Today people are raising many concerns over the extensive direct impacts of industrialization on the environment for instance the building and construction directions, materials and designs. The resources in question include the energy, raw materials, water and even the waste materials.
The common unique challenge faced by the building experts, designers or owners include the need to meet building requirements and regulations such as accessibility, security, health and productivity. The most important need is to be environmental friendly.
At present, the economical growth is a great challenge to sustainable design but the approach used must be supportive to the environment by ensuring conservation. People will want to optimize a balance on benefits of expenditure, ecological, communal as well as human benefits while still meet the intended mission regarding proper infrastructure or facility mainly concerning comfort, productivity and safety.
The green house materials used for buildings
These materials identify with sustainability of resources especially the scarce resources. McDonough and Braungart (17) Most of the green professional builders will advice one to have their premises installed with alternative waste water systems or solar energy systems. Other recognizable materials include the rainwater harvesting facilities, the compost lavatory systems, radiation barriers, toxicant terminators or controllers and environmental friendly concretes.
The designs and engineering innovations ought to entail the environmental sensitive structures for a better and sustainable future. The innovative designs of bridges in the last two decades have brought about some dramatic impact on the need to conserve the environment through the aspect of beauty. The recent news is the awarding of a landmark Transamerica Pyramid building at San Francisco as a LEED Gold due to its green nature thus upgrading the citys status.
Effects and benefits of green materials to the environment
The availability of fossil fuels is dwindling day by day. With many heated issues arising daily concerning of the environmental degradation such as global climate change, security of the resources and dependency on the energy sources.
Sustainable measures require utilization of renewable energy sources in all the amenities especially the infrastructure. Measures to save the environment are evident today, for instance, the world debate by the international representatives in Copenhagen to combat measures causing the climate changes such as gas emissions and greenhouses gas pollution.
The other benefit posed by the green designs entails water conservation. At present, water is increasingly becoming a scarce commodity and a sustainable building ought to have on site measures of reducing wastage through conservation measures such as harvesting, storage, efficient utilization, reuse and recycling measures.
Green materials used on the sustainable buildings reduce the environmental hazardous impacts such as the global warming effects, depletion of resources, and toxicities. The materials also have reduced negative effects to human health thus contributing to the workers and users safety, reducing the liability measures hence low insurance costs for the owners, reduces resources disposal costs and helps in attaining the environmental goals.
There is equally enhanced indoor quality of the environment for the user whereby, production or comfort is achievable. Sustainable building ought to utilize natural lighting due to the appropriate ventilations and excellent means of controlling moisture. Such structures have ways of avoiding use of materials with emissions and entails appraisals for materials that are able to mitigate chemical, biological or radiological attacks. (McDonough and Braungart, 7)
Conclusion
The use of green materials for sustainable buildings entails installation of operating and maintenance costs at the initial phases of design. This eventually increases productivity, lessens usage of scarce resources or energy expenses as a measure of preventing failures or optimizing maintenance requirements.
They also reduce on the life cycle of buildings or renovation costs. In Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungart argument is that, the issue of having opportunistic designs comes about as a result of the existing conflicts between manufacturing and the environment conservation measures.
Works Cited
McDonough, William and Braungart, Michael. Cradle to Cradle: Remarking the
Way we Make Things. (First Ed). New York, NY: North Point Press Publishers. 2002
The idea of green buildings has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality.
Abstract
The idea of green buildings has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality (IAQ). Green buildings are made possible by designing and constructing buildings which have high quality of indoor air as one of their major strengths.
As such, the construction of these buildings also involve developing housing structures which make use of processes that are resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, right from the initial designing through laying of foundation, actual construction, operation, routine maintenance, to even deconstruction. Thus, the green building approach to building and construction expands as well as balances classical building designs with durability, effectiveness, economic efficiency, and comfort (Cullen and Gerrard 4).
Introduction
The term green building is used to refer buildings that are designed, build, and managed with improved indoor and to a lesser extend outdoor air quality in mind (Dols, Persily and Nabinger p. 1). In other words, a green building is one which is designed, erected and operated in such a manner that it reduces the likelihood of infectious diseases, more so airborne diseases, spreading to or amongst their inhabitants.
This entails careful consideration of both the designs of structures and selection of resources utilized during construction, besides taking equally weighted measures that serve to improve the internal environments of green buildings during the process of routine maintenance (Zigenfus, Rochester Institute of Technology Environmental and Health and Safety Management 29).
What Constitutes a Green Building
For a building to qualify for certification as a green building, it must incorporate the following characteristics in its design (Croston 107):
Superior lighting, with good utilization of natural lighting.
Lighting is sufficiently controlled to lessen waste and energy-resourceful lighting systems that convey maximum light for consumed energy.
Superior insulation and generally build to envelope, accumulating energy for cooling and heating.
Inactive ventilation for air exchange and cooling.
Water preservation utilities along with energy-efficient windows.
Utilization of building materials that is sustainably manufactured and does not discharge hazardous substances into the indoor air environment.
Greater relieve due to enhanced environmental control.
Renewable energy fabrication, for instance on the rooftop from solar panel.
