The role of 'Channels of Distribution' in Sustainable Marketing?

Channel networks range from “raw materials suppliers and manufacturers as well as intermediary organizations/facilities (e.g., industrial distributors, wholesalers, distribution centers, transporters, retailers) that engage in pass-through trade.”[1] These various channel networks work together to make products available to customers. Understanding these channel networks and the value added at each step is instrumental in assessing and evaluating how the product system life cycle can be used to make all aspects of the channel network more sustainable.
To understand the complex nature of such channels it is important to remember to look at the picture holistically. Ideally each section of the channel network should be optimally efficient and therefore create not pollution and not waste. While this is not currently available, it is important in the interim to examine the total impact of a product whether it follows forward or reverse channels to ascertain the avenues for improvement toward a more sustainable process. While improving the “environmental performance of channel organizations still boils down to implementing P2 initiatives that reduce waste and R2 applications that remediate unavoidable waste streams”[2], the simplified objectives that a marketing strategy can set are much easier to digest. Some examples of these sustainable marketing channel objectives for P2 or pollution prevention include setting targets to reduce inventories by a manageable percentage by a certain date or reducing the amount of pollution creating processes from production. Additional examples of such sustainable marketing channel objectives for R2, or resource recovery include using a combination of recycled rubber with virgin rubber to reduce waste and promote competitive advantage.

Photo by Daniel Suchenski


[1] Sustainable Marketing: Managerial-Ecological Issues, page 175.[2] Sustainable Marketing: Managerial-Ecological Issues, page 178.

What is the role of Manufacturing in Sustainable Marketing?

While all stages of marketing need to be examined to achieve a sustainable outcome, looking more closely at manufacturing as a strategy that interconnects product and process design, end to end, is an essential chain in the larger sustainable marketing process. Additionally, as the manufacturing component of a marketing strategy is one if not the ‘dirtiest’ part of the process it is essential that the role of manufacturing in the future as sustainable marketing becomes the norm rather than the exception, be itself sustainable. Steve Skerlos, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan and principal investigator for that university's Environmental and Sustainable Technology Lab, has said that “The cost savings represented by new green technologies make a compelling business case.”[1] To illustrate his point, he said “the United States consumed two billion gallons of metalworking fluids in 2000. These emulsions of oil, water and stabilizing agents are essential in machining the moving metal parts in automobiles, motors, appliances, compressors, pumps, generators and more. They account for 12 percent of metals manufacturing costs. While the biggest cost is the purchase of these metalworking fluids, disposal costs are also significant.”[2] Through his work at a test plant, Skerlos and his associates were able to develop environmentally friendly vegetable oil substitutes for petroleum-based oils, as well as microfiltration techniques to extend the useful life of these fluids virtually indefinitely. That can save a lot of money, as a large plant can typically spend $2 million a year replacing these fluids. When asked whether sustainable manufacturing solutions will "self-assemble" -- that is, occur through natural market forces. He said: "The business case for sustainability is simple: Add value!"[3] Adding that "green" business efforts, if done right, reduce costs, increase consumers' willingness to pay more, increase market share and ultimately facilitate the development of new products and markets.

Photo by Daniel Suchenski

[1] http://www.stanford.edu/group/AIM/AIMPrograms/EventsArchives/wkshparchives/GreenManuf.html
[2]http://www.stanford.edu /group/AIM/AIMPrograms/EventsArchives/wkshparchives/GreenManuf.html
[3]http://www.stanford.edu%20/group/AIM/AIMPrograms/EventsArchives/wkshparchives/GreenManuf.html

R² Strategies and the role of Sustainable Marketing.

While both pollution prevention and resource recovery both can be considered proactive marketing strategies, they differ greatly in approach. In keeping with a reduction and elimination of inefficiencies that also promote a benefit in service and/or profit, resource recovery is used where pollution prevention could not. This reuse of waste, known as resource recovery is “the collecting and separating of certain waste materials for processing into new forms, which will ultimately be marketed as raw materials for new products.”[1] Resource recovery is not only environmentally important, but it is also cost effective and therefore more efficient. It reduces the amount of waste for disposal, saves space in landfills, is more energy-efficient than burning materials, and conserves natural resources. Fuller describes resource recovery as “the process through which products, materials and energy values are routinely recaptured from waste (residual) streams and returned to economic use (redeployed) in future production-consumption cycles.”[2] Furthermore resource recovery is a function that moderates the negative impacts of waste streams that have been first downsized through pollution prevention efforts. Perhaps the most common example of resource recovery is the recycling of aluminum can. Not only does not recycling represent a foregone opportunity from an economical standpoint but there are environmental and social considerations. The production of aluminum from raw material is a dirty process. There are environmental impacts associated with each stage of aluminum production, from extraction to processing. The major environmental impact of refining and smelting is greenhouse gas emissions. These gases result from both the electrical consumption of smelters and the byproducts of processing. The greenhouse gases resulting from primary production include perfluorocarbons (PFC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), fluoride, sulfur dioxide (S02), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Of these gases, PFC's resulting from the smelting process are the most potent. Primary aluminum production is the leading source of perfluorocarbon emissions in the United States.[3] Beyond the simple example of the aluminum can there are large corporations and state initiatives that deal exclusively with resource recovery across the country.[4]

