Green buildings are defined by environmentally sustainable design, construction and operation practices that help future-proof communities from climate change and resource scarcity.
Green buildings utilize natural elements like wind and sunlight to reduce energy use, leading to lower utility bills for their occupants, who often report improved health and productivity as a result.
Environmentally friendly design
Green building design takes into account environmental impacts from its inception. This means reducing waste during construction and using recycled materials whenever possible; as well as limiting energy consumption – including both extracting, transporting and installing building materials plus operating energy needs.
Three New York City projects constructed between the late ’80s and early ’90s established a landmark precedent for green buildings that later came to be known as such. One such structure, housed at Natural Resources Defense Council’s lower Manhattan offices – featured prominently in Gottfried’s 2014 history of green building Explosion Green – met its ambitious energy-efficiency targets without jeopardizing indoor air quality.
At present, there are various tools available to define and evaluate high-performance green buildings, including various rating systems like BREEAM in Europe, LEED in the US, Green Star in Australia and GSAS in Malaysia. Each provides a multifaceted definition of green buildings as well as framework for verification against that definition, often supported by third-party reviews and certification processes.
Energy efficiency
Green buildings rely heavily on energy efficiency as an integral element. This can reduce carbon emissions, air pollution and water waste while making building occupants healthier and more productive. Furthermore, green buildings often reduce operating costs with shorter payback periods for property owners as well as provide better value overall.
Occupant comfort is an integral aspect of green buildings. VIP Structures’ new office building uses radiant floors to keep occupants warm in cold seasons and features a gray water treatment system which returns clean water back into the ground, as well as inviting break spaces where people can unwind.
Green buildings aim to reduce waste both during their construction and operation. Green buildings utilize recycled and reclaimed materials instead of traditional lumber, employ advanced framing techniques which require less wood for assembly, provide greater insulation against energy costs, collect rainwater for collection purposes and support on-site renewable energy generation.
Indoor air quality
Given their focus on environmental impacts, green buildings require special consideration when it comes to indoor environmental health. This requires paying particular attention to air quality (IAQ) and using green building products; however, finding reliable information regarding their IAQ management is difficult.
An effective approach to improving indoor air quality (IAQ) is by eliminating potential sources of pollutants, such as using low-emission construction materials, avoiding chemicals with off-gassing properties and installing antimicrobial or moisture-resistant finishes. Ventilation systems also help improve IAQ by providing fresh outdoor air while controlling humidity levels.
Additionally, the behavior of occupants plays an essential role in IAQ. For instance, frequent window openings will improve ventilation and the air quality in an office environment. Furthermore, it’s best to limit smoking and combustion products in the workplace as these factors can pose health hazards that reduce productivity – so it is vitally important that occupants understand how their actions influence IAQ.
Resource conservation
Buildings account for an enormous proportion of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, not to mention water use and material usage. Green buildings employ various strategies to limit these impacts such as using renewable resources, adopting cutting-edge technologies and developing materials which maximize resource use efficiency.
Green building designs often employ life cycle assessment (LCA) in their design stages to assess their environmental impacts. LCA is an authoritative method that measures all possible effects from conception through end of life such as energy use, global warming potential and resource consumption.
Green buildings may be costly to build; their technology may cost more than conventional ones. Furthermore, renewable energy sources may fluctuate with weather patterns, potentially impacting indoor climate conditions in these buildings. But their positive effects on people and the environment can more than make up for any initial costs; green buildings offer considerable benefits that contribute towards fighting climate change.