by KennethPosted on January 25, 2021

Building Certifications In a Nutshell

Building certifications may seem tedious, but it’s necessary for ensuring that a project complies with it’s building plans and in a way that won’t cause negative externalities on the community or the environment. The 1987 Brundtland report brought forward the idea of sustainable use of natural resources. 

According to the report, sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the current generation without affecting future generations’ ability to meet theirs. The construction industry uses many natural resources as projects are built, renovated, and demolished. Operational buildings, too, require the use of natural resources.

A sustainable building generates net positive impacts on the environment and climate by improving the quality of life of its residents while preserving resources. In this blog post, we will briefly touch upon green building standards and certification systems. 

Keep reading to learn more. 

The Importance of Building Certification: Why Certify in the First Place? 

The main aim of sustainable construction is to reduce the use of raw materials and energy. Certification systems promote sustainable constructions by evaluating the sustainability of the building. 

The certification system provides you with a comprehensive overview and helps simplify the planning and implementation of sustainable construction. Certifications also make the building comparable to one another and provide the builders with benchmarks. 

The past three decades have seen the creation of several sustainability certifications for buildings. Each of these is focused on certain parts of the world and addresses particular building elements. 

However, keep in mind that a building doesn’t need to be certified to be sustainable. 

5 Important Building Certifications

This section of the blog will outline our selection of five important building certifications recognised globally: 

1. Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) 

The certification came into existence in 1990 in the United Kingdom. The applications include urban areas, commercial buildings, interiors, renovations, and existing commercial buildings. 

This is the first-ever certification system in the world to classify, assess, and certify sustainability. It is also one of the most popular ones in the world. It focuses on innovation, health, and wellness, energy, materials, etc. 

2. Active House 

The active house building certification is relatively new and came into being in 2017. The certification originated in Denmark and applies to remodeling, existing buildings, and new buildings. 

This certification is provided to high-quality, sustainable, yet comfortable buildings. It focuses on elements essential for daily living and residential buildings. The main focus is to reduce the resource consumption during construction and the overall lifespan of the structure. 

3. Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE)

The CASBEE model is from Japan and has been around since 2001. It is applicable to renovations, existing buildings, and new constructions. The buildings are assessed and classified in terms of built environment and performance. 

A quotient named the Built Environment Efficiency is calculated on the basis of which certification is provided.

4. Green Globes

Applicable on interiors, new constructions, and renovations, Green Globes, has been around since 2004. The US-based classification system supports various construction projects, including decking builders and decking treatments. 

The classification system allows building owners to choose the sustainability features that fit their occupants. 

5. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB)

DGNB came into existence in 2004 in Germany. It is applicable to commercial interiors, existing buildings, renovations, new constructions, and urban areas. 

The certification is currently used in Germany and neighboring countries. Holistic sustainability and commercial viability underline the philosophy behind DGNB. This building certification is a flexible one, making it easy to adapt to various types of buildings. 

If you’re looking for building certifiers in Australia, you have a myriad of options available. Companies like The Certifier in Brisbane have an astounding history of satisfied customers. If you want to learn more about their services, head over to their website at https://www.thecertifier.com.au/ for more information. 

Tips for Building Green Decks

Building green is not as big a challenge as you might think. When it comes to decks, building green often makes a lot of sense. Here’s how you can build sustainable decks: 

• Minimize the material used and waste generated. You should look for decking builders that can meet your needs and share the same philosophy. 
• Build them with longevity and continued structural integrity in mind. Several decking builders build them to last about five to ten years before they need replacing. Go for decking treatments and decking oils that can help improve longevity, and therefore, the environmental impact. 
• Use sustainable and recycled material when possible. 

Do you have any questions or concerns? If so, feel free to leave them in the comments, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. 

by KennethPosted on September 24, 2020

How Can I Responsibly Dispose of Waste in Australia?

When it comes to waste disposal, Australia relies heavily upon landfills. In essence, landfilling is dumping waste that involves the burial of massive amounts of rubbish. Until date, it has been the most reliable waste disposal solution for Australia’s large outflow of waste in civilisation. The issue with this, however, is the negative externalities landfills have on the environment. Scientists have proven time and time again that landfills can be extremely harmful to the environment. Depending on where the landfill is, it can have effects on the rest of the food chain that inevitably end up in the food that we’re eating. Not only does it affect the natural habitation in Australia, but it also affects our air quality through methane and carbon emissions. Scientists have argued for years that methane emissions and carbon emissions are a large contributor to global warming. 

Why Are Landfills Bad For The Environment?