Photo by Daniel Suchenski

[1] http://www.co.grand-traverse.mi.us/departments/resource_recovery/What_is_Resource_Recovery_.htm[2] Sustainable Marketing: Managerial-Ecological Issues p. 95[3] http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1013.html[4] www.rirrc.org www.crra.com www.nrra.net

Reclaiming Art Part 2 - A mixture of Wood & Ceramic

Reclaim is defined as "to bring into or return to a suitable condition for use" For this piece of art I took scrap wood from bins at my woodshop, fixed them up, put them together and made a tray frame. The ceramic inside was completed by a dear friend of mine who acquired an beautiful designer plate that developed a rather large air bubble during the kiln phase and, while "unsellable" was in fact in perfect condition and ideal for use as a tiled base for the inside of my reclaimed wood tray. This is actually one of my most favorite pieces as it was made in a very innovative style that involved multiple disciplines and a great deal of time and love.

P²: Proactive Marketing moves toward Sustainability

According to MarketingProfs.com proactive marketing involves marketing activities which anticipate competitive action and attempt to forestall it as a means of staying viable in an ever evolving environment.[1] From a business perspective pollution prevention, at its heart, aim to reduce inefficiencies while improving customer satisfaction and/or profits. This idea is adequately summarized by Donald Fuller who states, not only that, the approach of pollution prevention is to eliminate waste and wasting at the point of origin, but their mere presence is an “indicator of inefficiencies in conversion processes or activities.”[2] Fuller takes this a step, insisting that if pollution prevention strategies are not taken seriously as part of the holistic outlook of any marketing strategy then, not only is the outcome inefficient, it’s also not progressive. Even the most doubting skeptic of sustainable and holistic business approaches acknowledge the importance of confronting and eliminating inefficiencies. Pollution creation is the ultimate inefficiency, especially when alternatives are readily available. For those that still believe the old slogan that dilution is the solution to pollution, bear this in mind, an article published by a Chinese scholar in the only English language newspaper in China, China daily, reported that the cost of China’s environmental degradation as a byproduct of its economic boon could be equal or higher than GDP.[3]

A counter example that illustrates pollution prevention as a progressive marketing strategy is the ‘green rate’ offered by two Washington DC hotels. These hotels offered discounted rates on rooms for patrons willing to use the same sheets and towels over a three day period.[4] This mutually beneficial deal allows for one third of the electricity, water and detergent to be used. To see an even more progressive example in DC check out Topaz hotel in DuPont Circle.[5]

*Both Photos taken by me in Shanghai China

Photos by Daniel Suchenski

[1] http://www.marketingprofs.com/marketing/library, http://en.mimi.hu/marketingweb/proactive_marketing_strategies.html

[2] Sustainable Marketing: Managerial-Ecological Issues p. 90 [3] http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-06/06/content_609350.htm [4] Sustainable Marketing: Managerial-Ecological Issues p. 91 [5] http://www.topazhotel.com/html/green-hotel-dc.asp

Sustainable Marketing & 4 informal laws.

‘Traditional’ marketing is defined by the American Marketing Association as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.[1] As it relates to business, Donald Fuller in Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues, states that marketing is not only an inseparable concept but, traditional marketing success has been defined as satisfying costumers and concurrent profits for the firm. This is often called the “win-win” strategy.[2] Traditional marketing often constitutes creative industries which include advertising, distribution and selling. It is concerned, not only with current marketing strategies, proper marketing also anticipates a customers' future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research. Additionally, marketing is influenced by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Market research underpins these activities.[3]
You may be wondering, ‘What is the difference between sustainable marketing and more traditional marketing? It isn't just about selling green products to the “LOHAS” market segment, which encompasses 63 million people. Or the $540 billion Cultural Creative’s market. “Sustainable Marketing gives traditional marketing methods and discipline to entrepreneurs in the green marketing sector, teaches corporate social responsibility and green marketing to existing well-established companies, and also going beyond branding, evolving marketing, understanding our customers better, their values, emotions, and buying behavior, and their hopes for making a sustainable, restorative relationship with their families, their communities, and the earth.”[4] Fuller helps simplify this concept by stating that sustainable marketing utilizes all of the traditional marketing strategies while attempting to reinvent product systems to achieve “zero-waste, zero discharge outcomes while providing the same or improved benefits to costumers is a logical solution to pollution.”[5]

[1] Marketing definition approved in October 2007 by the American Marketing Association
[2] Fuller, Donald A. Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues. SAGE Publications. 1999. Page 3.[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing[4] http://www.sustainablemarketing.com/[5] Fuller, Donald A. Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues. SAGE Publications. 1999. Page 3.

Defining Sustainable Marketing.

