Browsing by Author "MacGregor C"

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    Decision making in reducing carbon emissions for building refurbishment: Case studies of university buildings in New Zealand
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023-07-05) Bui PTP; Wilkinson S; MacGregor C; Domingo N
    The refurbishment of existing buildings offers the greatest opportunity to maximise carbon reduction within the built environment. Although the conceptual framework of the refurbishment process incorporating various methods, tools, and systems to support decision making in reducing whole-of-life carbon emissions exists in the literature, empirical research reporting on how and why the decisions are made in current industry practice is lacking. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap by investigating the decision-making process of building refurbishment considering whole-of-life carbon reduction using three real-life case studies that incorporate decarbonisation decisions. The important findings emerged from an interactive analysis between theoretical propositions and cross-case synthesis. The study sheds a new insight into (1) the effective adoption of building rating systems, (2) the required whole-of-life carbon reduction targets, (3) the importance of establishing a dedicated financial budget for carbon-reduction refurbishment solutions, (4) the need for adaptable refurbishment designs and long-term strategies, (5) holistic design reports, (6) the promotion of early contractor involvement (ECI) approach, (7) government funding and incentives, and (8) the availability of supply chains and data. The originality of the paper is providing a new understanding of the decision-making practices and challenges faced in the refurbishment process, in which lessons learnt for improving the implementation of building refurbishment towards zero carbon are recommended. The research expands theoretical knowledge and practical experience in whole-of-life carbon analysis and performance estimation for building refurbishment. The insights gained from this study offer practitioners and researchers a streamlined interdisciplinary guide to better deliver refurbishment projects towards zero carbon.
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    Zero Carbon Building Practices in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-08-01) Bui TTP; Wilkinson S; Domingo N; MacGregor C
    In the light of climate change, the drive for zero carbon buildings is known as one response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Within New Zealand, research on climate change mitigation and environmental impacts of buildings has received renewed attention. However, there has been no detailed investigation of zero carbon building practices. This paper undertakes an exploratory study through the use of semi-structured interviews with government representatives and construction industry experts to examine how the New Zealand construction industry plans and implements zero carbon buildings. The results show that New Zealand’s construction industry is in the early stage of transiting to a net-zero carbon built environment. Key actions to date are focused on devising a way for the industry to develop and deliver zero carbon building projects. Central and local governments play a leading role in driving zero carbon initiatives. Leading construction firms intend to maximise the carbon reduction in building projects by developing a roadmap to achieve the carbon target by 2050 and rethinking the way of designing and constructing buildings. The research results provide an insight into the initial practices and policy implications for the uptake of zero carbon buildings in Aotearoa New Zealand.