THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Asian Architecture [ARC 2213/2234] PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY
Paper Title
NAME:
CHEAH HOONG FEI
STUDENT ID:
0311690
LECTURER:
MS. ALIA
SUBMISSION DATE:
9/6/2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
The strategies to reduce the impact on environment by using green design elements in S11 House Table of Contents
Page
Abstract ........................................................................................................................ 2
1.0
Introduction .................................................................................................. 3-4
2.0
Green design element .................................................................................... 4
3.0 Materials........................................................................................................... 5-8 3.1
Materials wastage on site
3.1.1
3.2
Salvaged materials used in S11 house
Life-cycle Assessment (LCA)………………………………………………..9-14
3.2.1 Principles of Life-cycle Assessment 3.2.2 Concrete 3.2.3 Timber 3.2.4 Brick 3.2.5 Glass
4.0 Space planning............................................................................................. 15-18 4.1
Passive ventilation by space planning
4.2
Maximize sunlight by space planning
5.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 18
6.0 References ........................................................................................................ 19
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Abstract The objective of the study is to explain how effectiveness of the green design elements in S11 house used to construct and is designed according to Green Building Index (GBI) standards that are aimed for causing the least damage to the environment. The environmental impact of buildings is often undervalued, while the perceived costs of green buildings are overvalued. Green building are proven to save from 30 to 90 percent on cooling bills; provide healthier inhabitants; and do less harm to the planet. Construction have significant impacts on the environment. Direct impacts which include the use of materials, energy and land. This use leads to greenhouse gas emissions and the manufacture of other wastes. Indirect impacts depend on a variety of factors including location and the life span of the building. In order to support the validation of research, interview and literature reviews based on various sources were used as references in this research. It was found that S11 house apply environment-friendly materials derived from sustainable sources and recycling so as to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the waste. The architect emphasize of reducing consumption of resources; salvaging existing buildings, materials and recycling resources. Designers orientate windows, walls to reduce direct radiation from the sun and place sunshades, porches and trees to shade openings and roofs to increase the efficiency of the building envelope. Among other attributes, space planning in S11 house maximizes ventilation by reducing internal wall, heat gain and humidity and avoid the use of resources with highVOC emissions. Hence, the green design elements in S11 house fulfil the criteria of GBI and succeeds to reduce impacts on the environment. However, the excess openings in S11 house may cause the ventilation and humidity to be inconsistent, therefore requires human effort to control it.
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
1.0
Introduction In Malaysia, the building and construction sector has steadily generated about 5-
10% since 1990s of the total national Gross Domestic Product (Khamidi, 2007). Despite the great benefits of construction, its activities becomes main impact to environmental damage through degradation of fragile eco-zones, depletion of the natural resource base, chemical pollution and the use of dangerous building materials to human health and environment. As the environmental impacts due to construction activities become more obvious, a rapid movement towards sustainable development particularly Green Construction is gaining momentum. Green design, is a process of scheduling and constructing using technologies and concept with more resource-efficient, less waste generated better social economy and healthier lifestyle. Green design and construction term were quite new for Malaysia.
Figure 1.1: S11 house Source: http://www.s11house.com/#gallery
However, S11 house is the first house to receive the platinum award of the Malaysia Green Building Index (GBI), which is the ultimate GBI rating. The S11 house is situated in a well-known older suburb of Petaling Jaya. The existing old house was built on site in the early 1960’s and had become dilapidated and run-down over the years. A new green building was planned for the site and conceptualized along the lines of a tree. The architect and owner of the house, implemented green design elements in order to ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE reduce the impacts towards the environment. For instance, many salvaged materials were reused and the use of material in the process of Life-cycle Assessment (LCA). This research will identify on how effectiveness of green design elements implemented in S11 house in reducing negative impact on environment by responding to this following questions: Question 1: What is the design concept adopted in S11 house?
Question 2: How did the architect use salvaged materials to minimize the impact on environment and human health in S11 house?