Cool roofs that cut down air-conditioning requirements.
The term green in green buildings is used to denote the concern for the health and well-being of building users or occupants together with conservation of the larger environment (Grondzik, Kwok, Stein, and Reynolds 14). In addition, not only do green buildings utilize both energy as well as energy resources efficiently, they contribute significantly in efforts to conserve water by largely making use of recyclable materials (Cullen and Gerrard 26).
Green buildings greatly take into consideration the general health of their occupants (Howe 6). In comparison, majority of older building have been found to make their inhabitants suffer a condition called as Sick building syndrome , which is brought about by biological contaminants, for instance mold, chemical contaminants from interior as well as exterior sources, besides insufficient ventilation (Cullen and Gerrard 7).
Green Building and Indoor Air Quality
The definition of superior indoor air quality encompasses the integration of satisfactory ventilation, management of airborne contaminants, and preservation of relative humidity as well as optimal temperature in the buildings.
Green Buildings seek to solve indoor air quality problems. The IAQ problem may come about in inhabited building structures when the concentration of pollutants in the indoor air goes up to a level where the occupants of houses might suffer allergic attacks, illness, and even other discomforts.
Pollutants on indoor air may include bioaerosols, gases and dust and/or smoke particles. According to Doty and Turner (455), a satisfactory quality of indoor air is that air which has practically no or very tiny levels of contaminants which can be detrimental to human health at detrimental concentrations (455).
In the United States, a whooping 140 billion dollars is paid out annually in direct medical costs resulting from the problems of poor indoor air quality. Furthermore, as energy efficient buildings have added in their design airtight envelopes , the possible risk of indoor air quality problems is most likely to go up (Gottfried 146).
Pollutants, for instance noise, odor, temperature, lighting, quality, humidity, temperature, and material gassing from biological, chemical and particulate substance, influence the indoor environmental value of buildings (Cullen and Gerrard 148). Green buildings endeavor to solve indoor air quality problems by mainly providing adequate ventilation.
Indoor Air Quality management can effectively be dealt with through utilizing building materials with less volatile organic compounds as well as extensive utilization of natural light in lighting the buildings during day time (Mago and Michigan State University 5).
There are four principles for maintaining high-quality indoor air in green buildings (Frumkin, Coussens, and Institute of Medicine 30):
Mark or otherwise identify the source of pollutants if they are hard to eliminate.
Ensure there is active ventilation control to get rid of pollutants.
Describe performance specifications earlier and check the building at different stages of construction and operation with the intention of ensuring that it functions as designed.
Always make sure that the building is kept clean throughout its entire operational life.
The aim of Indoor environmental quality management is to promote thermal comfort, favorable lighting as well as adequate ventilation. Green buildings are vital in attaining a minimum indoor air quality performance standard as well as forbid smoking in the building.
If smoking is permitted, it is proposed that smoking lounges be supplied and that they are separated from the rest of the building by offering a one-pass ventilation system devoid of recirculation. Furthermore, these lounges should be unconstructively pressurized in relation to the adjacent space (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are able to achieve effectiveness by adequately incorporating various indoor air quality features, such as ventilation, not making use building materials that release volatile organic compounds or formaldehyde, supplying a specific quantity of temperature controls and individual lighting along with offering daylight and external views inside the majority of the building.
Green building are also useful in the examination for carbon dioxide; utilization of less-emitting materials, paints, coatings plus finishes; enhanced ventilation effectiveness; management of indoor air quality during and after construction; in addition to permitting occupants to manage the systems in their individual workspace (Cullen and Gerrard 21)
Consequently, green building features aimed at improving good indoor air quality must be weighed with building features that are pointed toward generating a minimum negative influence on the universal environment. For example, enhanced outdoor air supply should be weighed with the energy needed to condition the air.
With consideration to indoor environment, this denotes utilizing maintenance practices and products, building material, and operating tactic that supply satisfactory indoor air quality to building residents (Persily and Nabinger 1).
Green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as they are, in essence, devised to promote sufficient ventilation of air into buildings in addition to filtration of this air to get rid of harmful substances. Thus, green buildings optimize air quality by means of ventilation and the utilization of products that produce low or zero volatile organic compounds (Howe 9).
Suitably conditioned air is supplied to the inhabited spaces of a building where the structure is built green . Air is supplied as a way for diluting bioeffluents generated by people occupying the building plus other contaminants found indoors. In essence, conditioned air is supplied to promote the comfort of the occupants.
Also, green buildings also supplies air to the building by mechanical means or through either window or open vents. This may involve a buildings flush-out period in which elevated ventilation rates are utilized to dilute high contaminant points that may be present as a result of new materials and construction tasks.
Green buildings conform to IAQ as the humidification aspects are pointed toward avoiding extreme indoor humidity intensities in order to reduce the possibility of microbial contamination, as well as provide occupants thermal comfort. If humidification is needed, the employment of steam-based systems is supported in preference to cold water spray systems, with the intention of reducing the possibility of microbial contamination kept in mind.
