How do Green Buildings Help the Environment?

Green building, also known as green construction, is the practice of creating structures using sustainable processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout the building's life-cycle, ranging from design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. Its main goal is to make the earth more sustainable while providing countless practical benefits to us.

Deciding to go green is more than being an energy-efficient structure, but instead building a structure without disrupting the natural processes of nature around it. Because even minute changes to the environment can have severe environmental impacts. Building green is all about helping the environment bloom while providing shelter and other practical benefits for us. How do green buildings help the environment?

Energy-efficiency

Green buildings help the environment by being energy-efficient. Green energy sources such as solar, wind, or geothermal, used by green buildings emit no carbon emissions. Therefore, no carbon dioxide goes into the atmosphere. Consequently, green buildings rely less on conventional electricity, which translates into a smaller carbon footprint.

Green buildings also utilize the concept of passive solar design. The idea behind it is to maximize the building's solar gain during winter and shade it during summer. Doing so reduces the electricity needed for HVAC units, which again translates to a smaller carbon footprint.

Material-efficiency

Green materials obtained from renewables and recyclables are good for the environment because no energy is needed to create them. That is—they already exist. They need to be sustainably processed so they can be used efficiently. These processes leave only a minimal carbon footprint.

Materials considered green include renewable plant materials like bamboo, straw, and lumber. Other materials such as ecology blocks, which are used as load-bearing walls, recycled stone and metal, and many other non-toxic products, are also used as green materials, all of which are processed in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.

Landscaping

Green buildings help the environment by taking landscaping into account. Most landscaping practices develop the property by planting plants native to the region and other vital greeneries such as trees and shrubs. The purpose of this is to limit or entirely remove the irrigation needed for the property. This change translates to lower demand for water.

Landscaping practices preserve certain parts of the property to remain undeveloped so that it remains undisturbed. It is also the place where the landscaped greeneries can expand to by natural means.

Construction Management

Green building projects have a construction program that regulates all activities that may negatively impact the environment. For instance, construction activities are managed to make sure that adjacent waterways remain unpolluted with construction debris and by-products. These waste materials are reused again for construction or recycled for other purposes.

There are also instances when green building management does a better job of keeping the environment unpolluted than otherwise without green building construction.

Waste Reduction

Green buildings seek to reduce waste of water and materials used during construction. The main goal is to limit materials that are going to landfills. They also help in reducing waste generated by occupants by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce waste materials going to landfills.

The impact on water treatment plants must be reduced as well. A buildings' greywater comes from dishwashing or washing machines and goes straight to the drainage line to the treatment plants. At times this overloads the treatment plants. Green buildings feature a water catchment basin where greywater can be stored and used for other purposes such as subsurface irrigation, flushing toilets, or wash cars.

Improved Air Quality

Toxic materials, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other air impurities have no place in a green building. These buildings are designed to rely solely on an effective and efficient HVAC system to provide adequate ventilation and air filtration. The design also isolates operational rooms such as kitchens and laundry rooms from other occupant rooms, thereby helping maintain excellent indoor air quality.

For more information on green building, contact Grayson Homes at 919-578-6222.