres should not be used in fully enclosed indoorspaces due to the potential offgasing of harmful chemicals (BuildingGreen, 2008). In thecase of Hong Kong, the use of recycled aggregates for concrete and paving blocks hasbeen promoted by the government through the publication of standard specifications.

3.2.5 Manufacturers information and certification. In a conventional prescriptivespecification which states the generic properties of materials, it is common for thespecifier to require the contractor to submit manufacturers information andcertificates for checking. This is particularly important in the use of recycledproducts, which need to assure the interest of many parties. On the one hand, statutory

bodies want to minimize environmental effects when these products are used. On theother hand, consumers would use recycled materials only when their quality is notcompromised. All such interests can only be met by a clear and unambiguouscertification system (Van Eijk and Brouwers, 2002). Often, the properties of greenmaterials as claimed by suppliers need to be validated by independent bodies. Hence,this is an essential component of a green specification. Reflecting this, there is a specificBritish Standard aimed at promoting uniformity and unbiased information forenvironmental product declarations (BS ISO 21930, 2007).

3.2.6 Applicable published standards for materials. Construction standards aredocuments intended to govern, on a common basis, the products or processes for whichthey are drawn up. Typical components include acceptable tolerances, requiredfinishes, minimum dimensions, preferred processes for execution or installation

representing good practice, allowable material properties, prescribed testingrequirements, etc. (Piper, 2003). Referencing to standards is a good specifyingapproach since standards, once widely available, would be familiar to those involved inparticular specialties and bestowed with consensus authority (ASCE, 2000). As moregreen materials are put onto the market, standards will be developed by concernedparties, which save the hassles of reinventing the wheel in specifying detail technicalproperties. Yet, the specifier should be conversant with the standards that are beingreferred to in order to avoid incompatibility or options being missed.


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3.2.7 Additional tests for greenness/suitability on materials. When there is nomanufacturers certificate available for some natural materials, tests should be specifiedto enable verification of compliance with relevant standards, or even in their absence,with the desirable properties required by the designer. Green buildings are increasingly

gaining acclaimed status through environmental assessment schemes (such as GreenStar in Australia, BREEAM in the UK or LEED in the US and Canada), which mayimpose some criteria (such as percentage of recycled content or toxicity level) forverification. In the case of Hong Kong, the HK-BEAM assessment scheme requiresdemonstration of no fire hazard for bamboo flooring and partitions (HK-BEAM Society,2004), the acceptable test for which is not specified and presumably the specifier needs toinclude a test acceptable to the local fire authority for the contractor to comply.

3.2.8 Waste management plan for surplus/residue. Waste includes any scrapmaterial, effluent or unwanted surplus substance or article that requires to be disposedof because it is broken, worn out, contaminated or otherwise spoiled (Chick andMicklethwaite, 2004). Waste management should be part of a contractorsenvironmental management plan. Most countries have limited landfill capacity.Hence, proper disposal or treatment of construction and demolition (C & D) waste has tobe effected, partly by regulations (such as controlling illegal dumping) and alwaysbeneficial through contract specifications. In the case of Hong Kong, a trip-ticket schemehas been operated since 2005 with differential waste tipping-fee structure whichencourages on-site sorting to separate inert waste for possible re-use from other solidwaste before disposal at approved locations. Another Pay for Safety and Environmentscheme has been operated since 2006 which oblige public works contractors to takeenvironmental actions as specified in their contracts. Designated deductions will beeffected from their payments should specified actions not be taken.

3.3 Execution

3.3.1 Workmanship requirements. The desirable manner of executing works orinstallation is the subject matter of workmanship specifications. Basically, the bestpractice for carrying out the works is described and the quality requirements for theworks are set out. An important parameter in this aspect is the specified tolerance ofthe work, which depends very much on the expected quality standard. For interfacingworks which connect separate packages (e.g. structure and curtain walling), thetolerances specified for one package should be made known to those handling the relatedpackages. For green construction, due to the different properties of materials being incontact with one another, special joints may be necessary which entail different fixingmethods (e.g. when working with strawboards as a roof material or bale as a wallmaterial). Water vapor absorption characteristics of some materials may dictate aparticular working sequence (e.g. waiting time for drying out between layers) to be

specified (Carfrae, 2009). Natural linoleum flooring should not be fixed with adhesivesfor vinyl flooring, but with low VOC linoleum adhesive (Stopwaste.com, 2009).