Green buildings also guarantee that thermal comfort tackles the performance of the ventilation system with regard to preserving the comfort of the building inhabitants. Thermal comfort is in dependent upon air speed, relative humidity, radiant temperature, air temperature, and additional occupant-related aspects (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are also much better as compared to conventionally constructed buildings as far as IAQ is concerned since they place prominence on ecologically friendly building materials that tackle up-stream resource utilization, for example less toxins employed in the manufacture of products.
Hence, this is vital to the main outcome of improving indoor air quality. Green building offer healthier spaces, a significant feature given the rising concerns regarding indoor air pollution.
These takes account of the cautious choice of materials that will be utilized in the building founded on chemical features, the elimination or seclusion of potentially detrimental pollutant-generating tasks, and appropriately designing, building and sustaining building systems and elements to avoid the extreme buildup of pollutants and microbial contamination (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
In the green buildings, pollutant-generating tasks are taken into consideration during the designing stage the building in order to improve IAQ. An effort is made to establish the spaces incorporating various activities such as food preparation, so that emissions have a low impact on engaged parts of the building.
Ventilation systems for these spaces are devised and managed to thwart emissions from being conveyed to other areas of the building. This is done by supplying effective exhaust systems and not permitting recirculation of the air into the ventilation system from these spaces (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
In addition, green buildings improve IAQ by designing microbial control ventilation systems to avoid accumulation of high levels of moisture. This entails preventing moisture from building up in duct liners, the avoidance of condensation within ducts, and the supply of positive drainage of cooling coil drip pans to thwart the incidence of standing water within the system.
Another contribution to IAQ by green buildings is air cleaning and filtration where particle filtration and gaseous contaminants are filtered out. The design stages of construction, even those connected to indoor air quality are confirmed by testing and assessment to design requirements. These take in the testing, regulating, and matching of the ventilation system airflows. These procedures are pointed toward the direct assessment of a range of indoor environmental constraints (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
Furthermore, green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as a result of cautiously selecting the materials that are utilized in the building. Materials that practically emit zero or insignificant levels of organic compounds of volatile nature are for both general construction and interior finishing (Howe 8).
This is because volatile organic compounds could be hazardous to the health of humans. Moreover, green buildings lessen the quantity waste produced during their construction as well as demolition, thus bringing about significant savings in economic costs (Cullen and Gerrard 11).
Conclusion
Indoor air quality is a significant feature in green buildings. It is quite simple and inexpensive to devise a healthy building as well as preserve it through effective operation and maintenance than it is to evaluate, correct, and recompense for human suffering in an environment that has depreciated. Green building practices can considerably lessen or even eradicate many negative environmental effects as well as help enhance hospitability of inhabited buildings.
Economically speaking, green building design improve building marketability, lessen operating costs, augment staff productivity as well as diminish potential liability ensuing from indoor air quality problems. In a nutshell, green buildings improve IAQ by enhancing ventilation, decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals throughout building processes, provide for inhabitants general comfort by controlling heating. Lastly, green buildings can be designed to offer picturesque views of their surroundings.
Works Cited
Cottrell, Michelle. Guide to the LEED Green Associate. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
Croston, Glenn. Starting Green: An Ecopreneurs Toolkit for Starting a Green Business-From Business Plan to Profits. Los Angeles: Entrepreneur Press, 2009.
Cullen, Howe J. and Michael Gerard. The Law of Green Buildings: Regulatory and Legal Issues in Design, Construction, Operations and Financing, Chicago, ILL: American Bar Association, 2010.
Dols, W, Stuart, Andrew, K Persily and Steven, J Nabinger. Indoor Air Quality in Green Buildings: A Review and a Case Study. (n.d). Web.
Doty, Steve and Wayner C, Turner. Energy Management Handbook. 7th ed. Lilburn: The Fairmont Press, 2009.
Frumkin, Howard, Christine, Coussens and Institute of Medicine (U.S.), and Roundtable Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. Green Health Care Institutions; Health, Environment and Economics. Washington, DC: National Academic Press, 2007.
Grondzik, Walter T, Alison, G Kwok, Benjamin Stein, and John S, Reynold. Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2009.
Mago, Shilpi and Michigan State University. Impact of LEED-NC Projects on Constructors and Construction Management Practices. Michigan, IL: ProQuest, 2007.
Zigenfus, Richard, E., Rochester Institute of Technology, and Health and Safety Management. Element Analysis of the Green Building Process. Newyork: ProQuest, 2008.
Land Value Capture (LVC) consists of a number of different instruments which can be implemented by state to increase the land value market around a certain urban area. Some of these instruments which is associated with LVC includes strategies such as incentive zonings, development levies, land swaps, transit development impact fees, etc. Land value capture investment is also a source of generating public funds to allocate to future development in other areas. So in theory, these instruments should include a set of principles which is used to monetize land values increase that occur in areas where public infrastructure services have been implemented, for example: MyCiti BRT system. The focus of this report will be on Incentive zoning as a LVC instrument.
