Consider the following somber facts: According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings directly account for 12% of all freshwater use, 30% of all raw materials, 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, the indirect effects of materials and transportation account for another 18%, 45 to 65% of waste outputs to landfills, 31% of all mercury in solid waste and 70% of all electricity consumption.
Green buildings offer a 30% energy savings, 30 to 50% water savings, 35% reduction in carbon emissions, and a 50 to 90% reduction in construction waste and waste generation from building operations. Green buildings will last longer and require less maintenance and the energy savings from heating and cooling costs can often exceed the cost of the building itself.
Human beings have been wasting away the natural resources since the industrial revolution and pollution has been rampant with the current building and business practices.
For thousands of years, human beings built their homes out of natural materials, and used the natural elements to heat and cool, to harvest the water for sustenance. What we learn from the past can help mankind to build energy efficient homes now and in the future. Building green buildings is not an option. It is mandatory if we are to conserve the nonrenewable resources and use renewable resources to maintain our lifestyle for this generation and generations to come.
The series of articles is intended to introduce the public to the basics of building green buildings and how we can be a proactive participant in the green building revolution. This series of articles is designed to help the consumer be more aware of the need for building green buildings and the various aspects in building green buildings.
I have tried to take information from various sources and seminars and courses to design basic introductory articles regarding the world of green buildings for the readers. If you search "Green Buildings" on the Internet, you will see over 140,000,000 search results. The Green Building Revolution is worldwide and every nation, state, county and city has passed laws mandating that government and private buildings be energy efficient and green. This movement is not a whimsical fad. It is part of a survival program for civilizations.
The Need to Go GreenIn the early days of civilization, buildings were built using natural materials and natural resources with virtually no waste. Modern day buildings were built with very little concern for energy, water and materials conservation. Manufacturers, architects, contractors, consumers were not concerned about preserving our natural resources. Bigger and glitzier buildings, wasting of energy and resources were the result of careless building methods.
Green building will allow people to be more responsible with energy and natural resources. Whether you are building new or remodeling a home or office building, in the future, going green will be mandated by law and will be the most cost effective way to build. The Hawaii legislature recently passed a law that mandates that all new residences shall have solar water heating systems. It is inevitable that all buildings will need to follow green building guidelines. Another law was passed in Hawaii to allow laundry lines in planned communities.
Some of the ancient buildings followed green building methods long before green buildings became necessary. The buildings were situated to take advantage of the sun for heating and light and used natural ventilation by siting the building to take advantage of the wind direction. Rainwater was captured and irrigated. Natural stone, mud and wood were used to build the structures. The buildings were nontoxic and healthy for human beings to live in. The buildings were laid out to have a feeling of community and fostered interaction among the inhabitants.
Current building materials and construction methods create an indoor environment that is harmful to human beings. Green buildings are sited, designed, constructed and operated to enhance the well-being of their occupants and minimize negative impacts on the community and the environment.
When a home or building owner installs green features in their buildings, the owner will save money in the operational costs for decades. Green Buildings will provide the following benefits:
- Provides a healthier and more comfortable environment
- Incorporates energy and water efficient technologies
- Reduces construction and demolition waste
- Has a higher resale value in the building
- Includes renewable energy technologies
- Improves indoor air quality and safer work and living environment
- Easier to maintain and built to last
All these factors will save the owners money in both construction and operation of the buildings and give the owners motivation to go green in their building projects.
Many people think that a green building costs more than a conventional building. With good planning and a tight construction budget, the green building can be built for the same price as a traditional building. Some green building products cost the same as non-green building products and recycled products cost less than new manufactured products which saves energy to produce the new product.
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