SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS SOLUTIONS THAT ENABLE HUMANS TO THRIVE WWW.RAMBOLL.COM PART 1 Why sustainable buildings? 3 About sustainable building design 6 PART Starting with sustainability 8 1 Accreditation and certification 9 SYSTEMS & Tailored strategies 10 METHODS BREEAM 11 LEED 12 DGNB 13 Estidama 14 GSAS 15 Other accreditations 16 PART 2 PART 2 ISSUES & Liveability 23 FOCUS Profiting 25 Energy optimisation 27 Healthy buildings 29 How much technology? 31 Sustainable buildings and the liveable city 33 PART 3 PART 3 RAMBOLL’S Ramboll at a glance 34 SPECIALISTS Ramboll’s specialists 35 Cover: Oslosolar, Oslo, Norway ABOUT RAMBOLL 3 WHY SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS? Sustainability will be key to finding the solutions that enable humans to thrive Urbanisation, social inequality and At Rambøll we believe that climate change represent three ABOUT RAMBOLL global megatrends that will put • Buildings should be designed human kind to the test over the next to be attractive to the individual Ramboll is a leading engineering, design and consultancy company decades. Under these increasingly users. People should feel well in the founded in Denmark in 1945. challenging conditions, sustainability buildings they live and work in. will be key to finding the solutions We employ 13,000 experts in the Nordics, North America, the UK, that enable humans to thrive. It • Buildings should stimulate people, Continental Europe, Middle East and is essential that the concept of make us interact with each other, India, supplemented by a significant sustainability permeates the way adapt to the local environment and representation in Asia, Australia, South America and Sub-Saharan we build the framework around the to the surroundigs of the building. Africa. With more than 300 offices lives we live. Our schools, hospitals, in 35 countries, Ramboll combines offices, our homes and other • The planetary boundaries presents local experience with a global knowledge base, constantly striving buildings all need to have a positive the framework for development to achieve inspiring and exacting contribution to the people who use of human society. Hence, a solutions that make a genuine them, to their surroundings and to building should have a net positive difference to our customers, end users, and society as a whole. future generations; they have to be contribution to the planet. Ramboll works across the markets: sustainable buildings. Buildings, Transport, Environment The three points are central & Health, Water, Energy, Oil & Gas and Management Consulting. Ramboll’s approach to sustainable to our way of approaching building design is best described by sustainability. The Rambøll way is WWW.RAMBOLL.COM our motto: ‘No building is an island’. to create buildings that are not only It is important to see a building as sustainable, but also a joy to live and a part of the wider city and design work in. A building should perform it in a way that is optimal and cost at a high level in the physical aspect, efficient for the neighbourhood as but also within the social and cultural methods available to our sustainability a whole. When ensuring sustainable aspects. We call this approach specialists when designing the solutions for our clients, the process LIVEABILITY. interdisciplinary process for each always starts with an analysis of the sustainable building project. cultural, environmental and climatic As a sustainable society consultant, we preconditions of the project, the have a responsibility to empower and When it comes to sustainable building end-user and the client’s current and enlighten our clients on sustainable design, there are a number of issues future marketplace. building design. With the broad span that are usually addressed when of experts and wide geographical implementing and designing concepts We believe that true sustainability coverage, we are in a unique position for our sustainable projects. Examples can only be achieved in collaboration to fulfil this responsibility. Over the of these challanges are described in with the local community and the next few pages you will get a glimpse part two of this capability statement. future building user and by ensuring a of how we strive for a better future balance between the building design through our sustainable design and The concept of “Liveability” in and the environmental and climatic consultancy. buildings considers the physical, conditions of the particular site. A social and cultural aspects. For more sustainable building in Jeddah differs Part one of this capability statement on this concept, please contact one of from a sustainable building in Oslo. describes different systems and our experts in part 3. 4 Ramboll Head Office, Copenhagen, Denmark An holistic and sustainable office building for around 1700 people. Ramboll’s definition of sustainability includes economy, environment, society and climate and is based on the notion that no building is an island, but always part of a wider context. 