Incentive zoning can be defined as “a development in land use regulation that encourage the creation of certain amenities and land use designs that a community and/or municipal authority wish to promote”. So incentive zoning strategies relax zonings or offer developers certain benefits which will “boost” their project’s value and the rewards of this will eventually reflect on a the public sectors income generated and investment return which will enable the local government to continually invest in other urban development strategies to ensure positive growth. Other measures of incentive zoning can also demand private developers to “give back” to the public by demanding the developer to make provision for open spaces, low cost housing, etc. The state don’t always have the finances to provide these services to the public but can do so by giving leeway to developers in exchange of these initiatives. The history and characteristics of incentive zoning strategies and the characteristics involved in such implementations will be determined and investigated in this report to eventually lead up to a local analysis to see where this is present and how successful it has proven to be in the South African context.
To understand the origin of incentive zoning, it is first important to know exactly where zoning regulations and enforcement from the local government have originated from. Land Use Zoning and the regulation thereof has been a concept enforced since way back in the Roman times. Although land use regulations were not officially stated in the form of guidelines or principles, the idea of making use of zones and dedicated spaces for specific uses was general knowledge in some sense. In South Africa, land use and development regulations originated around the early 1920s in which applications for subdivisions were regulated. Severe overcrowding, urban unpleasantness, pollution, etc. played a major part in making planners realize that some sort of functional separation system is required. This system should aim to separate uses that can be of harm or contradict each other, for example: residential and industrial neighbourhoods can’t be within close proximity as it is a threat to an individual’s health. The first zonings were introduced in France, Germany and Britain to ensure that pollution is kept at a minimum in residential areas and later on, Germany introduced an office modern zoning system in the late 1900’s.
In the Western Cape, the first attempt to regulate land uses based on a solid foundation or framework was implemented in 1985 as the Land Use Planning Ordinance (LUPO). LUPO consisted of a number of unique ideas, based on the current state of the city, and included spatial plans, land use rights and the concept that unutilized zonings which was allocated should lapse, if not used for the allowed purpose. Before LUPO, zoning was also similarly used for spatial planning, but were not site specific or considered with much detailed on a local scale, but rather a broad overview of where future residential, business or industrial areas will be developed.
Incentive zoning as a tool originated in the United States solely as a housing problem solution. During the mid- to late-20th century, new suburbs grew and expanded around American cities as middle-class house buyers, supported by federal loan programs such as Veterans Administration housing loan guarantees, left established neighbourhoods and communities. These newly populated places were generally more economically homogeneous than the cities they encircled. Many suburban communities enacted local ordinances, often in zoning codes, to preserve the character of their municipality. Communities have remained accessible to wealthier citizens because of these ordinances, effectively shutting the low-income families out of desirable communities. Such zoning ordinances have not always been enacted with conscious intent to exclude lower income households, but it has been the unintended result of such policies. Incentive zoning was not just a way of council gaining housing for low income groups but also includes other public benefits such as parks and recreation, sustainable energy efficiency, sidewalks, water and storm system improvements, parking, etc.
Incentive zoning can be greatly beneficial to all spheres of government based on its own unique merits. What incentive zoning can generate for the public is usually framed under the issues and challenges which the authority is facing in its current state. Incentive zoning and development is calculated based on this and consists of specific characteristics which can accompany demands from the local authority. The main characteristics will be discussed in the following section. The outcome and benefits of each development project will be different seeing that each local or national authority have different spatial and social issues which it is facing and the context in which the background on which the proposed land development will occur will require care consideration. The merit should be calculated based on the size of the development and the location’s potential to be of significant value to the city.
The rewards received by the local authority in a case where incentive zoning was actioned is called “zoning bonus”. Since the developer gets allowed to exceed the allowable development restrictions on condition, the zoning bonus is calculated to equal or slightly to exceed in the value the developer obtain. Zoning bonus, in other words, is a density bonus calculated by the floor area ration and the further the developer deviate therefrom, the higher the public benefit should be. Incentive zoning is directly interrelated to inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning focus more on “forcing” the private stakeholders in developments to not only provide housing opportunities to the mid-high-income class but also the low-income class. The local government is not in the position to develop housing opportunities to the negatively affected due to lack of resources, but they do have the power to regulate and guide other development in this direction. Some of the potential benefits of Inclusionary and incentive zoning can include:
Less fortunate and struggling families will have the opportunity to have access to a wider range of potential employment possibilities, located closer to better educational facilities, increased safety and ease of access to public transport routes.
It could take some pressure off local authorities who needs to supply the inadequate supply of affordable housing. It will also avoid economic or racial segregation, which will in actual fact reduce crime rates and improve social wellness in the community.
Very little public subsidies will be required to implement incentives zones as a market-based tool.
Potential limitations Developers will spend less capital on constructing the “incentive” structure which will lead to poor building quality and sustainability.
Unstable production of affordable housing that highly affected by local housingmarket conditions.
In some cases, the servicing and maintenance of the provided benefits by the developer will be the responsibility of the developer itself, or the duties will be allocated to the city to upkeep.
