Integrated Approach for Sustainable Power Plant Projects Using BIM

Abstract

Sustainability is considered one of the most discussed topics globally. The construction industry has a long-run impact that its projects have on the environment. Sustainability systems and criteria have been established to reduce the influence of buildings on the environment through sustainable designs. This research aims to develop an approach that integrates sustainability and Building Information Modelling in power generation sector. Various sustainability rating systems (e.g. GSAS, LEED, Estidama, Envision, Technical Sustainable Management), and design guidelines (e.g. World Bank EHS Guidelines) are studied to develop a new sustainability assessment system dedicated to power plants projects. A total of 54 criteria, clustered in eight categories, are considered in the proposed rating system. These categories are: 1) Nature and Urban, 2) Site, 3) Energy, 4) Water, 5) Materials and Resources, 6) Emissions and Environment, 7) Operation and Management, and 8) Culture and economy. The sustainability levels are ranked in six levels: Non-Sustainable, Improved, Enhanced, Superior, Conserving, Restorative. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is used to develop a plugin that facilitates the use of the proposed rating system to determine the level of sustainability of power plant projects. A case study of a 100 MW power plant is presented to test the effectiveness of the proposed sustainability system. The results of the case revealed that the total estimated point is 2.10 points which is equivalent to the conserving level according to the proposed sustainability rating system of power plant projects.