‘Traditional’ marketing is defined by the American Marketing Association as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.[1] As it relates to business, Donald Fuller in Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues, states that marketing is not only an inseparable concept but, traditional marketing success has been defined as satisfying costumers and concurrent profits for the firm. This is often called the “win-win” strategy.[2] Traditional marketing often constitutes creative industries which include advertising, distribution and selling. It is concerned, not only with current marketing strategies, proper marketing also anticipates a customers' future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research. Additionally, marketing is influenced by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Market research underpins these activities.[3]
You may be wondering, ‘What is the difference between sustainable marketing and more traditional marketing? It isn't just about selling green products to the “LOHAS” market segment, which encompasses 63 million people. Or the $540 billion Cultural Creative’s market. “Sustainable Marketing gives traditional marketing methods and discipline to entrepreneurs in the green marketing sector, teaches corporate social responsibility and green marketing to existing well-established companies, and also going beyond branding, evolving marketing, understanding our customers better, their values, emotions, and buying behavior, and their hopes for making a sustainable, restorative relationship with their families, their communities, and the earth.”[4] Fuller helps simplify this concept by stating that sustainable marketing utilizes all of the traditional marketing strategies while attempting to reinvent product systems to achieve “zero-waste, zero discharge outcomes while providing the same or improved benefits to costumers is a logical solution to pollution.”[5]

[1] Marketing definition approved in October 2007 by the American Marketing Association
[2] Fuller, Donald A. Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues. SAGE Publications. 1999. Page 3.[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing[4] http://www.sustainablemarketing.com/[5] Fuller, Donald A. Sustainable Marketing: Managerial - Ecological Issues. SAGE Publications. 1999. Page 3.

Reclaiming Art - Woodworking in Modern America

The more I travel back through the venues of my life the more I realize and understand more about sustainability & my own unique journey. I have been an avid, if sometimes unconventional woodworker and creator for sometime now. When I was in highschool I began using scraps, to create a sort of antique looking vintage style frame. Using scraps made sense, they are not only readily available in any woodshop but they also require a degree of creativity to make them into something interesting instead of using virgin wood pieces.

This piece was a large walnut backing with maple pieces on top and bottom, mahagony on the right side and two strips used as inlays on both the right and left sides.

I used paper clips for the twisted metal on the far right.

This is another frame with a solid walnut backing. Zebra wood an exotic hardwood imported from West Africa was attached on the upper right corner and redheart, another exotic hardwood, attached at the lower right corner. The top of the piece was shaped using various files.

This frame is held up by two protruding maple posts that come up through the walnut backing. None of the frames I made have stain or polyurethane. Tung oil would have been a powerful possibility as a natural and environmentally friendly alternative to polyurethane but was unavailable at the shop in DC. Because no stains or finishes were used it is important to note that these are the natural colors of the wood.


This frame uses purple heart triangle in the lower left. A slice of red heart. I used a drill on the right side to emulate wear. The picture is of Larry, the shop manager and one of the student’s children inside the Covenant House Washington’s woodshop.


This frame was held up with just a single piece of Baltic birch plywood. Purple heart is an exotic wood with mechanical properties of the wood are reported to lie somewhere between those of Greenheart and Oak. It is reported to have exceptional tolerance for shock loading.

This frame uses large block pieces of Zebra wood for grounding. A thin strip of purple heart runs across the bottom of the picture. Reclaimed corks from wine bottles and a post of red heart were used on either side of the frame to stabilize and prop up the drawing.

All of these frames were constructed in DC inside the Covenant House Washington woodshop. The BlogSpot is here. http://theartisans.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Development in Nigeria - Water Issues

Since last month’s TPR paper written on IAQ topics our group the Foxtrots met again at the Saxby’s café off main street in downtown Doylestown. This meeting, the first since finding out our group’s focus on water issues in the final presentation, included Philip S. Getty, P.G. who came to speak at our cSBA class in March. Continuing our general discussion on sustainability issues related to Nigeria’s Intercontinental Education Community Center (ICEC2) construction and maintenance, out team met on the morning of April 15th to discuss more specific sustainable options involving water management that are feasible and cost-efficient for the Nigerian site.

The cSBA handbook has this to say about problems related to water. Water, while seemingly abundant “is a scarce resource. Water that can be treated to drinking water standards (potable) are difficult to find, manage, and protect, and treating that water to drinking water quality is energy intensive and expensive.”[1] Using potable water for anything that does not require the highest standards of water quality is wasteful and puts enormous strain on our “public utilities to keep trying to find and treat water resources to keep up with not only population growth, but wasteful practices.”[2] In general using potable water to do things besides “drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning is wasteful.”[3] While wasteful water uses in house range from bad habits, to poor maintenance, by far the most wasteful use of potable water is for landscape maintenance.[4] Some sources of concern for water consumption include among others: groundwater depletion and salt water intrusion in coastal areas, habitat destruction when dams are used to create reservoirs, etc.
Water use versus water supply along with environmental stewardship and economic growth help define the fundamentals nature of sustainable water management. It is important to remember that a need for healthy, potable drinking water will continue to be of vital importance to the long-term success and growth of humanity around the globe. As the population of our world grows the pressure on water supplies will exponentially increase unless more sustainable measures are implemented. Water demand, water quality and habitat protection issues will only make supplies more expensive and difficult to find[5] in the years and decades ahead. Items to take on actively for promotion of a sustainable water management include: using little to no fertilizers. Developed watersheds often have high levels of phosphorous which are commonly found in surface water.[6] This added phosphorous, often from lawn and garden care promotes algae blooms that then “decompose and deplete oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life.”[7] Similar to fertilizer pollution is pesticide pollution affecting water sources. Studies show that regular use of “herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides decrease numbers and diversity of beneficial soil life, from earth worms to down to bacteria and fungi. In studies, increasing pesticide and soluble fertilizer use correlated with increasing soil compaction, acidification, and thatch buildup in lawns.”[8] Worse than the effect of pesticides on the environment and habitat, numerous epidemiological studies have found increased risk of cancer and birth defects in children of families using lawn and garden pesticides.[9] As ICEC2 will largely be used as a place for education and learning for youths and adults alike, minimizing or eliminating use of these carcinogens will be important aspect of making the location a sustainable community.
The planned Intercontinental Education Community Center (ICEC2) in Nigeria. Located at about 5° latitude and 9° longitude, the site is located atop a hill that has numerous options for sustainable water use. The meeting with Mr. Getty focused rather extensively on the potential use of cisterns at the ICEC2 site. For the cistern system to be most effective it will be important to have sufficient native vegetation on the property and any location that may be vital for water infiltration that may be accessed by both the cistern and the wells. Native forests return up to “50% of rainfall to sky through evapotranspiration, ET (the evaporation of water through plant life, as opposed to direct evaporation), and infiltrate more than 35% into soil”[10] Along with the benefits to infiltration, such strategies reduce runoff caused by impervious surfaces. Fundamental to the sustainable characteristics of the ICEC2 site will be the rehabilitation of habitat, protection and additions to the native forests and effective water management for the various planned gardens and other plantings on location. Despite the meeting ending without a final decision on whether to use a cistern, the meeting allowed the Foxtrots and Mr. & Mrs. Ukazim insight into the complexity of the issue. The next step entails development of a cost/benefit analysis as well as additional research to determine feasibility. Three important considerations that will need to be addressed before a successful completion of a cost/benefit analysis were identified. One, the ICEC2 site needs to determine what is our design rain? What should the capacity of the system be? Examination of watershed area and annual rain fall on the site will need to be accurately determined. Two, along with the capacity of the entire ‘system,’ an examination at each specific cistern size on site needs to be conducted. What are ICEC2’s water needs on a daily and seasonal basis? Third, what are, or would be the elevation differences from cistern to point of use? An examination and determination needs to be made about the need for pumps and pumping costs. The size and pressure of the pump for the cistern will need to be based on how much head pressure one needs to create a functional system. Additionally it will help determine at what rate the peak demand will be.[11]

