Section A: Reading Comprehension
[25 marks]
Readthe passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
Green construction
1) There has, in recent years, been an outpouring of information distribution about the impact of
buildings on the natural environment; Information which explains and promotes green and
sustainable construction design, strives to convince others of its efficacy and warns of the dangers of
ignoring the issue. Seldom do these documents offer any advice to practitioners, such as those
designing mechanical and electrical systems for a building, on how to utilise this knowledge on a
practical level.
2) While the terms green and sustainable are often considered synonymous, in that they both
symbolise nature, green does not encompass all that is meant by sustainability, which can be defined
as minimizing the negative impacts of human activities on the natural environment, in particular those
which have long-term and irreversible effects. Some elements of green design may be sustainable too,
for example those which reduce energy usage and pollution, while others, such as ensuring internal
air quality, may be considered green despite having no influence on the ecological balance.
3) Although there are a good many advocates of 'green' construction in the architectural industry,
able to cite ample reasons why buildings should be designed in a sustainable way, not to mention a
plethora of architectural firms with experience in green design, this is not enough to make green
construction come into being. The driving force behind whether a building is constructed with
minimal environmental impact lies with the owner of the building; that is, the person financing the
project. If the owner considers green design unimportant, or of secondary importance, then more
than likely, it will not be factored into the design.
4) The commissioning process plays a key role in ensuring the owner gets the building he wants, in
terms of design, costs and risk. At the predesign stage, the owner's objectives, criteria and the type of
design envisaged are discussed and documented. This gives a design team a solid foundation on which
they can build their ideas, and also provides a specific benchmark against which individual elements,
such as costs, design and environmental impact can be judged.
5) Owners who skip the commissioning process, or fail to take 'green' issues into account when doing
so, often come a cropper once their building is up and running. Materials and equipment are installed
as planned, and, at first glance, appear to fulfil their purpose adequately. However, in time, the owner
realises that operational and maintenance costs are higher than necessary, and that the occupants
are dissatisfied with the results. These factors in turn lead to higher ownership costs as well as
increased environmental impact.
6) In some cases, an owner may be aware of the latest trends in sustainable building design. He may
have done research into it himself, or he may have been informed of the merits of green design
through early discussion with professionals. However, firms should not take it as read that someone
commissioning a building already has a preconceived idea of how green he intends the structure to
be. Indeed, this initial interaction between owner and firm is the ideal time for a designer to outline
and promote the ways that green design can meet the client's objectives, thus turning a project
originally not destined for green design into a potential candidate.
7) Typically, when considering whether or not to adopt a green approach, an owner will ask about
additional costs, return on investment and to what extent green design should be the limiting factor
governing decisions in the design process. Many of these costs are incurred by the increased
cooperation between the various stakeholders, such as the owner, the design professionals,
contractors and end-users. In a typical project, landscape architects and mechanical, electrical and
2