The developer was allowed to take the building higher than usual but had to include childcare services, open spaces within the precinct and protection of the surrounding heritage landmark. The real estate industry determined that inclusionary and incentive zoning have generated an indirect tax and extra responsibility on developers, which discouraged them to focus development on areas in which local authorities will seek to provide services from which there are a shortage from. The real estate market also discovered that some developers which include this incentive based on council’s requirements, especially low income housing, usually gets resold by the owners for a profit short after receipt of this. This have led to elimination of the potential and the benefits which this actually should have. Inclusionary zoning aims to reduce residential economic segregation by mandating that a mix of incomes be represented in a single development. How this applies to the South African context and attempt to address the shortcomings of the current planning system will now be assessed in the next section.
Incentive zoning can be very effective in the South African context, especially considering the exceptionally high rate of property development which major South African cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg have experienced over the last few years. Also, affordable housing on its own is a big issue in modern day South Africa. There have been struggles to provide affordable housing for previously disadvantaged and the demand and focus group is so large that government can’t solve this issue by itself. Land demands and potential locations within close proximity of other social opportunities is also a related issue and to “redevelop” areas with the city boundaries to ensure the social well-being of the beneficial parties can be relieved by implementing incentive zoning to developers which only focus on expanding and developing land with excellent social, environmental, economic qualities. Incentive zoning can be used as a market based tool to also help with the principle of inclusionary housing. As discussed before, there is a major shortage of inclusionary housing in the country. Radical change is required in the country to provide this and all private and public stakeholders should have a joined initiative and view on this. The objective of inclusionary housing is to guide the development process to integrate equal opportunities, whether it refers to housing, social or economic opportunities, as far as possible. Incentive zoning regulations measures can contribute towards provision of this.
Shortcomings and failures of incentive zoningIncentive zoning reached a stage where developers started to reject the principle because the incentive offered by local authorities were not worthwhile. Developers would make more money by abiding by the development parameters than deviate therefrom.
An international case study which have proven this initiative to show success was in Ossining, New York. The municipality required in this case that all developments of a residential nature, exceed a maximum of 6 units should include or provide affordable housing in their development precinct. Based on the amount of affordable housing developed, developers received a 10% allowable density bonus if the provided low income housing is affordable to approximately 80 percent of the average income of the population residing in the neighbourhood. In Ossining, and additional density was approved by council to construct 8 dwellings per acre instead of 6. This was about a 33% bonus the developer received. Additional demands in this area based on the incentive zoning principle stated that 10% of the units are made affordable, that the heritage significant structures in the area be rehabilitated and maintained free of use and that there will be pathways and walkways included in the development which will link with public open spaces and existing pedestrian transport routes. One of the contributing factors that led to the success of this particular incentive program was the high demand in housing and real estate in the area based on its popularity. As mentioned before, incentive programmes are site specific and in other areas which not necessarily have the same real estate potential, the incentive program probably wouldn’t have been so successful.
In South Africa, three factors mainly contribute to the success of an incentive zoning implementation or program. The first factor is the demand and the strength of the demand in a certain market (Ex: Low-income housing) and also the location. Secondly, planners will discuss the limitations and requirements they would best see is suitable in a proposed project and then lastly, the needs of the people and the effects it will have on the market. The market will be shaped based upon its surroundings so it’s not a question of how to create a market, but rather alternate and meet the developer and council’s needs somewhere in the middle.
Incentive and inclusionary zoning can be a great opportunity for local governments to promote future developments and include certain public goods council can’t provide form their side or is in the position to fund this. While incentive zoning regulations is widely recognized, most city officials are not in the position or have the resources and time to evaluate this tool in every given situation or to look into the kinds and scales of incentives that would result in the most efficient solution. More research and evaluation of this tool is required especially in the modern day South African with focus on today’s challenges such as environmental issues, social instabilities (effects of apartheid planning) and economic issues.
Some sort of framework or guideline also have to be included in the official planning by-laws to ensure that developers will have an accurate idea or forecast of what will be expected from them and what council’s requirements will be. The tool in its current state is still sort of a concept “in the dark” and continuous research is required to see how and what the optimal benefits can be in future planning issues which may exist. In South Africa especially, planners should start to implement this tool in more areas since development is growing at an exponential rate.
For our day-to-day language, Green refers to a color. But in the Architectural and Constructing field, it has a really valuable meaning, symbolizing environmentally friendly behavior. With time passing the environmental impact of buildings is becoming more present and a new field called ‘green building’ is gaining momentum. Green Building is considered a social statement that expresses an important solution, consequently, it will leave a precious heritage that is going to be important for generations to come. So, apart from being aesthetically beautiful, they are functional too. This piece of writing will evaluate the impact and benefits of green buildings in our environment and lifestyle, likewise their future!
Introduction
A green building, which may also be referred to as a high-performance or sustainable building is a structure created to employ processes that are environmentally responsible, as well as efficient in terms of the resources through the building’s entire life cycle. This can be done only by choosing wisely the site for designing, constructing, maintaining, operating, and renovating the building, or even demolishing it. The practice of green building fully complements and extends the standard design areas of utility, economy, comfort, and durability.
Its universal intent is to preserve the natural environment around the project and still produce a building that is going to serve a purpose. This means diminishing serious concerns, such as environmental degradation, pollution, waste, and inefficient usage of the land as well as water and energy. Last but not least the promotion of a healthy environment for all its occupants.