3.3.2 Procedures of application to minimize pollution during construction. Cole (2000)highlighted the impacts of building operations on the environment duringconstruction. Possible pollutants include excessive noise, waste water discharge,dust and fumes from asphalt heating, etc. HK-BEAM, therefore, recognizes credits forthe specification of measures to reduce water pollution during construction. Similarincentives are also provided in LEED and BREEAM for measures dealing with

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hazardous materials. Design consultants implementing abatement measures afterenvironmental impact assessment should include technical instructions andprocedures to prevent pollution in their specifications.

3.3.3 Protection measures to vulnerable parties/structure. When construction takes

place on sites which are suspected or known to have been contaminated, say byprevious industrial activities, remediation actions need to be taken. Tilford et al. (2000)reported on the huge time and cost impacts of such actions. Cole (2000) described thepreventive strategies that construction stakeholders can adopt to minimize healthhazard to occupants and the surrounding communities during construction.Specifications form an important part of the contractual measures to achieve these.For example, respirators should be specified for paint spraying and adequateventilation should be provided.

3.3.4 Recycling practice/instructions. Where the method of recycling is not left to thecontractor to decide, the designer would specify what is to be achieved and how (in thecase of prescriptive specifications). Tam and Tam (2005) examined the difficulties ofrecycling construction waste in Hong Kong and found that limited space was one of thebarriers. For sorting to be carried out effectively, off site temporary storage may benecessary, or mobile crushing plant (in the case of recycled aggregates) may be asolution. Where such instructions are specified, it should be noted that sufficientflexibility should be provided for the contractor to innovate.

3.3.5 Indoor and outdoor air quality. Materials containing VOC should be minimizedor replaced, as specified in the material section. During construction, outdoor airquality would be affected by dust and fumes arising from site operations, whereasindoor air quality (IAQ) may be degraded by the use of materials giving off VOC (suchas paint, sealant and adhesives). Where the use of these materials cannot be avoided,air quality both indoor and outdoor should be monitored and appropriate action takento avoid causing health hazard to the workers in the first place and the adjoining

occupants. EPA (2010) guidelines in the USA suggest the shutting down ofair-conditioning and provision of ventilation in the event of breakage of compactfluorescent lamps (CFL) containing mercury.

3.3.6 Applicable published code of practice. Some published standards exist onworkmanship in the form of codes of practice. For example, BS8000: 5-1990 givesrecommendations on basic site workmanship and covers those tasks which arefrequently carried out in relation to carpentry, joinery and general fixings. As more andmore green construction is carried out, best practice on workmanship will beestablished. For example, when straw bale construction becomes more popular in theUSA, it is foreseen that a code of practice in regulatory or voluntary stance will bepublished as testing is well underway (Sustainable Sources, 2010).

3.3.7 Additional acceptance tests on completion of works for verifying green effects.

For general building projects, once all pre-commissioning checks are completed inaccordance with specifications and drawings, commissioning tests are carried out todetermine acceptance or rejection of the works (Davison, 1996).For promoting good IAQinoffices and public spaces, Hong Kong government has implemented a voluntarycertification scheme, with initial validity of 12 months upon certification and renewable atfive-year intervals thereafter, putting emphasis on post-certification management of IAQby the building owners or managers. For green roof construction, a useful acceptance testis the temperature difference above and below roof desk. Such acceptance tests can


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be specified to verify the green effects are achieved as intended, in addition to the tests onmaterials before installation.

3.3.8 Instructions for maintenance and operation. Green construction materials, likeconventional products, need maintenance during their service life. Yet, by definition,

green materials should require relatively less replacement so that total cost-wise, it maystill be worthwhile to install them on whole life basis. Maintenance is essential inkeeping a building running efficiently, effectively and providing a healthyenvironment for occupants (Stopwaste.org, 2009).