Addressing some of the concerns mentioned in the cSBA student notebook, ICEC2 is taking the time and care to evaluate its sustainable options to produce the most favorable solution that impacts the economy of Nigeria, the local community, the environment at large, the needs of the inhabitants and population that comes to the school to learn. To that end ICEC2 wants to spend time and effort up front to mitigate potentially disastrous ramifications down the road. These include making sure there is sufficient groundwater reserves to meet the needs of the ICEC2 community that can be readily replenished to prevent depletion. Such an eventuality would not only impact the environment negatively it would make operations and costs on site rise dramatically. In addition to depletion the need to protect the ground water and cisterns from intrusions and pollutants is essential as it would be costly to repair and clean again to allow the resource usable again. ICEC2 is committed to habitat restoration for many reasons, not only is it the right thing to do from an environmental stewardship point of view but careful consideration of the natural habitat could yield important, perhaps even essential ingredients. For example, ICEC2 is looking into planting bamboo that could be carefully managed to make sure it does not grow too invasively but also so it could be used on site for construction and maintenance as it is a durable, rapidly renewable and relatively cheap alternative to more conventional hardwoods or steel. Along with bamboo large vegetable and fruit gardens are under consideration to help make the site self-sustaining. As mentioned above plantings especially those that are native to the region will increase infiltration of vital water that will make ICEC2 a reality. Small and efficient hydro dams have been considered. While concern for damming exists designs would not include the creation of reservoirs. We are trying to access if funneling water through such small dams could make sufficient enough electricity to justify instillation. If they are cost effective they would be used to direct water during the rainy season when the planned solar panels would be less efficient after the water had passed through the dam it would proceed into a basin to would seek to maximize infiltration into the aquifer thereby remaining useful for the population on ICEC2’s site through the groundwater wells that have already been drilled. This strategy along with other are being considered to make efficient of all sustainable options. Hippocrates is quoted as saying “do no harm, then try to do good.” This is a guiding principle of sustainability and the ICEC2 site. As the planned Intercontinental Education Community Center in Nigeria takes shape the elements of low impact development and sustainability are integral, not only to the important from a cost and environmental point of view, this site needs to be self-sufficient for the project to be completed and maintained at all.

This is an Excerpt only and may not be copied or cited without permission, Please contact me directly to learn more.

[1] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 2 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[2] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 2 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[3] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 2 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[4] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 2 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[5] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[6] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[7] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[8] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[9] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[10] National Sustainable Building Advisor Program. Unit 6: water. Student Notebook. Version 1.3. Page 3 of 26. ©2008 NaSBAP.[11] Mr. Getty recommended websites: http://www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage/ http://www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage/ for further research.

Sustainable Development in Nigeria - IAQ/IEQ Issues

Since my the last TPR paper written on materials it would seem that Newtown Township is still as bogged down by political in-fighting and bureaucracy as it has been for several months now and it has proven difficult to acquire information and project meetings necessary for our group to be a useful participant in the process of making this new construction as sustainable as possible within budget constraints. At this point, pursuit of assisting the township is strictly on a personal level and is not being considered and is not part of the Foxtrots final presentation. Therefore this paper will largely focus on the project in Nigeria but will also examine some of the sustainable aspects of ICEC2 through a USGBC and GBCI looking glass.