5 SYSTEMS AND METHODOLOGIES FOR CREATING SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS 6 PART 1 ABOUT SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN What signifies a sustainable building design in Ramboll? Sustainable building design is a Each project is different from the last multidisciplinary method concerned with various socio-cultural, functional, with developing holistic strategies environmental and economic focusing on all three pillars of the preconditions the term ‘sustainable Brundtland report – i.e. social, building’ has as many different environmental and economic definitions as there are people. sustainability. On each individual project we therefore ask ourselves By asking ourselves and our client these simple questions to gain a these simple questions we can help better understanding of which them identify a path that leads approach to sustainable building towards the goal they dream of. design is relevant in the project: Sustainable building design is an 1. What is the client’s motivation for interdisciplinary service that needs including sustainability? Does the to be integrated into most services client want a certificate or is the in a project. To ensure commitment client’s motivation with sustainability across all disciplines in our projects, to meet a company goal (e.g. CSR) our specialists focus on how to or to change a behavioural pattern? facilitate this interdisciplinary process Or is the main goal to ensure a high and ensure commitment with each return on investment at low risk? discipline leader on the project. 2. What is the client’s current Sustainable building design approach to sustainability? And which as a discipline issues does this approach address? Ramboll’s specialists in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, UK, Middle 3. What is the client’s wishes for his/ East, USA etc provide world-class her future approach to sustainability? consultancy on sustainable building 01 Ramboll Head Office, And how we can I help him/her reach design. Copenhagen, Denmark that goal? An holistic and sustainable office building Our specialists have diverse back- for around 1700 people. Ramboll’s definition of sustainability includes economy, 4. What is the climatic, environmental, grounds and are connected in an environment, society and climate and is economic and social context of the international knowledge network based on the notion that no building is an client’s product or building project? which ensures interdisciplinary island, but always part of a wider context. What kind of infrastructure does discussion, international collaboration 02 Oslo Fossil Free, Oslo, Norway the client have available for his/her and allocation of appropriate Oslo has developed a new strategy for how product or project? And which issues resources for each project. What the city can be free of fossil fuels by 2050. The strategy includes energy resources, should the sustainability strategy signifies a sustainable building design energy production/distribution and energy address in relation to this? specialist in Ramboll is the holistic consumption in all sectors, with a particular approach taken to the development focus on transport, which accounts for 60% of Oslo’s carbon emissions. Ramboll has 5. How do we ensure the liveability of project specific sustainability assisted the municipality of Oslo by acting of the building/product and most strategies and the ability to facilitate as field expert and sector manager, while importantly the liveability of the the realisation of these strategies. also being involved in developing the strategy report and subsequently a cost- people spending time in the building Read more on benefit analysis of 10 prioritised measures or utilising the product? www.ramboll.com/megatrend and development of an implementation plan. RAMBOLL SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS 7 01 02 8 PART 1 STARTING WITH SUSTAINABILITY CSR - a great place to start the process In order to end up with a sustainable CSR strategy building you need to have the right A client’s CSR (Corporate Social processes and methodology. This Responsibility) strategy or CR will involve a range of experts in (Corporate Responsibility) strategy various disciplines. This makes an is a great place to start when you are interdisciplinary design process key to aiming to build a sustainable building. success when aiming for a sustainable The CSR strategy tells us how the building. The sustainability specialist client sees their role in their market is the anchor in the interdisciplinary place and this knowledge enables design process. He or she facilitates a discussion of which approach to the process for sustainable design and sustainable building design is aligned ensures that each stakeholder knows with the strategy of the client. This their role in the realisation of the discussion will focus on how to shared vision and strategy for how to ensure that the approach taken achieve the goals set for sustainability. to sustainability creates value for the client. From the initial dialogue When facilitating interdisciplinary between the client and the design decision and design processes the team, a set of criteria is developed. sustainability specialists have a wide These criteria will help choose set of methods at their disposal.