Construction Green Build Forum
Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and
their use of energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on
human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction,
operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.
Green building is sometimes known as sustainable building or environmental
building. A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller
scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available
locally. Other commonly used terms include sustainable design and green
architecture; however, while good design is essential to green building, the
actual operation, maintenance, and ultimate disposal or deconstruction of the
building also have very significant effects on buildings' overall environmental
impact.
The related concepts of sustainable development and sustainability are integral
to green building. Effective green building can lead to 1) reduced operating
costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, 2) improved
public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, and 3) reduced
environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm water runoff and the heat
island effect. Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only
ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural
and built environment. The appearance and style of sustainable homes and
buildings can be nearly indistinguishable from their less sustainable
counterparts.
Green building is increasingly governed and driven by standards, such as the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system developed by
the U.S. Green Building Council.
The environmental impact of buildings
Buildings have a profound effect on the environment, which is why green building
practices are so important to reduce and perhaps one day eliminate those
impacts.
In the United States alone, buildings account for:
39% of total energy use
12% of total water consumption
68% of total electricity consumption
38% of total carbon dioxide emissions
However, the environmental impact of buildings is often underestimated, while
the perceived costs of building green are overestimated. A recent survey by the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development finds that green costs are
overestimated by 300%, as key players in real estate and construction estimate
the additional cost at 17% above conventional construction, more than triple the
true average cost difference of about 5%.
Green building practices
Green building brings together a vast array of practices and techniques to
reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on the environment. On
the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy
of designing a building that is in harmony with the natural features and
resources surrounding the site. There are several key steps in designing
sustainable buildings: specify 'green' building materials from local sources,
reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.
Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include rapidly renewable
plant materials like bamboo and straw, lumber from forests certified to be
sustainably managed, stone, recycled metal, and other products that are
non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable. Building materials should be
extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy
embedded in their transportation.
Low-impact building materials are used wherever feasible: for example,
insulation may be made from low VOC (volatile organic compound)-emitting
materials such as recycled denim, rather than the insulation materials that may
contain carcinogenic or toxic materials such as formaldehyde. To discourage
insect damage, these alternate insulation materials may be treated with boric
acid. Organic or milk-based paints may be used.
Architectural salvage and reclaimed materials are used when appropriate as well.
When older buildings are demolished, frequently any good wood is reclaimed,
renewed, and sold as flooring. Many other parts are reused as well, such as
doors, windows, mantels, and hardware, thus reducing the consumption of new
goods. When new materials are employed, green designers look for materials that
are rapidly replenished, such as bamboo, which can be harvested for commercial
use after only 6 years of growth, or cork oak, in which only the outer bark is
removed for use, thus preserving the tree. When possible, building materials may
be gleaned from the site itself; for example, if a new structure is being
constructed in a wooded area, wood from the trees which were cut to make room
for the building would be re-used as part of the building itself.
To minimize the energy loads within and on the structure, it is critical to
orient the building to take advantage of cooling breezes and sunlight.
Daylighting with ample windows will eliminate the need to turn on electric
lights during the day (and provide great views outside too). Passive Solar can
warm a building in the winter - but care needs to be taken to provide shade in
the summer time to prevent overheating. Prevailing breezes and convection
currents can passively cool the building in the summer. Thermal mass stores heat
gained during the day and releases it at night minimizing the swings in
temperature. Thermal mass can both heat the building in winter and cool it
during the summer. Insulation is the final step to optimizing the structure.
Well-insulated windows, doors, and walls help reduce energy loss, thereby
reducing energy usage. These design features don't cost much money to construct
and significantly reduce the energy needed to make the building comfortable.
Optimizing the heating and cooling systems through installing energy efficient
machinery, commissioning, and heat recovery is the next step. Compared to
optimizing the passive heating and cooling features through design, the gains
made by engineering are relatively expensive and can add significantly to the
projects cost. However, thoughtful integrated design can reduce costs -- for
example, once a building has been designed to be more energy-efficient, it may
be possible to downsize heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC)
equipment, leading to substantial savings. To further address energy loss hot
water heat recycling is used to reduce energy usage for domestic water heating.