Body
Section 1
Not many years far from the time when a green building was still a project on paper the whole world has provided us with undeniable evidence: Green construction is the building trend of the decade ( D. Johnston, 2008). Today, the forward-thinking idea of green building has brought multiple benefits and achieved global goals. However, they can be fulfilled only if the architect’s team maintains the same unified approach throughout each stage of the project. The benefits of a green building may be grouped into three categories which include :
Environmental benefits
The first and most important benefit that a green building has to offer is related to our natural environment and climate. It is made clear that world construction is responsible for the risks we are dealing with ( Journal of Green Building,2007), so green buildings are the keys to opening the door to changing it. A green building can disappear the negative effects on the environment by using less energy and water, reducing waste, and preserving natural resources. It can also improve air quality since it has the largest potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions ( W.G.B.C, UNEP 2009 ). Furthermore, a green building can increase biodiversity and protect the ecosystems, both of which are problems to pay attention to.
As a result of these significant benefits, Green Building has achieved “ The Green Star certification in Australia”(for generating 62 percent fewer greenhouses than non-green buildings ), as well as “ The LEED certification”( for “devouring” 25 percent less energy and water).
Economic benefits
The benefits in an economy that a green building may provide us with include reduced costs for bills, enhanced profits and asset value, low construction costs, increased occupancy, productivity, and rates. In addition, green buildings are “job hunters”. By the end of 2018 in the United States they accounted for more than 3.3 million jobs.
Social Benefits
No one has ever assumed that a green building would bring social benefits, but different studies proved the contrary. The social benefits of it exist and they are related to health as much as to the well-being of a green building occupant, whether is it a home, office, or public construction. People who work in green and well-ventilated offices prove to have a 101 percent increase in their cognitive scores (brain function), just like those who develop their daily activities in indoor places with better air quality, proper levels of lighting, and good acoustics have improvements in their performance by 8 to 16 percent. Moreover, the heightened aesthetic qualities that a green building provides can make people feel happier. Consequently, the quality of life gets enhanced, and society’s lifestyle changes for the better.
Section 2
For many people, a green building is something that merely incorporates a few recycled products or has good windows. This approach is not nearly enough ( J.F. McLennan, 2004, p 2). Green buildings tend to go further, taking into consideration many things, from the materials, and the intelligent approaches to the adaptation to the environment, and the usage of what it has to offer.
Since the nineteenth-century green materials seem to have appeared everywhere. That’s why the ones that are used to construct a green building must meet some ends: Recycled and salvaged material content, healthy features, free of ozone-depleting chemicals, and non-toxic. Mentioned are the innovative materials of cement, wood, glass, or ceramics. In general, most materials that claim to have one or more features do have a benefit, but sometimes the material has poor performance in certain areas ( J.F. McLennan, 2004, p 127 ). So, in order to achieve the maximum results the material adaptation to the environment should be taken into consideration.
Apart from the materials, intelligent approaches play a role in the entire concept and functionality of a green building. They consist of energy efficiency and cooling systems, building automation systems, and commercial lighting, to go further at inner systems to safeguard and minimize water use or waste production. Moreover, the creation of flexible structures, adapting to our changing climate, ensuring resilience to events such as flooding, earthquakes, or fires so that our buildings stand the test of time and keep people and their belongings safe. Finally mind the well-being of the occupants by allowing psychological comfort, acoustic comfort, aesthetic pleasure, and beauty.
Section 3
While discussing Green buildings someone may not think of Sustainable Design Development! These two concepts are related to each other and carry on improving in parallel since one made possible the development of the other. Sustainable Design is an idea whose time has come. It represents a design philosophy that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact on the natural environment ( J.F. McLennan, 2004, p 4). Sustainable Design is a powerful movement, seeking to find its footing as well as its vocabulary. It has two fundamental beliefs: Firstly, our lifestyles and technologies are having a negative influence on the environment and secondly, it is our responsibility as caretakers of the earth to learn our societies what is really important. Apart from all the issues that a Green building covers, the field of Sustainable design also proceed with Alternative constructions. In addition, it encourages retrofitting existing buildings rather than building new ones.
Sustainable design and Green Building must inspire and elevate our spirits, demanding responsibility to both people and the environment.
Section 4
Whether we examine once again all that was previously mentioned we will be convinced about the real and undeniable importance of Green Building as much as Sustainable Design, as a consequence that will bring a boost to our brain and make us reflect: What is going to be the future perspective of Green building? Will it become a worldwide reality or will it be bounded in just a beautiful attempt to bring a difference?
Many years from now the population number will peak and as a result its needs. Global warming may still be present and the world may be poorer from the diversity point. What is more, the floor area of buildings is expected to double. This is the reason why these recent years many cities around the world are building their own maps with different approaches and usages of Green Building. They have estimated their problems, valued the potentials, and created work groups to bring to life the real capabilities of a Green building, which could, later on, reflect on a better and sustainable life, as much as on a successful city!