Examples include lighting and air-conditioning systems, which need preventivemaintenance and cleaning to maintain their energy efficiency. This seems like acorollary, but green product maintenance needs specifying with extra care andexpertise to enable their properties to be used to the intended or designed level.Another example is the cleaning of waterless urinals, which require training of thecleaners to change the cartridges. Non-toxic cleaning agents are also required on somesurfaces. Specifying walk-off mats at entryways saves soiling and hence stripping ofgreen carpets to make them last longer. Green roof and vertical green walls also needspecifications on regular irrigation of the vegetation.

4. Analysis of interview and questionnaire resultsThe composition of the panel of interviews is shown in Table IV, which demonstratesthat a good balance has been achieved between clients, consultants, main contractors,specialist contractors and suppliers. All of the interviewees had at least seven years ofworking experience in the construction industry at the time of interviews, which lastfor nine months from 2008 to 2009. During each interview, the contents of a draft greenspecification work section were discussed. Altogether, 16 interviews were carried out,complete with face-to-face replies to the questionnaire (Appendix). Two respondentsdeclined interviews but answered the questionnaire in full by return mail. A summary

of the interview and questionnaire results is presented below.

4.1 Concrete work sectionAlmost all interviewees agreed that the stipulation on use of timber from a sustainablesource would add to the cost of construction (by 10 per cent) and they experienceddifficulty in obtaining certificates proving such sources, especially for formworkmaterials. Use of recycled aggregates also added to the cost (by 10-15 per cent) sincethere was a short supply in Hong Kong, and contractors would not choose to use themunless specified in public works (so far). They found no problem of compliance withpublished green standards and codes (which are few to-date), except for the additionaltime to be spent in preparing associated documentation. The use of PFA as areplacement for cement was more for the reduction of heat release during concreting,

rather than the lower embodied energy. Contractors found it inconvenient to store PFAon site due to space constraints and the need to seek approval for setting up silos.They recognized that waste management plan was mostly implemented in publicsector works only with a slightly increased cost. Testing on materials presented noproblems to them but they were concerned with increased liability for acceptance testson completed green works. All interviewees concurred that quality of works would notbe affected and they would support the implementation of green specifications basedon the proposed framework.

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4.2 Paint work sectionMost intervieweeswere concerned about the longer drying time of water-based paint,if thechoice was based on lower embodied energy alone, but they generally welcome non-toxicpaint, although the cost may be slightly higher. As at the dates of the interviews, unlike the

USA, there was no recycled paint market in Hong Kong and there was no applicablestandard. Interviewees liked the idea of empty can recycling. Paint suppliers usually haveno problem in providing manufacturers test certification, but if special paints or tests areneeded for environmental reasons, they were worried that delay might occur. As forexecution, contractors would not mind providing safety equipment to workers andenclosure for occupants, even at a slightly increased cost since they considered lowerliability would accrue to them by doing so. They were also worried about training needs ofworkers and monitoring tests, due to the high turnover rate of personnel in the Hong Kongconstruction industry. To date, Hong Kong has statutory control on VOC content of paintbut not for outdoor air quality. Interviewees were all concerned about the stipulation ofacceptance test on completed works for ambient VOC due to the possible delay inhand-over and dispute in liability arising. Contractors also arguedthat it would be difficultto separate responsibility for VOC in indoor environment if the furniture was supplied bythe clients. They all agreed that maintenance instructions should be specified asre-painting would be a regular activity. All in all, most interviewees agreed that theproposed green specification components were in order and it would just be a learningcurve in terms of time and cost, whereas quality should be improved or stay the same.

