In the name of God

The role of the construction

team in executing a green
building project making it
 construction waste management
erosion
sedimentation control
limiting the footprint of construction
operations
construction indoor air quality (IAQ)
high-performance green building project
improving materials handling and storage; reusing site
materials, such as topsoil, lime rock, asphalt, and concrete;
metering site electrical
reducing pollution generation activities
 This chapter focuses
on identifying how construction operations for high-performance green buildings
may differ from conventional construction practices. Speci!c areas of focus in
this chapter are site protection planning, materials handling and installation,
construction
and demolition waste management, managing IAQ during construction,
and building commissioning.
• Site Protection Planning
A site protection plan is used to ensure that
disturbances to the site ecology and
soils are minimized during construction operations.

Currently, neither LEED nor

Green Globes has speci!c requirements for the
components of a site protection
plan

A site protection plan includes erosion

and sedimentation control, pollution control, reduced
site disturbance, and
on-site construction management operations.
.
EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL

reducing soil loss

the pollution of nearby water bodies

Erosion and sedimentation are caused by soil

POLLUTION PREVENTION
Controlling pollution is a daily responsibility
of the GC/CM

Noise, dust, air pollution, and light are a few

types
of pollution that can result from construction
activities and that must be mitigated by
REDUCED SITE DISTURBANCE

The very act of constructing a building and the supporting

infrastructure that supplies
power, water, communications, sidewalks, and roads causes
tremendous changes
to the existing site
 CONDUCTING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION
a recycling facility for paper,
OPERATIONS
commingled plastics, and other types of recyclable waste can be made available to
the workforce. Additionally, containers can be made available for the collection of
rechargeable batteries, compostable food waste, or other types of waste. The GC/CM
can further reduce waste by sourcing reclaimed materials, such as of!ce furniture,
cabinets, and tables for the construction trailer. Paper waste can be reduced through
the use of a printer that is defaulted to double-sided printing.

Material eficiency

reducing the consumption of fuel and water and using energy-ef!cient

equipment.

Using conference calls and webinars to reduce transportation time and fuel
costs for scheduled meetings.
Incentivizing a carpool system to reduce site disturbance and fuel costs.

Using alternatively fueled vehicles for errands in order to reduce fuel costs.

Monitoring energy and water consumption to help identify potential areas of

excessive consumption.
HVAC PROTECTION

Steps for Managing IAQ during Construction

1. Identify potential threats to IAQ.

2. Incorporate IAQ goals into the bid and
construction documents.
3. Ensure that all members of the project team are
knowledgeable about IAQ issues.
4. Require the development and use of an IAQ
management plan.
5. Conduct regular inspection and maintenance of
IAQ measures
6. Conduct safety meetings, develop signage, and
establish subcontractor agreements that
communicate the goals of the construction IAQ
plan.
7. Require contractors to provide information on
product substitutions.
PATHWAY INTERRUPTION
In order to keep dust down, construction activities
should be physically isolated from
clean or occupied areas. This can be accomplished with
temporary barriers, such as
plastic sheeting, tape, and entrance control measures
such as sticky mats, as shown
HOUSEKEEPING
Proper maintenance and cleaning should be undertaken regularly on any construction
project. Construction site cleaning consists of more than just picking up scrap materials
or sweeping the "oor

materials include drywall, insulation, and ceiling tiles, to name a few.

It also includes cleaning and storing porous materials that tend

to absorb liquids and gases that are commonly present on a construction site.

materials include drywall, insulation, and ceiling tiles, to name a few.

SCHEDULING
Construction activities can be sequenced to minimize dust, mold, emissions, and
debris that can contaminate previously installed materials.
Construction Materials Management

improves project sustainability

can reduce solid waste

Appropriate storage helps prevent damage to products

saves the cost of replacement and disposal of damaged products.

reduces disposal costs

PRODUCT PROCUREMENT AND DELIVERY
Product procurement involves identifying and selecting a source for products.
communicating product requirements and delivery expectations to that source
PRODUCT STORAGE AND STAGING

Prior to installation, it is important to have adequate space for product storage

staging to ensure their protection.