Question 3: How effective are the materials used in S11 house to reduce impact towards environment in term of Life-cycle Assessment (LCA)?
Question 4: How does each of the design features act as solution and help in reducing energy consumption?
Question 5: How does space planning conserve energy and why is it so important to nature environment? Design Concept: Green design elements
Solution: Materials
Issue: Impact on environment
Solution: Space planning Figure 1.2: Mind map
2.0
Green design element Green design element is a matter which can be used to reduce environmental
damaged created by development for people’s conveniences. It helps to solve the environmental loss. The application of this green design element is needed to help the society to perform well in construction industry without damaging or depleting natural resources. It reduces the impacts towards the environment by lessen up the negative effect such as high energy consumption, pollutions and degradation to human health. For example, the green elements used in S11 house are materials and space planning.
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.0
Materials The use of green building materials represents one important strategy in the
design of a building. It is based on encouraging the use of environment friendly materials obtained from sustainable sources and recycling. The concept of implement suitable construction waste management with storage, collection and salvage of recyclables and construction formwork and waste. By using green building materials, it reduced maintenance costs over the life of the building, improved occupant health and productivity. Building and construction activities worldwide consume 3 billion tons of raw materials each year or 40 percent of total global use (Roodman and Lenssen, 1995). Using green materials and products encourages conservation of diminishing nonrenewable resources internationally. Furthermore, incorporating green building materials into building projects can help to decrease the environmental impacts associated with the mining, transport, processing, fabrication, installation, reuse, recycling and removal of these building industry source materials.
3.1
Materials wastage on site One of the major problems in the construction industry is the wastage of
materials. The construction industry produces more waste than the household sector and can account for more than 50% of the deposited material in a landfill. Construction waste can be divided into three major categories: material, labor and machinery waste (Ekanayake and Ofori, 2000). Material waste however is a main concern as it is extremely expensive and is made up of non-renewable resources. According to the architect of S11 house, Dr Tan Loke Mun, state “Stone industry is one of the biggest wastage industry in the world. This includes waste from materials which are wrongly quantified, waste due to errors, mainly in the bills of specification and quantities.� (Personal interview, 25th April 2015). Amount of waste in the construction industry need to be reduced for environmental reasons.
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Figure 3.1: Waste generated in Malaysia Source: http://ecoyouthblog.toyota.com.my/smk-lajau/post/2012/08/31/Recycling-is-a-must.aspx
3.1.1 Salvaged materials used in S11 house Much of the demolished old house materials from the 1960’s house were reused for the constructions of the S11 house. -
Old crushed concrete Crushed concrete were reused for backfilling aggregate in S11 house. Concrete is inherently difficult to dispose because it is heavy and hard to transport. High durability of concrete and embodied energy makes it an especially viable candidate for reuse. Reusing these materials also lessens the load on our landfills. Another added benefit of using these materials is the reduction of CO2 emissions associated with concrete production. Using old concrete to produce aggregate takes less energy than mining virgin aggregate and it helps to conserve virgin aggregate supplies, which are slowly being depleted near larger cities.
Figure 3.1.1.1: Old crushed concrete
Figure 3.1.1.2: Crushed concrete were reused for backfilling aggregate in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
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Old clay bricks Bricks are good insulators, pest resistant and fireproof. The architect cleaned and reused old clay bricks for feature walls. According to Dr Tan Loke Mun, “Excavating shale and other raw materials required to make bricks is costly and bad for the environment. If reused bricks, it will cut down on mining, thus is good for the environment.” (Personal communication, 25th April 2015).
Figure 2.1.1.3: Old clay bricks
Figure 2.1.1.4: Feature wall in S11 house
Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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Recycled timbers Timber is a valuable resource that is repairable, renewable and can be diverted from landfill. There are a variety of preservatives used in Malaysia for treating timber which are impregnated into the timber. Humans and the environment can be put at risk if exposed to these chemicals at high enough levels and environmental problems can occur of treated timber is burned without appropriate emission control equipment. (Planet Ark, 2012). For the construction of S11 house, roofing timbers were used for formwork strutting and propping. The recycled timbers are all Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified while old recycled “chengal” were reused for the ground floor decking timbers.
