Analysis of the Spatial Structure of Green Building in the Aspect of Selected Environmental Issues on the Example of the City of Cracow (Poland)

Abstract

In the era of developing cities, it is extremely important to maintain an appropriate level of quality of the surrounding environment or to improve this level. Newly built buildings are not without impact on the city’s environment. It is important to control and limit their negative impact. Multi-criteria investment assessment systems help with many problems related to urban development. They allow analysis and evaluation of various issues, including those related to the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial structure of buildings certified in the BREEAM system (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) in Kraków by developing a map of their deployment, and then analysing the location of green buildings in terms of selected environmental issues. The selected certification system is one of the most commonly used multi-criteria assessment systems in Poland. The map was developed to assess the current spatial structure of green buildings. On the basis of the map, it is possible to indicate potential areas of the city where it would be advisable to locate a green building that meets specific environmental requirements. In Kraków, it can be noticed that objects with the In-Use certificate are mostly available individually. There are only two small clusters of such buildings. Upon analysing buildings with a final certificate, it can be observed that there are both single buildings as well as small and larger clusters (office parks). These facilities are located near or between the beltways. When analysing the distribution of buildings with the certificate obtained at the design stage, it can be observed that most of them are located near bypasses. Two clusters are located in the southern part of the city, but this is due to the expansion of existing office parks. Comparing the developed map with the location of the combined sewerage system in Kraków, it can be seen that the vast majority of certified facilities are within or in close proximity to the combined network. If in these facilities solutions related to the management of rainwater at the place of precipitation were used, each of them represents a significant relief for the sewage system in Kraków. Due to the fact that some of the green buildings in Kraków are present in clusters, their fulfilment of requirements related to the introduction of greenery to the plot (Land Use and Ecology, Surface water run - off and Flood risk categories) may affect the levelling of the urban island heat in the areas where they occur. Most green buildings in Kraków are located along the city’s three bypasses. If these buildings have scored points in the category of Transport for specific activities, then in combination with their location this represents a positive value for the city’s air quality. Among the requirements for green buildings in multi-criteria assessment systems are those whose fulfilment is a particular value for the city’s environment only with a specific location of the building. For this reason, it matters to the city whether the newly constructed buildings are green. The most common positive effects can be expected in the central parts of cities, because that is where the combined sewerage system dominates, where there are problems associated with UHI (Urban Heat Island) or urban floods. The presence of several buildings near each other also generates a pro-ecological effect.