Features of Green Buildings

This blog contains information about Green Buildings. In the start, we will discuss the Definition of Green Buildings in detail. After that, it mentions the Examples of Green Buildings. It also mentions some Elements in a Green Building. In the end, It elaborates the main Benefits of a Green Building. This blog contains Features and Examples of Green Buildings.

1.Definition of Green Buildings:

Green building is the practice of creating structures and using structures that are environmentally responsible and also the whole life cycle of the building is resource efficient.

Green building is the invention made for environmental welfare. Its design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and reconstruction is resource efficient and environmentally friendly.

Green buildings are built with a motive that it will work for saving the resources at its maximum to avoid depletion of resources and also natural environment.

It also involves techniques that saves water, save materials, save land, save energy etc. Green building technology focuses on low consumption, high efficiency, economy, environmental protection, integration and optimization. This blog contains Features and Examples of Green Buildings.

Green Building Design:

The design of Green buildings are used to reduce overall impacts of the built environment on human health and natural environment. The requirements for green building design includes the following points:

Efficiency of Energy

Sustainable use of Water

Efficient usage of other resources

Reducing the waste

Minimize the overall pollution of the building

Avoid impacts that results in Environmental Degradation

These are some conditions needed for creating a Green Building Design.

Example of Green Building:

The Crystal:

The crystal is a building in London, United Kingdom so this building is a true representative of green buildings, as it uses natural light throughout the day, it collects 90% of its water and retreat it to reuse and it harvests solar energy for different purposes. This building is considered as one of the certified sustainable building in the world. We should take inspiration from The Crystal and try to convert more buildings to sustainable buildings. This building is shown in the picture below:

2.Four Features of Green Building:

Following are four basic elements of a Green Building:

• Increasing Energy Efficiency:

The first element of a green building is that all the systems and structures should have better energy efficiency than conventional building, so that the energy consumption will be less and the productivity will be high. It will fight with the depletion or misuse of energy resources.

• Suitable Materials for Building:

The second element is choosing sustainable materials (recycled material, wood, glass, biodegradable things etc.) for the construction of green buildings. As we know that bricks and cement is the cause of a lot of land and atmospheric pollution. So we should avoid use of such things in the construction of a green building. Conventional building materials and construction activities are also a big source of Global Warming.

• Efficiency in Water usage:

The third and most vital element is that a green building improves its water use efficiency so it can be in the form of Rainwater harvesting, treatment of used water through plants and its reuse, to maintained water quality of stored water and many more strategies. This will help to conserve water and make the lifestyle eco-friendly. This can help to fight with the condition of Water Scarcity.

• Improving Air Quality:

The fourth element of a green building is that works for improving the air quality of the residents living in the building so it involves easy cleaning windows to avoid dust in the air, better ventilation systems to enjoy clean and purified air, use paints with low VOCs, proper roof drainage to utilize the water for air conditioning and many more remedies.

• Reduction in Operating Costs:

Another important element of a Green Building is that, its design is in a way that reduces the Operating costs of the building than other conventional buildings. It includes the participation of all other elements as we can reduce costs by increasing energy efficiency, using sustainable building material, grow your own food and all other such implementations. These will help you to reduce the operating cost of the building.

• Community Benefits:

We can also add elements that are related to community benefits. These elements may include green roofs, green terraces, well-organized green spaces for publics, benches outside the buildings that have tree shade, and many other such inclusions in the structure of building. So, that even a pedestrian can also take advantage of the Green Building in a hot summer day. This will also maintain the temperature of surrounding areas of the Building.

These are few elements that are must in Green Buildings.

3.Benefits of Green Building:

Following are some Benefits of Green Building:

This helps in reducing CO2 emissions by having lots of plants around and within the building so it automatically plays a part in reducing global warming and climate change.

It helps in minimizing the waste production and teaches us to re-use and recycle waste as much as possible. 4R strategy is used in waste management.

This provides remedies to increase energy efficiency and helps to reduce the depletion of energy resources.

It provides us the concern of conservation of water by harvesting, treating, reusing and utilizing it in the air conditioning systems, without wasting it.

It helps us use sustainable building materials instead to conventional materials and hence, keep us away from harmful VOCs, toxins and microorganisms.

This provides us healthy environment to live with natural and sustainable means, that will automatically drag us away from different diseases and disorders. It lowers our exposure to environment related diseases (i.e. Respiratory diseases, water borne diseases, etc.)

These buildings are more climate resilient than ordinary buildings, because of their ventilation systems and greenery.

Countries with Green Buildings:

China

India

Canada

Brazil

South Korea

Turkey

Germany

Sweden

These countries have successfully working Green Buildings and a significant difference is seen in these countries due to these buildings. Environmentalist have recorded the reduction of average temperature of about 2 degree centigrade due to excessive greenery in some of these countries. This is a very big achievement in this exponentially increasing Global Warming.

Conclusion:

Green buildings is the practice of creating structures and using structures in an environmentally responsible way to prevent any environmental damage, as caused by other conventional buildings. These buildings do not harm the environment and also play a good part in reducing emissions and eventually reducing the global warming. They also saves us from toxins, harmful gases, hazardous materials and many other problems. There should be a strict action on building and working of green buildings to save our country from water scarcity, global warming, climate change and different diseases and disorders.