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Figure 3.1.1.5: Recycled timbers
Figure 3.1.1.6: Reused for timber flooring and upper decks Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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Recycled stonework The architect collects leftovers from granite manufactures and project rejects. These leftovers typically would go to landfill, but the architect is able to salvage them by using essentially a large scale cutter that stamps the stone into the shape of pavers, floor tiles and backsplash material. All these materials used for bathrooms, driveway and ground floor living areas.
Figure 3.1.1.7: Recycled stonework areas
Figure 3.1.1.8: Reused for ground floor living
Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2
Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) Life-cycle assessment is a device to define and calculate the environmental
loadings and impacts of materials or process, including those effects related with processes upstream in the supply chain (Ralph Home, 2009). It evaluates the impact of those energy and materials used and releases to the environment. The analysis contains the whole life cycle of the product and process from mining and treating of raw materials to final disposal or recycling of the product until the end of its lifespan. Furthermore, the inputs to and productions from each stage of the manufacturing life cycle should be analysed to evaluate their impact on the environment.
Figure 3.2.1: Product life-cycle Source: http://www3.niu.edu/~c90mdk1/ems/environmental.htm
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2.1 Principles for Life-cycle Assessment According to the International Standard for Environmental Management (ISO 14040:2006), there are four linked components for the whole LCA. (i)
Goal definition and scoping: It categorizing the LCA’s purpose and the expected products of the study and determining the limitations.
(ii)
Life-cycle inventory: It calculating the energy and raw material inputs and environmental releases associated with each stage of production.
(iii)
Impact analysis: It evaluating the impacts on human health and the environment linked with energy and raw material inputs and environmental releases quantified by the inventory.
(iv)
Improvement analysis: It evaluating opportunities to reduce energy, material inputs, or environmental impacts at each stage of the product life-cycle.
Figure 2.2.1.1: Life-cycle assessment framework Source: http://www.pavementinteractive.org/wp-content
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2.2 Concrete Concrete is resource efficient and the ingredients require slight processing. The amount of CO2 produced during manufacturing and the net impact of using concrete as a building material is relatively small.
Figure 3.2.2.1: General flowchart for the concrete life cycle Source: Concrete CO2 Fact Sheet
While in the building system, concrete combine with insulation which have high thermal mass and low air-filtration to make the building more energy efficient by calming the indoor temperature. In S11 house, concrete is widely used as pavement and exterior cladding, it helps to reduce the urban heat island effect thus minimizing the energy required to cool the building. Therefore, less energy is needed to achieve thermal comfort for the user artificially. In addition, less energy is required for maintenance as well as concrete is a very durable material which can last for many years. When comes to disposal of material, concrete incorporates recycled industrial by products such as fly ash, slag and silica fume which helps to reduce embodied energy, quantity of landfilled materials and carbon footprint. Concrete absorbs CO2 throughout its period, thus it is one of the materials that consists of low embodied energy and low operational energy.
Figure 3.2.2.2, 3.2.2.3: Concrete used in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2.3 Timber
The use of timber as a building material brings a lot of important environmental benefits. Timber is a renewable resource and the transformation process to finished building material needs relatively little energy. When we consider the carbon capture benefits and the end-of-life energy recovery potentials, it can be seen that the use of timber has a positive yet a slightly negative. Timber building methods were applied and offer good prospects for cost-effective improvement of the energy efficiency of S11 house. Both massive and lightweight designs and construction methods provide excellent scope for constructing outer walls with high thermal insulation performance in relation to the thickness of the wall (SP Technical Research, 2015). It is comparatively easy to make sure airtightness and avoid thermal bridges due to the naturally low thermal conductivity of wood materials. However, if the methods are wrongly applied or quality management is insufficient, there is a danger of moisture damage not only to the wood-based materials but also to other materials. In a nut shell, proper approach with right materials combinations are needed to minimize environmental impact and maximize construction quality.