Nigeria’s Intercontinental Education Community Center (ICEC2):
Recently our TPA group had its second project meeting in Doylestown concerning ICEC2. The morning of April 3rd saw the four members of the Foxtrots meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Ukazim as well as their Nigerian architect who is tweaking drawings developed pro-bono by WRT in center city Philadelphia. During the two hour meeting Mr. and Mrs. Ukazim updated us on the progress and vision of the ICEC2 project as well as the introduced to the official schematics and asked to comment and critique. We decided that as this will be, among other things, a school and clinic that will be used year round it is important to consider IEQ and ways to make the spaces as sustainable and learning friendly as possible. Along with using materials inside the building envelope that contain few to no VOC’s and off-gas as minimally as possible, the architects took the idea of conservation, the natural environment and a healthy IEQ to heart. The project is located at about 5° latitude and 9° longitude, the planned location of ICEC2 means that there will be over twelve hours of sunlight per day available for sustaining the building. As glass is expensive, hot and cumbersome the windows of each classroom as well as the campus common area to name a few will all be open to the outdoors and will promote natural ventilation and air infiltration.

With the decision to use natural ventilation (the average year round wind speed is around 11 mph, this is useful for natural ventilation and perhaps the use of wind turbines for electricity.) the project is saving money living more within its means, promoting a healthier IEQ and, without a HVAC system, is contributing to acoustical comfort. Common sources of acoustical discomfort, as mentioned in the cSBA student handbook include: “office equipment, HVAC systems, outdoor noise, and voices of others in the office space”[1] As little to no ‘office equipment’ will be used in the buildings except perhaps in the administrative wing, this is not a concern for ICEC2. The HVAC system, as mentioned earlier, is being replaced with a natural ventilation system making this acoustical discomfort a non-issue. Outdoor noise will still have to be taken into consideration not only during the design stage but after the building begins full operations to assess and account for unanticipated noise intrusions so they can be mitigated and eliminated. Under optimal conditions, i.e. all the students in the school are behaving and not being excessively noisy or disruptive we do not foresee either outdoor or indoor noise intrusion affecting the acoustical comfort of ICEC2’s faculty, staff and students.

Second on the list of IEQ concerns to address to optimize the environmental quality and learning atmosphere is the presence of indoor air pollution. According to the cSBA student handbook, there are four pollutants of concern, these are: chemicals (gases, VOC’s), Particles (dust), Microbes (molds) and radiation (radon, EMF’s)[2]. While at this point it is still difficult to ascertain what indoor materials such as chairs, tables etc. may be used in the buildings upon completion and the affect on the IEQ they might have in terms of their ability and potential to off-gas, the use of natural ventilation and frequent recirculation of outdoor air makes this less of a concern. Dust is a universal concern, requiring attention. The location of the school in Nigeria means it will be exposed to nearly six months of completely dry conditions where there is virtually no rainfall. The dry season, as it is known, is a concern from an IEQ perspective as the building tries to remove particles in the environment that may contribute to allergies irritations and a less than optimal learning atmosphere. Particles less than 10 microns are inhaled into the lungs and have a large enough surface area to carry other contaminants such as pesticides, PAHs SO2, NO2; they stay suspended for hours to days; they build up in carpet and furniture and are re-suspended by walking, sitting and vacuuming and air filters do not remove them.[3] While ICEC2 does plan, and is currently planting, trees, vegetables and other plants to contribute to its goal of self-sufficiency, there is no plan to utilize pesticides or other harmful chemicals into the campus of ICEC2. Additionally there is no plan for carpeting to be installed in the buildings as it is more expensive and does not positively contribute to IEQ. That being said, ICEC2 will institute a school wide co-op program where various tasks to ensure the sustainability of ICEC2 will be maintained. The proposed co-op plan includes having the school cleaned everyday to remove and reduce particles from dust. Additionally there are discussions into the feasibility of using ‘mandatory recess.’ While not specifically pertaining to IEQ issues, the idea was raised to use playground equipment, perhaps as part of a co-op, to bring ground water to the surface[4]. Perhaps the more pressing IEQ concern is particulate from the construction process. “Dust can include lead, cadmium, gypsum, fiberglass, carpet fibers, soot, dust mite, feces, mold spores, rug dyes, fire retardants, tire fragments, dander, charred wood”[5] among others. Construction particulate and dust is a potential concern for ICEC2. After completion the building should be thoroughly cleaned to ensure as little of construction related particulate remains. This procedure is not to dissimilar to the GBCI’s LEED-NC credits 3.1 and 3.2 which apply to construction IEQ management plans both during construction and before occupancy. As mentioned, six months of the year ICEC2 will be experiencing the dry season, the other six months are called the wet season. During the wet season, it is not uncommon to experience in excess of 100 inches of rain. These concentrations of heavy rain are potentially problematic where microbes, specifically mold, are concerned. With consistent temperatures above 60º F and relative humidity high year round and only higher during the rainy season, ICEC2 will need to make sure that there are no locations that do not have access to the planned natural ventilation for the buildings.