Protecting products from moisture is clearly important for materials that

are water-absorptive. Examples include drywall, carpets, acoustic ceiling tiles,
and insulation.

potential source of damage is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Construction and Demolition Waste
Management

Potential Risks in Storing Materials and Mitigation Measures

Exposure to precipitation
Excess humidity
Absorption from ground contact
Moisture-proof indoor product storage
Placement to allow ventilation
Preventing ground contact
Adequate covering
Active ventilation/heating
Photodegradation:
Exposure to UV radiation
Indoor product storage
Adequate covering
Organized laydown yard
Material security Indoor product storage
Protected/locked storage
Temperature "uctuation Indoor product storage
Active ventilation/heating
Indoor product storage
Physical damage:
By equipment during handling
By equipment while stored
Improper orientation/support
Adequate support
Following manufacturer stacking/protection
recommendations
Contamination:
Exposure to spills
Exposure to dust
Absorption of contaminants from
surrounding materials
Adequate covering
Active ventilation
Sealed openings
Clean before installation
Separate storage of absorptive items from
potential contaminants
WASTE GENERATION AND OPTIONS FOR DIVERSION
AND!REUSE
On many construction projects,
recyclable materials, such as wood, concrete and masonry, metals, and drywall, make
up as much as 75 percent of the total waste stream, presenting opportunities for signi
!cant waste diversion

The option of sourcing building components or modules from

off-site also permits materials to be delivered when they are needed instead of being
staged on-site where they pose an obstacle for construction work. Off-site prefabrication
of building components or modules may include walls, kitchen equipment, stairways,
ductwork assemblies, precast concrete, shelving and cabinetry, entire rooms
that can be craned into place, and other specialized assemblies. If possible, materials
should be ordered already cut to size to reduce construction time and on-site waste
generation.
One of the major contributions of the high-performance green building delivery system
is to require building commissioning as a standard practice. This has come about
because at least a basic level of commissioning is required for certi!cation under the US
Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED-New Construction building assessment
system and is highly recommended by Green Globes.
ESSENTIALS OF BUILDING COMMISSIONING
According to the BCA, the building commissioning process is controlled and coordinated
by a CxA. The ten essential elements of building commissioning as carried
out by the CxA are:
1. The CxA is in charge of commissioning process on behalf of the owner, is
an advocate for the owner’s interests, and makes recommendations to the
owner about the performance of the commissioned systems.
2. The CxA must have adequate experience to perform the commissioning
tasks and must have recent hands-on experience in building systems commissioning;
building systems performance and interaction; operations and
maintenance procedures; and building design and construction processes.
3. The scope of commissioning must be clearly de!ned in the commissioning
contract and commissioning plan.
4. The roles and scope of all building team members in the commissioning
process should be clearly de!ned in the design and engineering consultants’
contracts; in the construction contract; in the General Conditions of
the Speci!cations; in the divisions of the speci!cations covering work to be
commissioned; and in the speci!cations for each system or component for
which a supplier’s support is required.
 5. A commissioning plan must be produced to describe how the commissioning
process will be carried out, and should identify the systems to be commissioned;
the scope of the commissioning process; the roles and lines of
communications for each team member; and the estimated commissioning
schedule. The commissioning plan is a single document that re"ects speci-
!ed criteria identi!ed from the contracts and contract documents.
6. For new construction, the CxA should review systems installation for
commissioning
issues throughout construction.
7. Commissioning activities and !ndings are documented exactly as they occur,
distributed immediately, and included in the !nal report.
8. A functional testing program, composed of written, repeatable test procedures,
is carried out, indicating expected and actual results. [The installation
inspection program should be carried out in a similar manner.]
9. The CxA should provide constructive input for the resolution of system
de!ciencies.
10. A commissioning report is produced that evaluates the operating condition
of each system; de!ciencies that were discovered and measures taken to
correct them; uncorrected operational de!ciencies accepted by the owner;
functional test procedures and results; documentation of all commissioning
activities; and a description and estimated schedule for deferred testing.
MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF BUILDING COMMISSIONING
As noted, building commissioning has tremendous potential for generating savings
for the building owner. To ensure that the maximum value is obtained for building
commissioning, the BCA recommends that the scope of building commissioning
also includes these seven steps:
1. Prior to design, seek assistance in evaluating the owner’s requirements, such
as energy conservation, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), training, operations,
and maintenance.
2. During each design phase, review construction documents for compliance
with design criteria, commissioning requirements bidding issues, construction
coordination and installation concerns, performance, and facilitation of
operations and maintenance.
3. Review equipment submittals for compliance with commissioning issues.
4. Review and verify schedules and procedures for system start-up.
5. Ensure that training of operating staff is conducted in accordance with project
documents.
6. Ensure that operations and maintenance manuals comply with contract documents.
7. Assist the owner in assessing system performance prior to expiration of the
construction contract warranty.