4.3 Lighting work sectionInterviewees/Respondents agreed that CFL and light emitting diode lamps are moreenvironmentally friendly than traditional fluorescent lamps due to their higher energyefficiency and lower mercury content ex-factory. Initial cost is slightly higher at presentbut will level off in longer term as volume of use increases. Saving in operational cost is

significant. Embodied energy was seldom an issue of specification. Some manufacturersoperated recycling schemes (e.g. on surplus and breakages) but they did not make thispractice explicit to avoid customers misunderstanding. Lighting as a product complieswith established standards and comes with manufacturers information all the time andthere is no issue on time, cost and liability, but quality is guaranteed when such isspecified. Additional controls such as dimmers are more for residential use but may notsuit commercial applications. With proper design, light shielding to prevent trespass isnot normally necessary. As for execution, the proposed specification components wouldentail no change in time, cost, quality and liability, except for the closure of centralair-conditioning upon breakages of CFL as suggested by the Environmental ProtectionAgency in the USA, which was considered to be impractical. In Hong Kong, theimplementation of the energy labeling scheme for electrical appliances including

lighting after November 2009, as well the code of practice for energy efficiency wouldensure that acceptance tests are in place to good effect, without incurring additionaltime, cost and liability even if specified. Instructions for maintenance and operation arealready required but a client would specify soft copies of these to go further green.

4.4 Overall observationsAs mentioned earlier, the transport distance component in the proposed frameworkwas regarded by almost all interviews of each work section as being not necessary in


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the Hong Kong context due to its small geographical boundary and the need to importalmost all construction products. Yet, one interviewee made a point that suchspecification, if included, would remind suppliers that the raw material sourcingshould be near to the place of manufacture where possible to minimize embodied

energy. In terms of cost, apart from individual items which may result in possibleincreases, most of the proposed components were regarded as cost-neutral. Thisfinding echoes that of Davis Landon (2007), in that many projects are achieving LEEDaccreditation within their budgets, and in the same cost range as non-LEED projects.Time-wise, additional documentation and tests to prove greenness as called for bysome proposed specification components may be an initial burden but with a levellearning curve after sufficient training, the concern would subside. Liability may be ona similar track, which, as pointed out by Whipple (2008), would bring about increasedlitigation and claims as eco-construction emerges, but with due care and a betterunderstanding of how green construction works, can be avoided. Quality seems to bethe eventual and sure gain arising from the use of the proposed framework.

5. Roadmap for adoptionThe roadmap depicted by Vanegas (2003) in implementing sustainability in the builtenvironment consists of actions at:

. the strategic level;

. the tactical level; and

. the operational level.

Having shown in the previous sections the validity and usefulness of the proposedgreen specification framework (the strategic level), it is imperative that itsimplementation will follow a sustainable and defined footpath (Figure 1). First of all, if

funding supports from green associations, major developers and the government areavailable (the tactical level), detail work sections have to be prepared for major tradesin building construction, following the pattern as outlined for concrete, painting andlighting sections in this paper. Suitable clauses should be drawn up with flexibility forinsertion of product data (a green product database being developed or consolidated inparallel) or design parameters for volunteer designers to complete in their use onspecific projects. Second, feedback on the use of this library of clauses so establishedshould be obtained systematically over a period of time. In the case of Hong Kong, thiscan be achieved through the collaboration with the professional institutes of architects,engineers and surveyors. Third, the improved library should be made available to allusers through a semi-open platform in the web space accessible with a fair subscriptionto keep it up-to-date with changing technology (the operational level).

6. ConclusionThis paper depicts the methodology and efforts made in establishing a framework forgreen specifying, initially for application in Hong Kong, since there is no published orcommon specification system specifically drawn up under a multifarious arrangementprevalent in the public and private sectors. Whilst it must be said that both sectors aretaking their own steps to move towards sustainable construction, concerted effortsneed to be taken in the arena of specifications. The rationale for doing this is clear,

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in that stakeholders (in particular contractors) would like to see a common greenspecification framework for procuring, pricing and administering the works forachieving a greener environment. The proposed framework has been validated bycomparison with major green specification systems in developed economies, withpossible impacts on time, cost, quality and liability studied on three sample worksections developed under the framework. A roadmap for further development of theframework is then recommended for its sustainable adoption in the near future.

6.1 Further research recommendationsA possible limitation of this research lies in the small number of work sections whichare studied in detail, whilst most typical building works would involve more trades.Nevertheless, the chosen trades are representative of environmental issues encounteredin normal building projects. If resources are not constrained, a full-scale study of alltrades can be carried out to obtain a holistic picture of the green specificationframework, not only of building works, but also of civil engineering works which aremore varied in nature.