Conclusion
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
Green Building means more than just a positive approach, it represents an attempt of going alongside our environmental, social, and economic developments. As far as I am concerned the appreciation for Green Building is growing since it is realized that the issues it has an impact on can not be called “soft” ones any longer! More than ever the world requires committed citizens willing to create great and weighty ideas for building a better future.
“ Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing .”
Denis Waitley
References
United States Environmental Agency U.S.EPA (2016, February 2). Retrieved from: https://archieve.epa.gov/greenbuiding/web/html/index.html
World Green Building Construction (2009-2016). Retrieved from https://www.worldgbc.org/benefits-green-buildings.
Journal of Green Building (2017), article: GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS: A REVIEW OF THE ART STUDIES OF INNOVATIVE MATERIALS.
David Johnston, Scott Gibson (2008, April 1). Green from the ground up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy–Efficient Home Construction.
Jason F. McLennan (2004). The Philosophy of Sustainable design.
Essays, UK. ( November 2013). Green Architecture Design Elements. Retrieved from: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/srchitecture/green-architecture.php?vref=1
According to the 2018 Smiling Report conducted by Better Business (a company that conducts market research), Hong Kong is one of the most grim-faced cities in the world, ranking 25 out of 29 cities, and ranked the last and second-last in 2016 and 2017 respectively. With reference to the 2018 Quality of Living survey conducted by Mercer, the results show that people living in Hong Kong have a high cost of living and their main burden is to pay for their debt in order to purchase a flat (ranging from 100 sq. ft to more than 1000 sq.ft).
In Hong Kong, where land is so scarce yet filled with a dense population of approximately 7.5 million, flats have been shrinking in size drastically, living up the name of “micro” or “shoebox” flats. Many of those who are living in here believe that living in Hong Kong is tiring and draining, both physically and mentally, as they feel often either trapped between four walls or have no purpose in living.
Therefore, this proposal aims to utilize every flat to its fullest extent through energy efficient methods, which helps the occupant to save money in the long run and also hopes to liven up one’s spirits through a luminous environment. This proposal can be applied to most flats (with slight alterations), including public rental housing flats by the government and private apartments, aiming to promote the health and wellbeing of occupants and nature through “building green,” or also known as “green remodeling” for existing buildings.
While lighting is an essential and critical component of one’s living in terms of one’s indoor environmental quality, lighting may account for 15% of a household’s electricity consumption depending on the need of the occupant, which shows that a significant amount of money can be saved with energy efficient lighting installations. With reference to how most of Hong Kong’s population live in flats or apartments, the following suggestions are suggested to fit the living conditions of Hong Kong as much as it can.
For apartments with a balcony or terrace available, slidable glass doors would be a good option to put between it and whatever it is connected to, for example, the living room. Sunlight would be able to shine through the glass door and into the room, providing light and warmth for the occupant. In case one would like to live in a dimmer environment, internal shading devices can be installed in the flat, for example, remote controlled blinds or translucent curtains which does help to shade the sunlight away. This also minimizes the need for artificial lights and therefore cuts down the electricity bill.
For apartments which lack a balcony or a terrace, a light shelf can be installed on the walls along with installing light reflective decorations on the ceiling. The light shelf reflects sunlight to the ceiling, maximizing daylight penetration and window glare of the occupant. The light shelf can be installed on the exterior or interior side of the wall which is up to the occupant’s preferences in terms of daylight accessibility. The light reflective decorations, especially those made with a high refractive index (for example diamonds), reflect and refract more light than other materials, and thus minimizes the need for artificial lights and once again cuts down one’s electricity bill.
For rooms that are in the north facade, with reference to the design of the HSBC Main Building, it is suggested to have full height glass partition or windows without grilles if possible as it is mostly in shade and this design maximizes the transparency of the flat which helps to let sunlight pass through.
The idea of “green buildings” has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality.
Abstract
The idea of “green buildings” has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality (IAQ). “Green buildings” are made possible by designing and constructing buildings which have high quality of indoor air as one of their major strengths.
As such, the construction of these buildings also involve developing housing structures which make use of processes that are resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, right from the initial designing through laying of foundation, actual construction, operation, routine maintenance, to even deconstruction. Thus, the green building approach to building and construction expands as well as balances classical building designs with durability, effectiveness, economic efficiency, and comfort (Cullen and Gerrard 4).
Introduction
The term “green building” is used to refer buildings that are designed, build, and managed with improved indoor and to a lesser extend outdoor air quality in mind (Dols, Persily and Nabinger p. 1). In other words, a green building is one which is designed, erected and operated in such a manner that it reduces the likelihood of infectious diseases, more so airborne diseases, spreading to or amongst their inhabitants.
This entails careful consideration of both the designs of structures and selection of resources utilized during construction, besides taking equally weighted measures that serve to improve the internal environments of “green buildings” during the process of routine maintenance (Zigenfus, Rochester Institute of Technology Environmental and Health and Safety Management 29).
What Constitutes a Green Building
For a building to qualify for certification as a green building, it must incorporate the following characteristics in its design (Croston 107):
Superior lighting, with good utilization of natural lighting.
