Green buildings

Green building is a structure that has less impact on the environment and affordable. To encourage the ‘go green’ statement, more and more people are considering green building a very nice option. Any structure can be called a green building, no matter if it’s a home, school, office, community centre, school or any other which has characteristics like solar energy, waste and pollution reduction measures, a pleasant indoor. A green building should be adaptative to the changing environment, use of non – toxic material etc. The definition of green building also gets changed as per countries and regions.

Sustainability has been one of the most important agendas of the United Nations, and they have listed 17 such goals to be achieved by the countries by the year 2030. The concept of sustainability is still one of the concerns for all the states, and it has now extended to the construction of buildings. The concept of sustainable architecture is the new term now. It means designing buildings with such materials and technologies which have minimal impact on the environment also known as Environmentally Sustainable Buildings. Through this, the present generation and future generations can also benefit from energy efficiency, comfort, and well-being until the building is there.

The term green buildings/ Environmentally Sustainable Buildings may sound new, but the concept is quite old as the construction is done using the materials and techniques conducive to the environmental conditions. Environmentally sustainable buildings will use eco-friendly products/raw materials or limit the use of non-renewable energy sources. Still, it will also depend on the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and renovation. It will also consider the end cycle of the building as to how the materials will be retrieved and recycled.

Many factors need to be considered when talking about sustainable buildings. Factors like minimizing the waste generation on-site to avoid landfill, efficient use of energy, water, and materials, using recycled materials, and selecting products with minimum carbon footprint during manufacturing. Using non-toxic paints and finishes will also help create a healthy environment for future generations to come. The protection and preservation of the environment near and around the building site also need to be addressed. Some organizations can be used for measuring the sustainability of the buildings during construction.

One of them is The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which provides a good indication of a building product’s environmental performance. Through this, the manufacturers can analyze the impact of the raw materials, manufacturing, and material extraction and take precautions and steps to minimize carbon emissions, energy use, and water. Another one is the LEED- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a globally recognized green building rating system for all types of buildings.

List of Environmentally Sustainable Buildings

Some of the Environmentally Sustainable Buildings that show that not only do they beautify our spaces but also save our planet include-

1. Cape Paterson, Victoria, Australia–

A ten-star home that is carbon positive and is built to zero waste.

2. Jean Nouvel/ Frasers Property and Sekisui House-

This property is covered with lush green plants that prevent the sun rays from entering the house.

3. 7 More London Riverside-

The 10-storeyed 7 More London Riverside features a high-performance facade for shade and insulation, green roofs, solar hot water, a CCHP trigeneration plant providing low carbon cooling, heating, and power, and an intelligent building management system that allows every worker to control both light and temperature at their workstation.

Environmentally Sustainable Buildings are the thing of the future, and manufacturers are now paying more attention to the material and techniques they use to put less pressure on the environment and make the building useful for future generations to come.

Also read- India’s Chart to Low-carbon Future

SOME FAQ’s

Question- How can buildings be more sustainable by using sustainable products?

Answer– Following seven essential elements are perfect to make your building more sustainable. 

1. Make a space to enter natural light

Make your home design in such a way that the maximum amount of light could come in. So that it will help to reduce your need for artificial light.

2. Choose green and sustainable materials

 There are numerous ways to ensure the products and materials used in building are as green as possible- using sustainable materials is more energy-efficient and demands less power. 

3. Deploy renewable technologies 

Making use of renewable technologies such as solar plates, solar thermal panels, biomass boilers or air source heat pumps.

These are some of the efficient ways to make use of sustainable energies or sustainable products to make buildings more sustainable. 

Question: How can buildings be more sustainable by using sustainable products?

Answer– Following seven essential elements are perfect for making your building more sustainable. 

1. Make a space to enter natural light

Make your home design so that the maximum amount of light can come in to help reduce your need for artificial light.

2. Choose green and sustainable materials

 There are numerous ways to ensure the products and materials used in building are as green as possible- using sustainable materials is more energy-efficient and demands less power. 

3. Deploy renewable technologies 

Use renewable technologies such as solar plates, solar thermal panels, biomass boilers or air source heat pumps.

These are some efficient ways to use sustainable energies or sustainable products to make buildings more sustainable.