Constructing a sustainable impact assessment methodology: an evaluation of Taiwanese EIA of high-rise building

This paper examines the socio-political factors that influence the implementation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system in Taiwan. The paper also compares the degree of sustainability achieved by an EIA for high-rise building projects. It reviews the overall institutional settings for EIA procedure and analyses the practice of preparing na EIA for high-rise building projects. Initially, the 'triangulation test' concept is focused upon, where policy, practice and performance factors are used to establish an evaluation framework to determine the effectiveness of an EIA. The research then examines other impact assessment concepts, including the life cycle assessment and critical dilution volume. In addition, post-occupancy evaluations have been carried out, including the analysis of collected data by statistical processing and graphical interpretation. This thesis centres on the EIA system in Taiwan with two case studies from high-rise buildings. The first case study focuses on an EIA for a high-rise departmental store (21 storeys), whilst the second concentrates on a mixed-use high-rise building of 32 storeys. methods applied throughout this research consist of both case and field studies. Section 1. Ideal Model of SIA: this section consists of three chapters, EIA and Sustainable Development Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an EIA, and establishment of ideal model of SIA. Section 2. This section is divided into four chapters, Issues relating to the life cycle of building. The development of an EIA in Taiwan, Analysis of EIA Implementation, Context of an EIA for High-rise Building Projects. This section focus on the formation and implementation of the EIA system in Taiwan. Section 3. The third section has three chapters, which are A case study of So-Go Building. A case study of Formosa Building, and A review of the Implementation of the EIA process on high-rise buildings. Section 4. There are two chapters in this section, The Application of SIA to high-rise projects and evaluation of implementation of EIA effectiveness. This aims to apply SIA approach for high rise building. The Evaluation Framework of the effectiveness of an EIA to evaluate the effectiveness of the EIA system for high-rise building projects in Taiwan. It uses policy, practice and sustainability performance to carry out the overall evaluation.