Landfills are bad for the environment for a multitude of reasons. Currently, they’re our best solution for waste disposal. Australia relies heavily upon landfilling as our means of waste management, but the question we need to be asking ourselves is: is there a more effective solution out there that we aren’t currently aware of? The main aspects of the environment that are affected from landfills are as follows:

1. Air pollution – experts say that roughly 60% of all landfill is biodegradable matter. As this matter breaks down chemicals such as methane are released into the air. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas and has the potential to trap heat in our atmosphere up to 15 times more than carbon dioxide. It also reduced the air quality for residents. 
2. Biodiversity – when a landfill is put in place, the environmental impacts on biodiversity are devastating. Unfortunately, anywhere between 25 to 250 native species of mammals, birds and insects are lost per hectare as a result of a landfill. A loss in biodiversity is detrimental to the rest of the food chain.
3. Water Pollution – as rainwater falls onto a landfill, highly toxic chemicals seep into groundwater. This is a serious issue as as water collects over a landfill it can lead to a contamination of local groundwater. The most dangerous part of this issue is that the chemicals in a landfill can often deoxygenate water, leaving no room for life to exist in groundwater channels. 
4. Soil Fertility – unfortunately a landfill brings to gather a large collection of toxic waste often containing toxic chemicals. As you might have guessed, this highly impacts the soil fertility of the surrounding areas. The impacted quality of soil fertility in and around the landfill site decreases crop yield drastically. This also means that the surrounding biodiversity will be affected. As neighbouring insects, mammals and birds feed they will contract the deadly chemicals found in landfills that have flow on effects up the food chain. 
5. Health Impacts & Visual Impairments – not only are landfills aesthetically displeasing, but they’re also highly toxic to live around. It’s common knowledge that most residential communities don’t want to be built anywhere near a landfill. With a combination of air pollution, a reduction in biodiversity, water pollution, soil fertility and health impacts a landfill eliminates town planning as an option in that area. As the population of the world continues to grow, we’re going to need to find new ways to dispose of our waste to retain as much inhabitable land as possible. 

What Does the Future of Waste Disposal Look Like? 

As years progress, our future generations are going to need to find new and innovative ways to dispose of rubbish in a way that mitigates the externalities that affect the environment. The good news is that as our society is becoming more educated, sociocultural movements towards acts of environmental sustainability are becoming more prevalent than ever. Government officials are heading the advice of our scientists and the world is gradually working towards a greener future. The future of urban waste disposal is a hot topic among our society. Some of the most prominent ideas about the future of greener waste disposal are: 

• Fully Reusable or Biodegradable Products – one of the most compelling solutions is substituting current disposables for reusable or biodegradable fabrics. When it comes to plastic water bottles, baby diapers, shopping bags and other common household products, product designers are trying to find new ways to replace conventional products that aren’t biodegradable with new fabrics that are either completely reusable or very biodegradable. 
• Paying a Rubbish Disposal Fee – another idea is that people will need to pay for their rubbish disposal. By coughing up a fee, the hope is that people will be forced to be more careful when thinking about the scope of their routine rubbish disposal. By being more conscious about rubbish disposal from a personal financial perspective, it will be profitable for individuals to opt for using reusable products to avoid paying a constant fee. 
• Getting Rid of Landfills – at some point, our societies are going to need to find an alternative to landfilling, or a way to make them environmentally sustainable. Current landfill practices emit methane into the atmosphere which is a huge contributor to global warming and climate change. Government officials from around the globe are gradually becoming more environmentally conscious as sociocultural and environmental movements towards a sustainable future are becoming more in demand.

Does Biodegradable Waste Decompose in a Landfill?

Contrary to popular belief, new research is showing that landfills are far too crowded for biodegradable waste to properly decompose. Landfills are packed so tightly that they become anaerobic which affects the decomposability of biodegradable materials. What this means is that the rubbish is being stuffed so tightly together that this waste does not have enough oxygen to properly decompose. Unfortunately, a small amount of waste that is decomposing is being released into the atmosphere as methane. As rain water seeps into a landfill, it carries dangerous chemicals under the landfill causing groundwater contamination. Typically in a landfill, there’s very little room for microorganisms to survive due to the lack of oxygen. This becomes a real issue because it means that land that is being cleared for a landfill is literally uninhabitable by life. As our population continues to grow, we’re going to need to find more land to clear for a landfill. For this reason, it’s important that we find new ways to innovate and substitute our current methods of waste disposal for a more sustainable one that does not release so many toxic chemicals that affect our air and water quality. 

What is the Best Way to Go About Waste Disposal? 

Evidently, household waste is inevitable. The best thing you can do to help the environment is thoroughly assess the sort of waste that you’re disposing of and organising the waste into different categories. If you have any recyclable materials such as cardboard. Plastic or glass, you should always dispose of them in the recycling bin. If you have organic matter, you should purchase a compost bin. 

For construction companies, putting together a waste management plan is an essential part of their business practices. Rather than just tossing all of their waste away, it’s essential that managers of a construction site hold their employees accountable for disposing of their waste in an environmentally conscious matter. The most responsible rubbish removal technique on a large scale construction site is to order skip bins and clearly indicate which sort of waste belongs where. Skip bin and rubbish disposal companies in Brisbane are held accountable for ethical waste management solutions. Companies like Go Bins can deliver skip bins Gold Coast to your location and even dispose of your waste if need be in a manner that adheres to Australia’s environmental waste policies. 