Ground source heat pumps are more energy efficient then other forms of heating
and cooling until you factor in the energy lost during generation and
transmission if the project is on the grid.
Finally, onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power,
hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the
building. Power generation is the most expensive feature to add to a building.
Good green architecture also reduces waste, of energy, water and materials.
During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of
material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount
of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing onsite solutions such
as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.
To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist.
"Greywater", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines,
can be used for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets, water lawns, and
wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes, and some homes
use specially designed rainwater collectors to gather rainwater for all water
use, including drinking water.
Green building often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g.,
using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques
and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for reduction
of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques, such as using packed gravel for
parking lots instead of concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground
water, are used as well.
Green building worldwide
Standards and ratings
Many countries have developed their own standards of energy efficiency for
buildings.
Code for Sustainable Homes, United Kingdom
BREEAM, United Kingdom
EnerGuide for Houses, Canada (energy retrofits & up-grades)
EnerGuide for New Houses, Canada (new construction)
Gold & Silver Energy Standards, United Kingdom
Green Building Council of Australia's Green Star
Haute Qualité Environnementale, France
House Energy Rating, Australia
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), USA and Canada
Green Globes, USA, Canada and United Kingdom
Minergie, Switzerland
National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines, USA
New Zealand Green Building Council Green Star
Passivhaus, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom
EEWH, Taiwan
Australia
There is a system in place in Australia called First Rate designed to increase
energy efficiency of residential buildings. The Green Building Council of
Australia (GBCA) has developed a green building standard known as Green Star. .
In Adelaide, South Australia, there are at least two different projects that
incorporate the principles of Green building. The Eco-City development is
located in Adelaide's city centre and the Aldinga Arts Eco Village is located in
Aldinga. Guidelines for building developments in each project are outlined in
the bylaws. The bylaws include grey water reuse, reuse of stormwater, capture of
rainwater, use of solar panels for electricity and hotwater, solar passive
building design and community gardens and landscaping.
Melbourne has a rapidly growing environmental consciousness, many government
subsidies and rebates are available for water tanks, water efficient products
(such as shower heads) and solar hot water systems. The city is home to many
examples of green buildings and sustainable development such as the CERES
Environmental Park. Two of the most prominent examples of green commercial
buildings in Australia are located in Melbourne - 60L and Council House 2 (also
known as CH2).
Canada
Canada has implemented "R-2000" guidelines for new buildings built after the
year 2000. Incentives are offered to builders to meet the R-2000 standard in an
effort to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainability.
A progression of the R-2000 home program is the EnerGuide for New Houses
service. This service is available across Canada and is designed to allow home
builders and home buyers to build homes that use significantly less energy than
the average homes being built. Some Canadian provinces are considering mandatory
use of the service for all new homes.
In December 2002, Canada formed the Canada Green Building Council and in July
2003 obtained an exclusive licence from the US Green Building Council to adapt
the LEED rating system to Canadian circumstances.
Beamish-Munro Hall at Queen's University features sustainable construction
methods such as high fly-ash concrete, triple-glazed windows, dimmable
fluorescent lights and a grid-tied photovoltaic array.
Germany
German developments that employ green building techniques include:
The Solarsiedlung (Solar Village) in Freiburg, Germany, which features
energy-plus houses.
The Vauban development, also in Freiburg.
Houses designed by Baufritz, incorporating passive solar design, heavily
insulated walls, triple-glaze doors and windows, non-toxic paints and finishes,
summer shading, heat recovery ventilation, and greywater treatment systems.
The new Reichstag building in Berlin, which produces its own energy.
India
Energy efficient buildings in India
The Confederation of Indian Industry plays an active role in promoting
sustainability in the Indian construction sector. There are many energy
efficient buildings in India, situated in a variety of climatic zones.
