A Detailed Evaluation of The Shard Building's Environmental Impact

This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of The Shard building in London, examining its environmental sustainability and impact on the local community. It delves into the building's design, construction, and the assessment methods used, including BREEAM and LEED. The report analyzes the building's impact on the indoor and outdoor environments, energy consumption, and off-site effects. It also discusses the building's structure, including the core, spire, and facade technology, and the fire-fighting measures. Furthermore, the report assesses the Shard's sustainable impact on the local community, including job creation, economic benefits, and its role in transforming the area. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of sustainability and resilience in modern building design. The report also includes references to various sources.

EVALUATION OF CASE STUDIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
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EVALUATION OF CASE STUDIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Generally, mega-buildings have become an influencing element in the modern society today.
In the sense of mega-buildings being major icons of cities and even nations. However, the
existence of such buildings raised questions on their impact on urban life and environmental
sustainability. As a result, new generation mega buildings have come up. Which are more
energy conservative and are more sustainable compared to the former. This paper will
specifically discuss The Shard building which was designed by Renzo Piano with a critical
eye on its sustainability and the impact on the local community.
The Shard
The Shard building which is in Southwark London was designed by an architect of Italian
origin by name Renzo Piano. The building has 92 stories standing at a height of
approximately 310 meters. Construction of the Shard building began in March 2009
(Parker, J 2012) and was completed in November 2012.The building hosts offices,
restaurants, hotels, residential apartments and observatories.
BREEAM and LEED
Hence, to test environment sustainability of the Shard building environmental assessment
methods such as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment method
and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design method come into play. Therefore, a
comparison between the two methods is necessary to see the environmental sustainability
(Kawazu, et al. 2005). through the comprehensive assessment system for built environmental
efficiency criteria was formed based on the following six categories to test buildings on
sustainability:

In door environment:
The interior of the shard building varies depending on the height to meet specific
characteristics that are important for use at each level. For instance, the lower levels of the
building are made to be largely creating ample space for more service areas. In the upper
levels the case changes, acoustic separation of floors become more important. Therefore,
fewer ceiling services were used.
Outdoor environment:
Since the building is rather tall it is seen from was creating an appealing look. Unfortunately,
this is not the opinion at all; it also covers the line of sight of other areas of the city causing a
destruction of view (Rabon, J 2015). The building comes in the line of sight of the St. Paul
Cathedral a major icon in the United Kingdom history
Energy
Considerably, the building was built to have a low carbon emission to the environment. With
a built-in power plant containing generators that are housed in the acoustic enclosure in the
basement. The power plant provides enough electricity and hot water for the building and
surplus for supply in the surrounding area (Clarke Energy, 2012).
Off-site environment
To the neighboring street which is larger community residential area, the shard building
creates a shadow. Impacting the general fall in the price of properties within that area. Prices
of such areas dropping to as much as half the original.
Winds hitting the building at high speeds create a place of high pressure to the ground levels
resulting in a cool effect even during the presence of an open sun.

Building structure
The core
Due to the existence of other infrastructure in the construction of the sub-structure proved to
be rather difficult (Engineers Journal, 2016). To take care of this challenge the 3level
basement was constructed top-down. This was achieved using plunge columns in wet
concrete. Foundation of the building sinking up to 50metres. The core then was built out of
concrete rising to the 72levels after this level a steel mast is used together with floor plates
made from pre-stressed concrete. Which is to overcome the inherent concrete weakness.
The core is however not solid since it contains lifts, stairways and shafts which reduce in
number as the building narrows towards the top.

The Spire
The vision of the architect of was to let building merge with the sky. Consequently, this led to
the design of a spire structure which is an opening at the top of the building where the
weather elements are in effect directly. In the shard building this where the viewing gallery,
plant and building maintenance are contained. For this to be possible a reduction in the
structural density was done. Therefore, above the 72 level, a steel mast was used instead of
the concrete core. Floor plates used after every 3 levels and open grids used in the place of
solid floors.

The Technology of the building
Facade
Made of 8 glass panels held at a tilting angle of six degrees. The angle of tilting allows the
building to reflect the weather. On top of the glass is an intelligent facade consisting of three
skins of woven glass fiber roller blinds (Linder, O 2013). Which are installed to take control
of the effect of sunlight minimizing the solar radiation and allowing maximum use of natural
light. Some of the solar radiation is absorbed to form heat which is radiated into the air-space
in between the inner and outer plate. During summer the heat absorbed is expelled to the
exterior of the building. However, in winter the cold in maintain to the outside since the inner
plane is heated by a heated air stream.
The fractures
These are the spaces in between the glass panels which were left open to the wind this formed
conservatories, meeting rooms and apartments. The fractures also host winter gardens which
are enclosed in the double-glazed glass but with access to air from the outside.
Fire-fighting
In the case of the Shard building, it was designed to allow the fire-fighters to have dedicated
access routes and lifts. This was an idea after the problem was faced by fire-fighters, rescue
and emergency teams in the world trade center building (Douglas, L 2011). The challenge
was tackle by having access routes for fire-fighter in the building core.

The sustainable impact of the Shard on the local community
The construction of the Shard building leads to the formation of a committee from the
locality. Allowing the community to have a role to play in the decision making on the
services of the building towards the community particularly on issues concerning the
environment (Great Britain, 2012. 4). With such community committee’s community assets
can be protected from grabbing.
Despite the view that the Shard building is a tall building that will interfere with protected
views like St. Pauls Cathedral, it has become an icon in a place that was marginalized. Bring
transformation to the area at large. Making the place an area considerable for new
development projects. Turning prospective projects southwards toward Bermondsey
(Evening Standard, 2011).
Other surrounding buildings and shop have an uplift to their appearance since the building
was built. The train station was transformed making it pleasant for commuting. Symbolizing
the coming up of south London as part of the capital.
During construction of the Shard building, it offered jobs to the locals such as construction
jobs and to as far as vocational training to the younger youth. The training of such youth will
pay of later in their lives since the technology learnt and the experience gained is of great
measure (John, P 2012).
The Shard has become an economic hub since it hosts major hotels and restaurants which
people have a need for in the rising class. One of the hotels on the Shard is a five star. It is
has provided housing to a population since it has apartment housing over 7000 people.
Boosting the tourism industry as the conservatory at the top floors of the building allows to
people to take a view of the city at from an aerial view.

CONCLUSION
Finally, the Shard building has played a major role towards the design and construction of a
new generation buildings. Buildings that are built to be more environmentally sustainable.
Even-though, sustainability should be considered resilience of the building is also a factor to
be considered (Garcia, E. J 2017). This is to make the modern-day designers think of cities of
the future which are better and sustainable.

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