Figure 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2: Timber used in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2.4 Brick
The material toughness of brick is shown by its resistance to fire, water, impacts and mould. Brick is durable so it required less maintenance and reduced costs to building owners. In S11 house, natural fair-faced red clay bricks baked in a kiln are used as main feature walls in the home interior because brick is high thermal mass material. Brick absorbs and stores heat, and then slowly releases it. Brick remains warm or cool long after the heat or air-conditioning has shut off, so it reduces heating and cooling loads and therefore energy consumption. Furthermore, it offers high fire-resistance ratings and residual post-fire strength. Because they are non-combustible and do not contribute to fire load.
In a typical use, brick prevents the penetration of moisture both from the interior and exterior yet resists growth of toxic mould. Compare to other building materials, brick emit much smaller amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thus contributing to indoor air quality and occupant comfort and health. Moreover, brick can be salvaged and re-used, so it is reducing the demand for new products. This not only minimize such waste from landfill, but also reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
Figure 3.2.4.1, 3.2.4.2: Bricks used in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
3.2.5 Glass
Glass is made up of 75% of silicon dioxide. The mining and transportation required some of fuel energy. This material needs to undergo melting under high temperature in order to form a glass. The combustion of natural gas or fuel oil and the decomposition of raw materials during the melting lead to the emission of CO2. This will result more in the embodied energy of the glass. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) from the fuel and nitrogen oxides (NOx) due to the high melting temperatures can contribute to acidification.
As glass is a brittle material, it requires more operational energy for maintenance purpose. The lifespan of glass is quite shorter compared to other material that can be found in S11 house. However, glass is lesser to be recycled due to the properties of brittle. In summary, glass requires high embodied and operational energy. It is also cannot used for recycling propose.
Figure 3.2.5.1, 3.2.5.2: Glass used in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
4.0
Space planning Successful space planning can reduce waste and avoid unnecessary renovation or
destruction in the future. Moreover, it can increase energy performance and comfort by placing spaces near or away from the sun, heat, breezes and views. Space planning also provide important economic and environmental value. For example, to reduce need on artificial lighting and cooling.
4.1
Passive ventilation by space planning The S11 house has a clear north-south orientation for all its openings and
windows. Instead, adjustable windows and openings are used to promote controllable cross ventilation. The double volume family room is positioned on the first floor with the 7-meter-high full sliding glass walls facilitate maximum cross ventilation whilst also opening up the entire internal living space unto the outdoor deck. It allows the naturally happening air flow patterns around and in a building to lead outdoor air into the space, thus leaving a cross-ventilation effect.
Figure 4.1.1: Openings and windows facing north Souce: http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/50dde434b3fc4b3230000298_s11-housearchicentre_front_elevation-1000x439.png
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Figure 4.1.2: S11 house ground floor plan Source: http://www.notey.com/external/4699188/s11-house-by-archicentre-architecture-malaysia-petaling-jayaselangor-archicentre-residences.html
The swimming pool and koi pond are located at two extreme north-south ends and provide evaporative cooling for the house. According to Dr Tan Loke Mun, “Water features are needed in order to promote evaporative cooling. The water features will disturb the water bodies and wind will pick up the atoms and cool human body� (Personal communication, 25th April 2015). Evaporative cooling acts as a heat sink and helps to passively cool buildings, reducing the energy needed for air conditioning. Cooling is provided whilst keeping the evaporative process outside, which avoids elevating the indoor humidity level (T. Chenvidyakam, 2007). Wind and buoyancy caused by air temperature differences generate air pressure differences throughout occupied spaces. Moreover, most of the internal partition walls were removed to promote cross-ventilation and to create unobstructed space between the living room, the koi pond and the pool. S11 house is designed to enhance these natural air flows and take advantage of them rather than work against them. In general, thermal comfort has achieved in S11 house without air conditioning. ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Figure 4.1.3: Water feature in S11 house Source: Cheah, J. 2015
Figure 4.1.4: Sinusoidal wave Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispersion_(water_waves)
4.2 Maximizing daylight by space planning S11 house is planning in a way to maximize daylighting but not at the expense of creating unpleasant working conditions in space. This is particularly essential in S11 house because the south side of the building will create a lot of natural light so the architect control the direct-beam sunlight by using internal and external shading devices, horizontal and vertical louvers. For good daylighting, S11 house oriented on an eastwest axis that maximizes north and south exposure. This green tropical house was planned for the site and conceptualized along the lines of tree which help to filter and distribute the light. The design intention is to provide the occupants a brighter space while cooking and having breakfast. However, a cooler place with less heat gain is form while having dinner in the evening.