Malaysia
The Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) promotes
green building techniques. Malaysian architect Ken Yeang is a prominent voice in
the area of ecological design.
New Zealand
The New Zealand Green Building Council has been in formation since July 2005. An
establishment board was formed later in 2005 and with formal organisational
status granted on 1st February 2006. That month Jane Henley was appointed as the
CEO and activity to gain membership of the World GBC began. In July 2006 the
first full board was appointed with 12 members reflecting wide industry
involvement. The several major milestones were achieved in 2006/2007; becoming a
member of the World GBC, the launch of the Green Star NZ - Office Design Tool,
and welcoming our member companies.
United Kingdom
Energy efficiency in British housing
The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) has promoted
sustainable building in the UK since 1989.
The UK Building Regulations set requirements for insulation levels and other
aspects of sustainability in building construction.
United States
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has developed The Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System?, which is
the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of
high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the
tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’
performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by
recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:
sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials
selection, and indoor environmental quality. They have developed specific
versions of the LEED rating system to assist specific building types in
achieving certification. Some of the commercially available systems are:
LEED-NC: New Construction and Major Renovations (the most commonly applied-for
LEED certification)
LEED-CI: Commercial Interiors
LEED-CS: Core/Shell)
LEED-EB: Existing Buildings
LEED-Homes
Other versions that will soon be released for public consumption are:
LEED-ND: Neighborhood Developments
LEED for Schools
LEED for Healthcare
LEED for Labs
LEED for Retail
The Green Building Initiative is a non-profit network of building industry
leaders committed to bringing green to mainstream residential and commercial
construction. The GBI believes in building approaches that are environmentally
progressive, but also practical and affordable for builders to implement. The
GBI has developed an easy to use, inexpensive and web-based rating tool called
Green Globes, which is being upgraded in accordance with ANSI procedures.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar program rates
commercial buildings for energy efficiency and provides EnergyStar
qualifications for new homes that meet their standards for energy efficient
building design.
ShoreBank, an American community development bank, has pioneered lending to
developers for Green Building projects and energy audits of existing structures.
] ]
In 2005, Washington became the first state in the U.S. to enact green building
legislation. According to the law, all major public agency facilities with a
floor area exceeding 5,000 square feet (465 m2), including state funded school
buildings, are required to meet or exceed LEED standards in construction or
renovation. The projected benefits from this law are:
20% annual savings in energy costs
20% reduction in water costs
38% reduction in waste water production
22% reduction in construction waste
In 2006, Charlottesville, VA became one of the first small towns in the US to
enact green building legislation. This presents a significant shift in
construction and architecture as LEED regulations have formerly been focused on
commercial construction. If US homeowner interest grows in "green" residential
construction, the companies involved in the production and manufacturing of LEED
building materials will become likely candidates for tomorrow's round of private
equity and IPO investing.
See also
energy Portal
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Architecture
Architectural engineering
Arcology - High density ecological structures
Active solar
BedZED - Zero-carbon building in the UK
Brise soleil
Deconstruction (building)
Domotics
Earthship
Ecocity
Ecological living
Ecopolis
Environmental planning
Energy-plus-house
Geo-exchange
Green technology
Hot water heat recycling
International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE)
Low-energy house
Metal Roofing Alliance
Natural Capital Center Green redevelopment of a building on the National
Register
Paragon Space Development Green building engineering
Passive house
Passive solar
Photovoltaics
Self-build
Sustainable habitat
Zero-energy building
Designers and builders
J. Baldwin
Steve Baer
Tom Bender
Peter Calthorpe
ESB Solar Homes
Eric Corey Freed
Buckminster Fuller
William McDonough
Glenn Murcutt
Rocky Mountain Institute
Natural Resources Defense Council
Sim Van der Ryn
Walter Segal
Michael Sorkin
Brenda and Robert Vale
Robert K. Watson
James Wines
Laurie Baker
Ken Yeang
Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum
Rod Percival
Paul Herring
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