Green and sustainable buildings

Green Buildings

The increase in density and economic activities of cities and urban areas has narrowed the correlation gap between healthiness, cities, environment impact and the general population exponentially. A change in how we design our cities can hold the solution to moving towards a greener and sustainable urban environment and a larger step towards a better planet. Major urban areas and cities are not only the major cause for health and environment issues but can also be the solution to a sustainable and greener environment if the right action is taken and better policy reforms made.Residential building contributes almost equal if not more to the CO2 emissions when compare to that of industries and transportation; the amount of commercial and residential building that come up each year are racking up the environmental impact to such a scale that when it tumbles the repercussions would be irreparable. To contract this scenario, the use of Green and sustainable buildings must be enforced with immediate effect. The concept of green and sustainable buildings, where utilization of natural resources like sunlight, rainwater and good air quality and concepts like using of clay walls for internal construction, rainwater harvesting and focusing on air ventilation and the sunlight factor can actually help in creating a green environment and in being energy efficient. Sustainable engineering takes into consideration aspects like utilization of rainwater to cool clay internal walls, controlling CO2 emissions and reducing the use of artificial lighting and heating/cooling systems. This can be done by designing structures to make the best of sunlight hours and proper ventilation and insulation where needed and by integration of green zones into the architecture. These concepts effectively improve the living quality by improving the ambient air quality and also in the process reduce the unescapable effects of standard building methods like excessive waste and enormous emissions of CO2.

Sustainable Living

The notion of sustainable living and buildings lays the path toward the yield of healthier living, significate reduction in CO2 levels and great benefits in terms of energy saving. It also leads to better Ambient Air Quality (AIQ) and more room for natural lighting and better thermal comforts.
The construction industry, which included both residential and commercial buildings, discharge huge quantities of waste and greenhouse gases; it is only fit that they make changes to the entire vertical process starting from the planning stage to the demolition stage.
A lot of studies have laid a solid foundation for the benefits of sustainable development and green buildings and the economic, social and ecological impact it will have on the urban eco system. The key driving factors will have to be analyzed and put into effect to achieve a harmonious way to exist.
Sustainable engineering uses natural resources and the local environment along with the adoptability of the architecture to make the best use of ambient weather conditions life the flow of winds and the sunlight into proper consideration. Residential building use more electricity that all the industries together, implementation of sustainable engineering and green building concepts would help us postpone the inevitable; Global warming.

Summary

Its already yesterday that we should have shifted to enforcing of green and sustainable building norms; time isn’t on our side when it comes to environmental impacts of the industrialization race we are in. The only aspect that can have some influence over the current situation is the replacement of current building methods by sustainable and green building architecture and engineering. The environment and the planet have been generous enough to provide us with all the natural resources to sustain our current engineering needs.
All it needs is our resolve to avoid any negative impacting building methods and look towards better nature friendly and sustainable alternatives, which is way within our intellectual capabilities as an ever evolving species.