The last concern related to a healthy IEQ is that of radiation. While there are perhaps many possible radiation concerns, the most common is radon. Emitted from rocks this naturally occurring gas is odorless, colorless and contributes to between 7,000 to 30,000 cancer deaths a year in the US. [6] Considering that there is no planned basement or substructure for ICEC2 coupled with the widespread natural ventilation, we do not anticipate a problem with radon. It would be advisable to bring some materials to sample the radon levels to be completely sure.
If, during construction or after occupancy it comes to the attention of the staff or someone at the site of ICEC2 that there is or may be a problem steps toward remediation will be taken. If possible “eliminating or controlling the sources, and eliminating or controlling their ability to move around is the primary means of addressing IAQ.”[7] The hierarchies of steps toward remediation are: avoiding or eliminating the source followed by isolating/sealing the source, and finally ventilation and filtration. Along with remediation, these three simple steps can be used not only after a problem has developed but also to reduce or eliminate a problem from developing. The best way to avoid or eliminate such problems during construction is to choose “low or non-emitting building materials and finishes. Another solution is to avoid conditions conductive to mold growth and other biological contaminants”[8]. After ICEC2 is built and running it is best to keep all the buildings clean – the co-op program- this includes cleaning dust and other particulate. If elimination was not possible the next best thing for a conventional building like the Newtown Township’s new LEED building would be to isolate and ventilate the source and vent it to the outside. ICEC2 will accomplish this through its open windows and natural ventilation planning. If remediation is required at ICEC2 and elimination is not possible making sure that the space which contains the source has adequate access to the cross winds available in the building structures will be paramount and may include keeping doors and temporarily avoiding the location of the source.

The next meeting with the Foxtrots and the owners and builders of ICEC2 will most likely take place this upcoming Wednesday the 15th of April and while the last meeting centered around meeting the architect and going over structural design concepts, the upcoming meeting will include Philip S. Getty, P.G. who recently spoke at our cSBA class and will be talking to us more extensively about water and water use on the proposed ICEC2 site.

This is an Excerpt only and may not be copied or cited without permission, Please contact me directly to learn more.

[1] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 4 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [2] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 5 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [3] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 6 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [4] http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22846013/ [5] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 6 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [6] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 7 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [7] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 7 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP. [8] Unit 5 IEQ – Student handbook – Version 1.3 – 8 of 16 - ©2008 NaSBAP.

Sustainable Development in Nigeria - Green Materials

Nigeria’s Intercontinental Education Community Center (ICEC2): Recently our TPA group had a meeting in Doylestown. The morning of the 13th at 7am found four from the SBA class in a café meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Ukazim who are the owners and promoters of ICEC2. During the two hour meeting Mr. and Mrs. Ukazim relayed the history of the project as well as its aspirations and goals. We decided that as this will be, among other things, a school and clinic that will be used year round it is important to consider materials inside the building envelope that contain few to no VOC’s and off-gas as minimally as possible. The project’s land has already been bought and is in the process of being fenced off for security reasons before construction can begin. The project is located at about 5° latitude and 9° longitude, the planned location of ICEC2 means that there will be over twelve hours of sunlight per day available for sustaining the building. While the approach to the materials differs dramatically from those being considered for the Newtown project there are still numerous ‘green’ materials that are being considered. Looking at case study in San Francisco called ‘scrap house’ goes a long way in understanding how much is still possible when you have a limited budget. Scrap house is located on a 90’ X 135’ parcel of land in front of San Francisco City Hall. If the name wasn’t telling enough the objective of scrap house was to create a house using nothing but scrap and salvaged materials. Some examples of salvaged scrap include furnishings like: the cardboard table & stool made out of recycled corrugated cardboard, salvaged floorboards, and heavy-duty cardboard tubes. The table was accompanied by a stool made of rolled and carved corrugated cardboard, topped with a comfy seat of wine corks.[1] For interior finishes include: the Phonebook Wall. Looking through Scrap House’s main entryway, visitors were greeted by a wall made of 1,500 phonebooks stacked vertically. The phonebooks were affixed to the sheet metal wall covering with two self-tapping screws drilled through the spine of the book. The phonebooks acted as insulation and helped with the acoustics of the main space.[2] And finally examples of exterior materials include Street Sign Siding. Street and traffic signed were used as siding for one entire exterior wall, some of which were visible from the interior. The signs were donated by the San Francisco Department of Public Works.[3]

Another case study with considerations important to green material in Nigeria was a Women’s Intercultural Center Being Built with Used Tires in Anthony, New Mexico[4] and others that reuse tires in construction. While there are fast becoming more ways and used to recycle or reuse tires there are still tons that go to landfills every year. Roughly 300 million scrap tires are generated each year in the United States alone[5] according to the Industrial Resources Council. Of that 300 million about 40 million tires end up in landfills. [6] Tire derived aggregate has very useful engineering properties that make these materials an excellent choice for construction applications like at the Women’s Center in New Mexico. In addition, tires have a high energy density and can be used as fuel to generate electricity. Nigeria is the largest producer of Rubber in Africa[7] and is a major production link for Michelin and Bridgestone for the fabrication of tires around the world. This means that tires may well be a viable, cost effective way to use a free or cheap commodity in the creation of ICEC2 that is also environmentally helpful. Tires can be used to make the wall of the building, as in New Mexico, or may be used as a cushioning material in playgrounds and other public areas popular with children, or even as a replacement of traditional concrete sidewalks. The feasibility of using tires as a fuel source may well turn out to be too costly of an endeavor for ICEC2. However as part of the schools focus is to “educating the whole person” which includes vocational training it may be a viable consideration as this manner of ‘tire fuel’ is often used in trade skills like glass, steel and concrete.