Figure 1.Roadmap for sustainable

adoption of greenspecifications

Strategic level

Tactical level

Operational level

Establishment of specification

framework

Development of major work

sections including detail

clauses

Funding

support

Green

product

data

Use on specific projects by

volunteer designersFeedback Feedback

Mounted on website for

general users on fair

subscription basis

Improvement and updatingFeedback Feedback


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References

ASCE (2000), Preparing Specifications for Design-bid-build Projects, Committee on Specifications,Construction Division, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA.

ASD (2007), General Specification, Architectural Services Department, HKSAR Government,

Hong Kong.

BRE (2010), Mineral resource extraction, available at: www.bre.co.uk/greenguide (accessed2 February 2010).

BS8900 (2006), Guidance for Managing Sustainable Development, British Standards Institution,London.

BS ISO 21930 (2007), Sustainability in Building Construction: Environmental Declaration ofBuilding Products, British Standards Institution, London.

BuildingGreen (2008), Green Building Products: The GreenSpec Guide to Residential BuildingMaterials, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island.

Canadian Architect (2008), Measures of sustainability, available at: www.canadianarchitect.com (accessed 12 February 2009).

Carfrae, J. (2009), Detailing the effective use of rainscreen cladding to protect straw bale walls incombination with hygroscopic, breathable finishes, Proceedings of the Symposium on

Detail Design in Architecture 8, Cardiff, UK, September 4.

Chan, E.H.W., Qian, Q.K. and Lam, P.T.I. (2009), The market for green building in developedAsian cities-the perspectives of building designers, Energy Policy, Vol. 37, pp. 3061-70.

Chick, A. and Micklethwaite, P. (2002),Incorporating Recycled Materials into Design Specification,Designing for Sustainability Research Group, Kingston University, London, pp. 1-17.

Chick, A. and Micklethwaite, P. (2004), Specifying recycled: understanding UK architects anddesigners practices and experience, Design Studies, Vol. 25, pp. 251-73.

Cole, R.J. (2000), Building environmental assessment methods: assessing constructionpractices, Construction Management and Economics, Vol. 18 No. 8, pp. 949-57.

Davis Langdon (2007), Cost of Green Revisited, Davis Langdon, London, July, pp. 1-24.Davison, I. (1996), Managing Projects, Ian Davison Pty, Sydney.

EPA (2010), Mercury releases and spills, available at: www.epa.gov (accessed 3 March 2010).

HK-BEAM Society (2004), Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method for newbuildings, Version 4/04, pp. 3-13.

Hill, R.C. and Bowen, P.A. (1997), Sustainable construction: principles and a framework forattainment, Construction Management and Economics, Vol. 15, pp. 223-39.

Lam, P.T.I., Chan, E.H.W., Chau, C.K., Poon, C.S. and Chun, K.P. (2009a), An overview of thedevelopment of green specifications in the construction industry worldwide, InternationalSustainable and Urban Regeneration: Case Studies and Lessons Learned, ICONUS,Earthscan, London, pp. 86-93.

Lam, P.T.I., Chan, E.H.W., Chau, C.K., Poon, C.S. and Chun, K.P. (2009b), Integrating greenspecifications in construction and overcoming barriers in their use, Journal of

Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Vol. 135 No. 4, pp. 142-52.

MinterEllison (2007), Green buildings: do not leave it to goodwill and collaboration alone,18 April, available at: www.minterellison.com (accessed 10 March 2010).

NATSPEC (2008), Specifying ESD, TECHreport, NATSPEC, Sydney, October.

NBS (2008), Green specifying: NBS and green specification, available at: www.thenbs.com(accessed 1 Feb 2010).

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Ofori, G. (1998), Sustainable construction: principles and a framework for attainment comment, Construction Management and Economics, Vol. 16, pp. 141-5.

Piper, D.T. (2003), The risks of not knowing standards, The Construction Specifier,Construction Specifications Institute, Alexandria, April 28-29.

Stopwaste.org (2009), A Guide to green maintenance operation, available at: www.stopwaste.org (accessed 2 March 2010).

Sustainable Sources (2010), Straw bale construction, available at: http://sustainablesources.com (accessed 1 March 2010).

