Sarawak Campus

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science

Higher Education Division

Tutorial 8: Sustainable Built Environment

CVE10006
Sustainable Design
(Semester 2, 2015)
Version date (12 October, 2015)

Student Name:

Student Identification Number:

SCORE

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1. From a sustainability perspective, not all materials are created equal. Indeed, in terms of CO2 emissions, we are
able to get very different amounts of material for one tonne of emissions. Data on this is presented in Figure 1.
Use this figure to answer the following questions.

a) How would you characterise the materials that we can get the largest amounts of per tonne of CO2
emissions? [1 mark]
They are all natural materials like wood, earth or stone

b) How do metals perform in terms of the amount we can get per tonne of CO2 emissions? [1 mark]
Very poorly

c) If we use recycled materials instead of raw materials, does it seem to make much difference? Explain your
answer. [2 marks]
Yes.
For aluminium, steel and glass we get substantially more material per tonne of CO2 emitted if we use
recycled material

d) If you were going to build a sustainable house, what materials would you use? [1 mark]
Wood frame and cladding and recycled options for any needed glass or steel

2. Ecological footprints provide us a way to compare the impact of different types of activities or lifestyles. An
ecological footprint consists of many different elements and these are outline in Figure 2. Use this figure to answer
the following questions.

a) What are the main components of an ecological footprint? [3 marks]

Carbon, cropland, grazing land, forest, built-up land, fishing grounds

b) What unit are ecological footprints traditionally measured in? [1 mark]

Global hectares

c) How do you think the ecological footprint of the average Australian compares to the global average ecological
footprint? Do you think that Australian lifestyles (as they are currently provided for) are sustainable? Why or
why not? [3 marks]
We are much higher.
No.
If everyone lived like Australians we would need several Earths to support us.

3. Figure 3 compares the traditional linear metabolism of most existing cities to the hypothetical (and in rare cases
actual) circular metabolism necessary for a city to be considered sustainable. Use this figure to answer the
following questions.

a) Describe the linear metabolism of traditional cities. [3 marks]

Materials are brought into the city from outside.
These are consumed within the city; typically in a very inefficient manner.
The city then discharges large amounts of waste and pollutants to the surrounding environment.

b) Describe the circular metabolism of sustainable cities. [3 marks]

Materials are brought into the city from outside but some of these are also generated or produced locally,
especially energy.
These materials are then consumed within the city in a very efficient manner with materials reused and/or
recycled multiple times.
The city discharges very minimal pollutants or waste to the surrounding environment.

4. Population density has a significant impact on our use of natural resources in the built environment with higher
density living generally producing better environmental outcomes owing to the reduced need for transportation

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 (especially by car). The population density of some of the worlds largest cities is presented in Figure 4. Use this
figure to answer the following questions.

a) Which region of the world has the cities with the highest population density? [1 mark]
Asia

b) Which region of the world has the cities with the lowest population density? [1 mark]
The USA

c) Most European countries have a lower environmental impact (per capita) than does the USA even though
they have very similar per capita incomes. Can this partially be explained by population density? Why or why
not? [2 marks]
Yes,
the higher population density means that public transport options become more viable

d) Based on population density alone, would you expect New York City or Los Angeles to have a higher per
capita impact on the environment? [1 mark]
Los Angeles since its population density is lower

5. Calculate the population density for the following countries (2007 data) (Note: assume the data are exact numbers
so in this case significant figures are not relevant).

Country Population Land Area Density

name (sq. km) (people per
sq. km)
Australia 19,169,083 7,617,930 2.52
Bangladesh 129,194,224 133,910 964.78
Canada 31,281,092 9,220,970 3.39
Japan 126,549,976 374,744 337.70
Liechtenstein 32,207 160 201.29
Monaco 31,693 1.95 16252.82
Mongolia 2,650,952 1,565,000 1.69
USA 275,562,673 9,158,960 30.09

a) Based on these data, where does Australia rank in terms of its population density? If the whole of Australia
was as densely populated as Monaco what would the population of Australia be? Would this population be
possible to sustain given what you know about Australia? Why or why not? [4 marks]
2nd least dense.
~124 Billion people (16252*7617930 = 124 billion).
No.
No country could support such a population.

b) If the whole of Australia was as densely populated as the United States what would the population of Australia
be? Would this population be possible to sustain given what you know about Australia? Why or why not? [3
marks]
~229 Million people (30.09*7617930 = 229 million).
No.
Australia does not have sufficient water resources to support such a large population.

6. Figure 5 presents a comparison between population density and average fuel use per person for several world
cities. Use this figure to answer the following questions.

a) What is the relationship between population density and average fuel use per person? [1 mark]
As population density increases average fuel usage per person decreases.

