Ensuring Sustainability in Infrastructure Development Assignment

Ensuring Sustainability in Infrastructure Development - Assignment Example The objective of this study is to evaluate different forms of sustainable approaches that are practiced in different components of infrastructure development. Based on the analysis undertaken a pragmatic intervention across all the infrastructure development programmes in UK could be proposed. There are different ways in which the sustainability is currently addressed. It could be in the form of energy efficient construction where materials used for construction are prepared through the processes that consume very less quantity of energy. Every material used for construction demands certain amount of energy for its manufacture. Materials like cement and steel are the examples for high energy materials being used for construction. Thus making infrastructure development process more energy efficient demands optimum use these high energy materials. With energy crisis looming large it is essential that entire construction process need to be turned energy efficient. Another approach is to substitute the conventional building materials, like aggregates, with different alternate materials. This would also result in lesser dependence on scarce natural resources and also finds an alternate use for other wise waste by product. Implementing energy conservation measures in the buildi ng and other systems through innovative means could also make the design and construction of infrastructure elements both energy and environmental friendly. Methodology The methodology followed is the detailed analysis of the available literature on the sustainable practices at different places across the world. Various innovative practices adopted could be identified and a scenario analysis is undertaken to assess their viability in UK conditions. The possible policy level interventions in the transportation planning are also carried out. Based on the results obtained s strategy for effective implementation of sustainable development initiatives for infrastructure promotion schemes are proposed. Literature Review Energy efficient construction process The important guideline for the sustainable design of the building units is given by BREEAM guidelines. BREEAM refers to the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method, which is the globally used method to improve and review the environmental performance of building (Article base, 2008). These methods could help to address the issues like high-energy use, large quantities of waste, poor comfort conditions for occupancy and very low user satisfaction by reviewing and improving the environmental performance of building. Further, these systems are also considered to have resulted in better environment indoors, high productivity, retention of staff and also attracting talented employees. The guidelines could also be followed in evolving regional transportation plan. The special emphasis given for cycle and motorways in some specific locations to ensure better mobility for masses and also to reduce pollutions is an example in this connection (Article base, 2008). A nother major intervention for energy conservation in the building is by configuring the walls with materials having appropriate thermal capacity values. In the case of walls the U value to be considered could be 0.22 Watts/m2K which could be achieved in the case of masonry walls by filling the fibre