Course Details

Environmental Impacts of the Construction Industry

Academic Year 2026/27

VJC001 course is part of 2 study plans

​ BKC-SIS Summer Semester 1st year

​ BPC-SIS / SI Summer Semester 1st year

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the environmental impacts of construction activities throughout the entire life cycle of buildings. Students will gain an overview of the impacts of raw material extraction, building materials manufacturing, building construction, operation, demolition, and recycling process. Students will become familiar with issues related to water management, flood protection in urbanized areas, emission-neutral buildings, and new trends in energy production. The course develops the ability to design sustainable construction solutions with regard to the protection of natural resources and the minimization of negative environmental impacts.

Credits

2 credits

Language of instruction

Czech

Semester

summer

Course Guarantor

doc. Ing. Nikol Žižková, Ph.D.

Institute

Institute of Technology of Building Materials and Components

Forms and criteria of assessment

course-unit credit

Entry Knowledge

Basic knowledge of building materials.

Aims

1. Professional Knowledge

Upon successful completion of the course, the graduate will know and understand:

  • Material and energy flows of buildings from raw material extraction, through building materials manufacturing, construction, and operation, to demolition and recycling.
  • Current legislative frameworks, concepts such as "Green Europe," and the principles of green infrastructure implementation.
  • Operational principles of emission-neutral and zero-emission buildings, along with an overview of integrating renewable energy sources into structures.
  • Issues related to wastewater and stormwater management, as well as flood protection principles for cities in the context of ongoing climate change.
  • Characteristics of traditional construction materials regarding their ecological footprint, alongside alternatives in the form of natural and recycled materials.

2. Professional Skills

The student will be able to apply theoretical knowledge to design sustainable solutions.

3. Professional Competences

The student will be competent to work in a team on complex sustainable construction projects.

Basic Literature

KOČÍ, Vladimír. LCA a EPD stavebních výrobků: posuzování životního cyklu a environmentální prohlášení o produktu jako cesta k udržitelnému stavebnictví. Praha: Česká rada pro šetrné budovy, 2012. ISBN 978-80-260-3504-6. (cs)
EVROPSKÝ PARLAMENT A RADA EVROPSKÉ UNIE. Směrnice Evropského parlamentu a Rady (EU) 2024/1275 ze dne 24. dubna 2024 o energetické náročnosti budov (přepracované znění). Úřední věstník Evropské unie. 2024, roč. 67, L 2024/1275. Dostupné z: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-102-2023-INIT/cs/pdf (cs)
ČSN 75 6402: Čistírny odpadních vod do 500 ekvivalentních obyvatel, 2017. Praha: Úřad pro technickou normalizaci, metrologii a státní zkušebnictví.  (cs)

Recommended Reading

HOFMEISTER, Sandra. Architecture and climate change. Vol. 1. Munich: Detail Business Information, 2024. ISBN 978-3-95553-628-2. (en)
DOTRO, Gabriela, Günter LANGERGRABER, Pascal MOLLE, Jaime NIVALA, Jaume PUIGAGUT, Otto STEIN a Marcos VON SPERLING, 2017. Biological Wastewater Treatment Series. Volume 7: Treatment Wetlands [online]. London: IWA Publishing [cit. 2018-03-25]. ISBN 9781780408774. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.2166/9781780408774  (en)
PITTER, Pavel, 2009. Hydrochemie. 4. aktualizované vydání. Praha: VŠCHT Praha. ISBN 978-807080-701-9. (cs)
Wetland technology: practical information on the design and application of treatment wetlands, 2019. Editor Günter LANGERGRABER, editor Gabriela DOTRO, editor Jaime NIVALA, editor Anacleto RIZZO, editor Otto R. STEIN. London: IWA Publishing. Scientific and technical report. ISBN 9781789060164.  (en)
BARIČ, Karolína. Jaké bude stavebnictví v roce 2030? Zelené nebo žádné. In: Rethink Architecture [online], [cit. 2026-23-7]. Dostupné z: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l1u1m6jCBIAcIlZiiA5aav4ja9Q9r-_9/view (cs)
Kolektiv autorů z České rady pro šetrné budovy a Rethink Architecture Institute. Udržitelná architektura. Katalog šetrných řešení pro budovy. In: Rethink Architecture [online], [cit. 2026-23-7]. Dostupné z: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PMFoADI-j6wz56KPYALEjecBBW87FKbn/view (cs)

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of building materials.

Offered to foreign students

Not to offer

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/306643

Exercise

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to Ecology (basic concepts, the impact of the construction industry on the environment).
  2. "Green Europe", sustainability, core legislation, green infrastructure.
  3. Sustainable Construction (materials, buildings, projects).
  4. Emission-Neutral Buildings.
  5. Zero-Emission and Renewable Energy Sources.
  6. Waste and Recycling in Construction Industry.
  7. Decarbonization of the Construction Industry, natural materials.
  8. Water I – Flood protection of urbanized areas in the context of climate change.
  9. Water II – Wastewater management.
  10. Water III – Stormwater management.
  11. Sustainability Assessment of Buildings.
  12. Problem Solving Using the Design Thinking Method.
  13. Presentation of Design Thinking Outcomes, review, preparation for the final test.