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 b) How do Australian cities compare to European and American cities in terms of population density and average
fuel use per person? [2 marks]
Australian cities are less densely populated than European cities and about as densely populated as US
cities.
We use less fuel per person than US cities but more than European cities.

c) Based on these data, how would you assume that the average person commutes to work every day in Hong
Kong and Houston? In Houston 34% of the adult population is classified as obese, in Hong Kong it is 4%.
Does there appear to be a relation between petrol usage and obesity and if so why do you think that
relationship might exist? [2 marks]
Most Hong Kong residents would walk or take public transport to work. Most residents of Houston would
drive to work.
Yes.
The US has high obesity rates and the high petrol use indicates few people would walk to or from work or
elsewhere.
In Hong Kong, the high density favours pedestrian and bike use meaning residents likely get much more
exercise on an average day.

7. Figure 6 shows the population of Manhattan (part of New York City), during the day and at night. How would you
describe the patterns you see in this figure? Do you think Manhattan is a sustainable city based on these data
alone? Why or why not? [3 marks]
Starkly different. The population moves into Manhattan during the day to work but few people actually live
there.
No.
It is not a sustainable city because the urban layout forces people to commute long distances to work.

8. A consequence of urban living is the Urban Heat Island effect. This effect causes cities to be warmer than the
surrounding landscape. This effect has numerous causes as can be seen in Figure 7. Use this figure to answer
the following questions.

a) What are the six factors listed as contributing to the urban heat island effect? [3 marks]
Long wave radiation reflected from walls back to the street;
buildings store heat and release it at night;
lack of vegetation;
heat released by traffic;
heat released from heated or cooled buildings;
tall buildings trap air reducing wind

b) According to the figure, how much hotter can cities be relative to surrounding areas? [1 mark]
Over 10oC warmer

c) Given the complexities associated with the various causes of the urban heat island effect, what do you think
might be the easiest way to offset or combat the urban heat island effect? [1 mark]
Increasing vegetation cover in cities.

9. One way to combat the Urban Heat Island effect is through the provision of urban green space. Figure 8 presents
data on how a 10% increase or decrease in urban green space would affect urban temperatures in the future in an
Australian town centre. Use these data to answer the following questions.

a) Using the high estimate determine how much the temperature of the town centre will increase between 1970
and 2080. What would this temperature change be if the green space was reduced by 10% by 2080? What
would this temperature change be if the green space was increased by 10% by 2080? [3 marks]
About 4oC warmer.
About 8-9oC warmer.
The temperature would remain about the same.

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 b) Using the high estimates alone, in what year would the temperature in the town centre equal the predicted
2080 temperature (with no change in vegetation) if the town centre reduced its green space by 10% today? [1
mark]
By 2020 the temperature would reach the 4oC warmer observed for the no change in vegetation case in
2080.

c) Given these results, how important would you rate the provision of urban vegetation as a means to combat
the adverse warming effects of climate change in urban areas? Why? [3 marks]
Extremely important.
A very small change in vegetation cover can completely offset even the most extreme temperature rises in
urban environments.
Meanwhile, the loss of vegetation can exacerbate climate change and can even cause significant
temperature rises even in the absence of climate change.

10. Figure 9 presents the spatial pattern of urban heat and vegetation cover in New York City, USA. Describe what
you see in this figure. What are the implications of your observations? [3 marks]
There is a very close link between cool temperatures and vegetation cover.
Where vegetation is absent temperatures are high.
Strategically planting vegetation in hot areas could help offset warming and provide a more liveable urban
environment.

11. Figure 10 summarizes some of the strategies that can be employed to help cities become more sustainable. Use
this figure to answer the following questions.

a) To make cities more sustainable, seven categories of tools are presented. What are they? [3 marks]
Limits and regulations,
zoning,
planning,
protection,
taxes,
tax breaks,
revitalization and new growth

b) How many of these seven would be led by government? [1 mark]

All seven

c) Which level of government do you think would be most responsible (or able) to enact these strategies? [1
mark]
The local council or city government

d) In your experience, compare the performance of the Federal Government of Australia, the State Government
of Victoria and the local governments in and around Melbourne in terms of their sustainability performance.
Where do you think most of the effort on making us a more sustainable society are originating? [2 marks]
Federal and State governments in Australia usually operate in a way that is contrary to improving our
sustainability.
In contrast, many local governments are leading the way in trying to improve the sustainability of their
citizens.

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Figure 1. Amount of material that can be produced for one tonne of CO2 emissions.

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 Figure 2. The components of an ecological footprint.

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Figure 3. A comparison of the linear metabolism that characterises traditional urban centres and a circular
metabolism that would need to be employed to make a city more sustainable.

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 Figure 4. Population density in some world cities.

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Figure 5. Fuel use per capita against population density for several world cities.

Figure 6. The daytime and night time populations of Manhattan, USA.

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Figure 7. Causes of the urban heat island effect.

Figure 8. The effect of green space on urban temperatures and potential responses to climate change.

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Figure 9. Urban temperature pattern and vegetation distribution in New York City, USA.

Figure 10. Techniques for implementing sustainability improvements in urban

centres.

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