Tam, V.W.Y. and Tam, C.M. (2005), Evaluations of existing waste recycling methods: a HongKong study, Building and Environment, Vol. 41 No. 12, pp. 1649-60.

Thormark, C. (2000), Including recycling potential in energy use into the life-cycle of buildings,Building Research & Information, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 176-83.

Tilford, K.R., Jaselskis, E.J. and Smith, G.R. (2000), Impact of environmental contamination onconstruction projects, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management,January/February, pp. 45-51.

Vanegas, J.A. (2003), Road map and principles for built environment sustainability,Environmental Science Technology, Vol. 37, pp. 5363-72.

Van Eijk, R.J. and Brouwers, H.J.H. (2002), Stimulating the use of secondary materials in theconstruction industry: the role of certification, International Journal of Construction

Marketing, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 1-6.

WBDG (2006), Federal green construction guide for specifers, section 03300 cast-in-placeconcrete, Whole Building Design Guide, 1-7.

Whipple, M.J. (2008), Building green may cost you green, available at: www.ekertseamans.com(accessed 3 March 2010).

Further reading

Lam, P.T.I., Chan, E.H.W., Chau, C.K., Poon, C.S. and Chun, K.P. (2010), Factors affecting the

implementation of green specifications in construction, Journal of EnvironmentalManagement, Vol. 91 No. 3, pp. 654-61.

(The Appendix follows overleaf.)


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Appendix. Survey on green specification framework

Objective

This survey is aimed at evaluating the relative degree of impact in term of time, cost, quality and specifiers liability arising

from a proposed green specification framework for differentwork trades. To save your time, you are only given ONE work

trade for this survey. You may assume the base specs as any projects general specs in HK, but we have chosen to refer to

ASD General Specifications where possible due to its familiarity.

What is meant by proposed green specs framework

A suite of green specification clause headings for systematic insertion into traditional prescriptive specs (the base).

How you can help:-

1. Read the summary of draft green specification clauses (indicative wording only) for the given trade as attached.

2. Rate the impact level of the proposed green specification framework by its major components as shown on the left

hand column below. To get a better understanding of the proposed framework, you may follow the examples of the

draft clauses if necessary. The draft clauses are meant for illustrating the framework only.

3. Give your comments, if any, in the space provided on page 2.

Section I General information

Specification tradeYears of working experience

Role of respondent (pls. tick) Client Consultant Contractor

Section II Evaluation

Based on the summary of draft green specification clauses, please evaluate the impact level of the framework component as shown

on the left hand column. Please circle your answer: 0 = no impact; 1 = strong adverse impact; 2 = some adverse impact; 3 = some

positive (preferred) impact; 4 = strongpositive (preferred) impact. Leave it blank only if you are not sure at all.

GREEN specs framework component

A Materials

1. Process of extraction or manufacture

(e.g. environmental timber treatment)

2. Transport distance

3. Embodied energy (i.e., total energy input to

manufacture and supply to the point of use.)

4. Use of recycled materials (where available)

5. Manufacturers information and certification

6. Applicable published standards

Impact level

Time Cost Quality

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

(continued)

0 1 2 3 4

Delay

Shorten

Increase

Saving

Worse

Improved

Specifiers

liability

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Corresponding author:Patrick T.I. Lam can be contacted at: [email protected]

Green specs framework component

B. Additional tests on materials to verify

Greenness/ suitability

C. Waste management plan for surplus/residue

D. Execution

1. Workmanship requirements

2. Procedures of application to minimize

pollutionduring construction

3. Protection measures to vulnerable

parties/structure

4. Recycling practice/instructions

5. Applicable published standards

Optional sections (at specifiers discretion)

E. Indoor and outdoor air quality

(where relevant)

F. Additional acceptance tests on completed

works for verifying green properties

G. Instruction for maintenance/ operation

General comments on proposed green specification framework (A to G above):

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

General comments on proposed green specification clauses (see summary of draft clauses):

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Impact level

Time Cost Quality

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4

Delay

Shorten

Increase

Saving

Worse

Improved

Specifiers

liability

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: [email protected] visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints


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Documents

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