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Photos courtsey of: http://www.thereporteronline.com/articles/2009/01/05/news/srv0000004343733.txt
http://icec2.org/home.html
[1] http://www.scraphouse.org/Materials [2] http://www.scraphouse.org/Materials [3] http://www.scraphouse.org/Materials[4] http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/june21-02/tires.htm [5]http://www.industrialresourcescouncil.org/Materials/ScrapTires/tabid/367/Default.aspx[6] Ibid[7] http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/138/viewpoint.html#-%20Nigeria:%20Tyres%20at%20the%20expense%20of%20people’s%20livelihoods

LEED Silver in Newtown PA Green Materials

As the new Newtown Township building will be seeking LEED Silver designation it will use LEED standards to achieve accreditation, it is reasonable to assume that their building preferences will cater more toward LEED related sustainability.

The construction manager overseeing the townships project was gracious enough to give us their checklist of credits they believe they will earn and those they believe are either not possible or too costly to try and achieve. Of the 13 possible credits available for materials and resources under LEED-NC 2.2 (excluding possible ID credits M&R); the township building is only expecting to be awarded 6 credit points with 1 point in the ‘unsure’ category. While this is in part due to the construction being a new building as opposed to a renovation of an existing structure, the township is also not pursuing credits 3.1 & 3.2 materials Reuse, rapidly renewable materials, and FSC certified wood. This seems to be an unfortunate oversight on the part of the township. As a government entity that is attempting to make strides in their community for the promotion of sustainable development, Newtown Township is neglecting some key opportunities to stand out and further, not only the progressive nature of the new township building, but also to encourage local residents to follow in their stead. It is commendable in the first place to be pursuing a sustainable building, but why is only the minimum being pursued? The USGBC’s Reference Guide for New Construction states that this area of the northeast has some of the most “well-developed markets for salvaged materials”[1] in the country. Newtown is within 500 miles of Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and others. There is enormous potential to utilize or even initiate programs that would not only benefit the community but also help Newtown Township achieve a higher LEED rating, potentially save on materials costs and be a local leader.

Reuters news agency in December of 2007 ran an article documenting the benefits to the community that the state of Pennsylvania was is receiving from its efforts to promote recycling and materials reuse programs. According to Governor Rendell, “Pennsylvania is home to more than 3,200 recycling and reuse businesses and organizations that generate more than $18 billion in gross annual sales and provide paychecks totaling $2.9 billion to more than 81,000 employees. Additionally, these businesses add more than $305 million in taxes to the state treasury.”[2] Bucks County alone accounts for nearly 85,000 dollars in grants from the state for recycling performance programs.[3] Considering the numerous materials reuse options just in Pennsylvania alone coupled with the fact that the project plans on achieving both credits 4.1, 4.2 & 5.1, 5.2, recycled content and regional materials respectively, why can’t they find a way to incorporate materials reuse into the sustainable characteristics of the building.

Newtown Township is also not planning on achieving MR Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials and credit 7 certified wood. While these are perhaps more understandable than materials reuse due to considerations of added cost they are never the less important considerations in making the building more sustainable while also contributing to LEED credits.
Other options worth considering include: installing energy star appliances where possible, grid pavers and pervious pavement and perhaps most importantly, Pennsylvania’s Renewable Energy Program Geothermal and Wind Projects Program Guidelines that was just released in January 2009. Available to municipalities as well as businesses, this new program allows for grant and loans to be awarded that contributes toward installing geothermal systems and wind turbines for energy production. While some might argue that this is something more relevant to energy instead of green materials, I would point out that there is significant material consideration with renewable energy. Additionally if a building is to be truly sustainable it needs to consider the interconnectedness and holistic building approach when addressing sustainable development.[4]

This is an Excerpt only and may not be copied or cited without permission, Please contact me directly to learn more.

http://www.twp.newtown.pa.us/bos/2008/20080317minws.htm
[1] United States Green Building Council. New Construction and Major Renovation Reference Guide Version 2.2 2nd Ed. September 2006. P 259.[2] http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS179589+06-Dec-2007+PRN20071206[3] http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS179589+06-Dec-2007+PRN20071206[4] http://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/funding-detail/index.aspx?progId=191

Sustainable Development and Energy Topics in Bucks County + Africa

As our TPA group is still deciding between 2 equally plausible and noteworthy options for the final project I will attempt to cover both possibilities equally. The first option is an to cooperate and expand upon the ‘Green’ specifications of Newtown’s planned LEED Township building that is expected to begin construction later this year. The TPA group would work in cooperation with The Stone House Group of Bensalem to monitor and improve upon the proposed LEED –Silver township expansion. As per the township meetings minutes on March 17, 2008 that the proposed location expansion already should have at least 18 points toward LEED certification. Through further consultation and free work that the township can utilize through the TPA, I believe that it may be possible to achieve LEED-Gold certification through minimal additional cost. Newtown sits roughly 167ft above sea level and is located around 40°13′42″N 74°55′56″W / 40.22833, -74.9322. The area of Newtown receives an average of 3.9in of rain a month so storm water management is important when earning credits under LEED. Additionally it is not uncommon for temperatures to range from around 18 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit making the efficiency of the building crucial for saving money.