Figure 4.2.1: External shading devices in S11 house
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Figure 4.2.2: Vegetation helps to filter and distribute the light
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THE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT BY USING GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS IN S11 HOUSE
Figure 4.2.3: Dining area
Figure 4.2.4: Wet Kitchen
Source: Cheah, J. 2015
In summary, space planning to the path of the sun and wind with require less energy for cooling and the need for artificial electric lighting, resulting in lower energy consumption, increased indoor comfort and thus reduce the impact on environment.
5.0 Conclusion In conclusion, green design elements implemented by the architect are very successful and able to minimize the degradation of the environment, reduce greenhouse emission, promotes healthy and improved environment for all forms of life. By evolving the methods to apply materials and techniques of planning, the architect helps to conserve the use of energy and natural resources and promotes the use of renewable resources. Based on the literature review studies, data collection from questionnaires and result analysis. The S11 house combines energy-saving technology into every aspect of its planning, construction and maintenance. Compare to a house of similar size, the S11 house is able to reduce 60 percent of water and energy usage. In fact that with some green design elements, one can make a home not only cost and environmentally-friendly, but also save significantly in utility bills as well. However, in Malaysia, the number of green construction carried out is relatively small compare to overall project that have been carried out. The level of understanding and acceptance of green construction is high but the implementations are very poor. Hence, the first and only platinum-rated Green Building Index (GBI) residential building can serves as an excellent example and promoting green construction. ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture
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6.0 References al, H. B. (2013). Green Design, Materials and Manufacturing Processes. London, UK: Taylor & Francis Group.
Ark, P. (2012, Jan 13). Business Recycling. Retrieved from Wood Untreated: http://businessrecycling.com.au/recycle/timber-untreated
Building waste assessment score: Design-based tool. (2004). Building and Environment, 851-861.
Holm, Ivar (2006). Ideas and Beliefs in Architecture and Industrial design: How attitudes, orientations, and underlying assumptions shape the built environment. Oslo School of Architecture and Design.
Horne, R., Grant, T., & Verghese, K. (2009). Life cycle assessment: principles, practice and prospects. Victoria, Australia: CSIRO .
Kubba, S. (2012). Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Inc.
Interactive, P. (2011, October 10). Life Cycle Assessment of HMA and RAP. Retrieved from Pavement Management: http://www.pavementinteractive.org/article/lifecycle-assessment-of-hma-and-rap-2/
Natural Building Technologies NBT. Building Environmental Impact. Natural Building Technologies. Available online: http://www.naturalbuilding.co.uk/environmental_impact.html (accessed on 13 January, 2009).
Lindfors, L.G.; Nordic Guidelines on Life-cycle Assessment; Nordic Council of Ministers: Stockholm, Sweden, 1995.
United Nations Environment Programme UNEP. Sustainable Building and Construction; Division of Technology, Industry and Economics: Paris, France, 2003.
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World Commission on Economic Development. Sustainable Development; United Nations: New York, NY, USA, 1987; p. 363.
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