Green buildings reduce energy consumption and water use, lower emissions, and promote occupant health. These strategies support regulatory compliance and cost savings, as well as building resilience.
Sustainable design choices include choosing natural lighting, ventilation, and insulation, low-VOC materials, and incorporating rooftop gardens to manage stormwater and improve local air quality.
Energy Efficiency
A key component of green architecture is the use of efficient building systems to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. High-efficiency HVAC, LED lighting, and smart building controls are some of the ways that green buildings minimize their energy usage. The ultimate goal of green architecture is to achieve net-zero energy, where renewable energy generated on site equals or exceeds the energy consumed by a building over its lifetime.
Many of the same internal outfitting strategies that conserve energy help to reduce water usage as well. For example, green buildings often use rainwater harvesting systems or repurpose grey water (water that has already been used in washing machines, bathtubs and sinks) for irrigation purposes.
Some of these energy and water saving features can increase the upfront cost of construction, but they typically pay for themselves in reduced operating costs down the road. Additionally, a variety of tax credits, utility rebates and green financing solutions can further lower the upfront costs associated with these technologies.
Water Efficiency
Increasing the focus on water conservation in green building offers multiple benefits. These include reducing operating costs, attracting environmentally conscious tenants, and improving indoor air quality by limiting exposure to toxic materials. The savings on sewage charges are also significant since most commercial buildings pay for these based on water consumption.
Engineers are vital in the process of incorporating water-efficient technologies into sustainable building projects. They provide the technical expertise during the planning stage and are responsible for developing water conservation systems such as greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, and low-flow fixtures. However, the implementation of these systems has been limited by resistance from clients, high prices, and lack of regulation.
The key to making these technologies popular is improving engineering training, policy changes, and promoting collaboration across disciplines. This will allow engineers to become more knowledgeable about the full range of available solutions and create a stronger sense of ethical responsibility toward sustainability goals. This, in turn, will encourage their use and spread awareness of the benefits.
Materials
Green building materials help minimize the impact on the environment by reducing energy consumption, conserving natural resources, and using sustainable construction practices. Many sustainable materials also offer other benefits, such as durability and low maintenance.
For example, adobe bricks and straw bale construction use agricultural waste to create super-insulated walls that reduce energy costs. Corrosion-resistant metals and other durable materials reduce the need for frequent replacements, which decreases landfill waste and resource consumption. Some green building materials use living organisms to perform a function, such as self-healing concrete that uses bacteria to grow in pores and repair cracks.
Architects play an important role in green building material specification, as they are gatekeepers who can steer projects towards environmental responsibility. Choosing sustainable materials helps cut long-term costs, supports regulatory compliance and strengthens business resilience to future market demands. Some key factors to consider include environmental impact, durability and the potential for local sourcing. Several options exist for architects seeking to specify sustainable building materials, including the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) green product guide.
Indoor Environmental Quality
Many different factors play into building a green structure, and one of the nonnegotiables is ensuring that there are no pollutants in the air. This ensures that green technology and materials can work as intended, and prevents illnesses or symptoms associated with exposures.
Indoor pollutants can come from a variety of sources. They can enter buildings through natural ventilation, infiltration or leaks, or by occupants’ activities or by the use of cleaning and household products. Common contaminants include secondhand smoke, combustion byproducts, radon, molds, and volatile organic compounds.
IEQ encompasses a wide range of issues, from physical aspects like air quality and thermal comfort to aesthetic elements like lighting and acoustics. TSI can help you understand the different components of IEQ and how they impact your employees. Learn how this tech company used TSI’s unified air quality monitoring to improve IEQ in their multi-building campus. Download the case study.