Australia’s Environmental Waste Disposal Policies

Australia’s National Waste Policy was implemented in 2010 after being approved by all of Australia’s environmental ministers. The policy provides a framework for responsible waste disposal and resource recycling. This policy has been implemented as a strategy for moving towards a greener future in Australia. Its main implications have been in holding businesses accountable for the negative externalities caused by their practices. There are six key pillars of Australia’s National Waste Policy, these are: 

1. Taking Responsibility
2. Improving the Market
3. Pursuing Sustainability
4. Reducing Hazard and Risk
5. Tailoring Solutions
6. Providing Evidence

Where Can I Find More Information on the Environmental Impacts of Landfills? 

If you’re looking for more information on what you can be doing to help our current environmental crisis in terms of waste disposal, it never hurts to do your own research. There are plenty of articles and videos online that outline not only the environmental externalities of irresponsible waste disposal, but also the slight changes in your habits that could be making a huge difference. The battle against climate change needs to be a collective effort that is enforced on an individual level. By organising your waste, opting for biodegradable materials and using recyclable household appliances as much as possible, the world will be one step closer to a greener future. 

by KennethPosted on September 24, 2020

Where to Go For Bathroom Waterproofing in Brisbane

When it comes to waterproofing your bathroom, the prices range widely depending on whether you go with a professional waterproofing service or do it yourself. For example, there are costs to consider when it comes to installing the waterproofing of your shower and bathtub. The installation of any bathroom waterproofing system is expensive.

Shower waterproofing can be an easy DIY project if you have the right materials available. Many times, your local contractor or waterproofer will add waterproofing to their price list before installation. If this is the case, you can install your waterproofing system. However, a dedicated waterproofer would still have to come into your home to complete the job.

How Do I Get a Bathroom Waterproofed? 

Waterproofing products are usually sheets of a water-based, water-resistant, durable polyurethane foam that is sprayed onto a waterproofed surface. It is a self-adhesive sheet, which is then stuck to the walls or floor of the bathroom. This waterproofing product must be cleaned up immediately after being used. It also needs to be removed from the wall and reapplied at least once every two weeks to avoid build-up of dirt and grime. This is especially important in areas where the bathroom tends to get dirty more frequently.

There are other costs associated with installing waterproofing to your bathroom. These include removal of old waterproofing and re-plastering, cleaning and repairing tiles and walls, and installation of a new waterproofing membrane, and finally, the installation of a new floor covering. The type of waterproofing product you choose will depend on factors such as your budget, time, and the size of your bathroom. For example, if you want to waterproof a large bathroom area, you will probably require a higher grade water-resistant product. If you’re going to waterproof your shower only, you may use a less expensive waterproofing product.

Can I Do Bathroom Waterproofing on My Own?

Bathroom waterproofing can be done both by yourself or by a professional. If you are planning to do it yourself, you should ensure that you read through all the instructions that accompany your waterproofing kit.

If you go for DIY waterproofing your bathtub, the best bet would be a good quality waterproofing product. This way, you will be able to use your tub as often as you wish, not just when you have to use it for showers. If you choose to waterproof your whole bathroom, you will have the choice of using it for showers or baths. Also, if you have an existing waterproofing system, you will be able to make the necessary repairs or upgrades to it as well.

Does Waterproofing a Bathroom Affect Property Value?

Another benefit of waterproofing your home is that you can enjoy the benefits for years to come, even if the area is seldom exposed to rain. If you’re thinking about selling your home later on in life, getting your bathroom professionally waterproofed is essential for maintaining the value of your property. With this kind of waterproofing system, you can enjoy showering in your house and not have to pay out on the upkeep every few years. If you’re living around Brisbane, you’ve got a myriad of services available. Brisbane bathroom waterproofing are reputable for their professional services that last for years to come. If you have any queries, give them a call.

What Are My Available Options for Waterproofing Products? 

There are two types of waterproofing products available: liquid and non-liquid. The liquid forms of these products can be applied to any area where you need to waterproof and are more expensive than their non-liquid counterparts. Non-liquid conditions of the waterproofing products can be used in any room, and they are more affordable. In general, the cheaper the waterproofing products are, the longer they will last.

When it comes to different types of waterproofing products, you will need to consider many things before you make a purchase. You should consider the kind of area, the number of people you are going to waterproof, the size of the site and the amount of money you have available for waterproofing.

What Steps Should I Take From Here? 

When it comes to choosing the right waterproofing product, you have to look for a product that is easy to apply, safe and that you will be able to maintain correctly over the long run. You can choose between a traditional water-resistant product and a modern product, or you can even buy a water-proofing system and use the combination method. This type of waterproofing system is not as expensive as the traditional one and is easy to use.