The second option for our TPA project is to help design the green specifications for a proposed education center/elementary school in Abia State, Nigeria. While this project is not planning on seeking LEED certification it is hoping to be first green-sustainable school in West Africa. Slightly earlier in the planning stage than the Newtown Township building, the education center is still looking for funding to take its project to the next stage, this is never-the-less an excellent time to get onboard and make a difference. Firmly committed to the principles of sustainability, the projects founders, Emenike Ukazim and Chidi Ukazim who are both originally from the tiny village of Otampa – Isuikwuato in Abia State, are hoping to make their dream of facilitating education to people in their hometown who have no access to education a reality by making their building as efficient as possible. This would serve not just the immediate community but the State as a whole. Over 60% of the State’s 4.22 million people live within thirty miles radius of Otampa, Isuikwuato, and the location of the education center.[1] Since Isuikwuato is located at about 5° latitude and 9° longitude, it receives over twelve hours of sunlight per day. Solar Energy Systems would therefore be the main source of electricity. To overcome the lack of public water system, water wells will be drilled, which could also double as geothermal opportunities. Finally the heavy tropical rain in the region will be harvested by building underground reservoirs.[2] Ultimately the money saving and educational goals of the school are, to create a school for the future that has its primary focus on educating the whole person. Sustainably educating the whole person for the future means solar lighting and cooling, rain-harvesting, a clean water-well system, recycling mentality, entrepreneurial training, health and nutrition training, sanitation and hygiene training, HIV – AIDS awareness training, and farming the land to grow most of the communities food.

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[1] Based on a 2005 census of the area.[2] All of these expenses are accounted for in their construction cost, estimated at over $300,000.

How do Green Building Programs and Policies Promote the three E-s of Sustainability?

Photo by Daniel Suchenski

Policies and programs operating on both local and national levels around the world have made significant strides in recent years toward promoting green building practices and specifically the three E’s of sustainability. While the approach and success of these initiatives has varied, the intent is clear. More attention and effort must be paid to, not only the environment, but the interconnectedness of the environment to everything from the economy to society and a higher standard of living for all.

The three E’s of sustainability – sometimes called the ‘triple bottom line’ – states that, not only is the environment, the economy and equitable/social benefits essential to our lives, these three things are also fundamentally interrelated. “It is a surprise to many people first learning about sustainable design that the movement and philosophy is as much about people as it is about the environment”[1] says McLennan. The irony of course being that all too often, efforts to be sustainable are framed by the media and corporations as “as contest between people and the environment or, more to the point, jobs versus the environment.”[2] This characterization is not only inaccurate as it attempts to frame up the discussion, but also completely ignores the effect poor environment has on people. Comfort and productivity are just as much a factor in the interconnectedness of the three E’s as growth and profit.

If humans expect to increase economies and expand growth through use of the environment it stands to reason that countries that manage to better protect their economies without putting undue stress on the environment will be more productive. In fact, according to a large international study conducted b y MIT “States with Stronger environmental policies consistently out-perform the weaker environmental states on all the economic measures.”[3] For example China has for decades enjoyed staggering growth in the order of nine to ten percent GDP. However recent studies are now suggesting that the cost of China’s environmental degradation may be equal or greater than its GDP growth rate. According to the United Nations Development program’s report, the damage to the ecosystem costs China about 9 percent of its GDP.[4] Even more recently, the Xinhua news agency, reporting from inside the mainland China published in September of this year that as early as 2005 the environmental impact costs China more than its annual GDP.[5] The rest of the world seems to be listening. Using China as an example to demonstrate the true costs of ignoring the holistic nature of effective progress and the three E’s of sustainability countries all over the world, including China, are instating policies and programs to stimulate sustainable alternatives, including green building practices.

This is an Excerpt only and may not be copied or cited without permission, Please contact me directly to learn more.

References:
[1] McLennan, Jason F. The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Kansas City: Ecotone, 2004. P46[2] Ibid. p 46[3] From the Greening of Conservative America pg 23.[4]http://www.undp.org.cn/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&catid=13&topic=6&sid=348&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0[5] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/12/content_9940679.htm

Philosophy Of Sustainable Design

Photo by Daniel Suchenski

In his book The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, Jason McLennan defines sustainable design as “a design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment.”[1] This is a useful definition for McLennan as he seeks to establish sustainable design, first and foremost as a philosophy. In so doing McLennan establishes sustainable design, not simply as a ‘stylistic endeavor,’ but as a pervasive and necessary force that must be integral in all applications of design. Having grasped the initial overtures of McLennan’s discussion it is prudent, as a second step, to delve into the more subtle implications of such a discussion. Is it right or wanted to try and establish sustainable design as a philosophy? What are the benefits? What are the obstacles? While there are often many obstacles impeding new ideas as an established and familiar way of doing things is replaced by a newer one, there is invariably going to be resistance. While there are some noteworthy obstacles toward sustainable design being categorized as a philosophy, ultimately the benefits outweigh the potential pitfalls.

Having grown up in a small mining town famous for its nickel exports and its environmental degradation, McLennan left Ontario to learn all he could about sustainable design and green alternatives. Ultimately becoming one of the most knowledgeable in the field of sustainable design, McLennan’s efforts to make sustainable design a philosophy is really an effort to legitimize sustainability as more than a passing fancy, more than an ‘aesthetic exercise.’ The benefits of legitimizing sustainable design are most notably increased quality and the reduction or elimination or negative effects on the natural environment. The greater implications of these ‘benefits’ is increased longevity of both the natural environment as well as healthier happier and longer lives for each of us.

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[1] McLennan, Jason F. The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Kansas City: Ecotone, 2004.