Lighting is sufficiently controlled to lessen waste and energy-resourceful lighting systems that convey maximum light for consumed energy.
Superior insulation and generally build to envelope, accumulating energy for cooling and heating.
Inactive ventilation for air exchange and cooling.
Water preservation utilities along with energy-efficient windows.
Utilization of building materials that is sustainably manufactured and does not discharge hazardous substances into the indoor air environment.
Greater relieve due to enhanced environmental control.
Renewable energy fabrication, for instance on the rooftop from solar panel.
Cool roofs that cut down air-conditioning requirements.
The term ‘green’ in “green buildings” is used to denote the concern for the health and well-being of building users or occupants together with conservation of the larger environment (Grondzik, Kwok, Stein, and Reynolds 14). In addition, not only do green buildings utilize both energy as well as energy resources efficiently, they contribute significantly in efforts to conserve water by largely making use of recyclable materials (Cullen and Gerrard 26).
Green buildings greatly take into consideration the general health of their occupants (Howe 6). In comparison, majority of older building have been found to make their inhabitants suffer a condition called as “Sick building syndrome”, which is brought about by biological contaminants, for instance mold, chemical contaminants from interior as well as exterior sources, besides insufficient ventilation (Cullen and Gerrard 7).
Green Building and Indoor Air Quality
The definition of “superior indoor air quality” encompasses the integration of satisfactory ventilation, management of airborne contaminants, and preservation of relative humidity as well as optimal temperature in the buildings.
Green Buildings seek to solve indoor air quality problems. The IAQ problem may come about in inhabited building structures when the concentration of pollutants in the indoor air goes up to a level where the occupants of houses might suffer allergic attacks, illness, and even other discomforts.
Pollutants on indoor air may include bioaerosols, gases and dust and/or smoke particles. According to Doty and Turner (455), a satisfactory quality of indoor air is that air which has practically no or very tiny levels of contaminants which can be detrimental to human health at detrimental concentrations (455).
In the United States, a whooping 140 billion dollars is paid out annually in direct medical costs resulting from the problems of poor indoor air quality. Furthermore, as energy efficient buildings have added in their design “airtight envelopes”, the possible risk of indoor air quality problems is most likely to go up (Gottfried 146).
Pollutants, for instance noise, odor, temperature, lighting, quality, humidity, temperature, and material gassing from biological, chemical and particulate substance, influence the indoor environmental value of buildings (Cullen and Gerrard 148). Green buildings endeavor to solve indoor air quality problems by mainly providing adequate ventilation.
Indoor Air Quality management can effectively be dealt with through utilizing building materials with less volatile organic compounds as well as extensive utilization of natural light in lighting the buildings during day time (Mago and Michigan State University 5).
There are four principles for maintaining high-quality indoor air in green buildings (Frumkin, Coussens, and Institute of Medicine 30):
Mark or otherwise identify the source of pollutants if they are hard to eliminate.
Ensure there is active ventilation control to get rid of pollutants.
Describe performance specifications earlier and check the building at different stages of construction and operation with the intention of ensuring that it functions as designed.
Always make sure that the building is kept clean throughout its entire operational life.
The aim of Indoor environmental quality management is to promote thermal comfort, favorable lighting as well as adequate ventilation. Green buildings are vital in attaining a minimum indoor air quality performance standard as well as forbid smoking in the building.
If smoking is permitted, it is proposed that smoking lounges be supplied and that they are separated from the rest of the building by offering a one-pass ventilation system devoid of recirculation. Furthermore, these lounges should be unconstructively pressurized in relation to the adjacent space (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are able to achieve effectiveness by adequately incorporating various indoor air quality features, such as ventilation, not making use building materials that release volatile organic compounds or formaldehyde, supplying a specific quantity of temperature controls and individual lighting along with offering daylight and external views inside the majority of the building.
Green building are also useful in the examination for carbon dioxide; utilization of less-emitting materials, paints, coatings plus finishes; enhanced ventilation effectiveness; management of indoor air quality during and after construction; in addition to permitting occupants to manage the systems in their individual workspace (Cullen and Gerrard 21)
Consequently, green building features aimed at improving good indoor air quality must be weighed with building features that are pointed toward generating a minimum negative influence on the universal environment. For example, enhanced outdoor air supply should be weighed with the energy needed to condition the air.
With consideration to indoor environment, this denotes utilizing maintenance practices and products, building material, and operating tactic that supply satisfactory indoor air quality to building residents (Persily and Nabinger 1).
Green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as they are, in essence, devised to promote sufficient ventilation of air into buildings in addition to filtration of this air to get rid of harmful substances. Thus, green buildings optimize air quality by means of ventilation and the utilization of products that produce low or zero volatile organic compounds (Howe 9).
Suitably conditioned air is supplied to the inhabited spaces of a building where the structure is built “green”. Air is supplied as a way for diluting bioeffluents generated by people occupying the building plus other contaminants found indoors. In essence, conditioned air is supplied to promote the comfort of the occupants.
Also, green buildings also supplies air to the building by mechanical means or through either window or open vents. This may involve a building’s flush-out period in which elevated ventilation rates are utilized to dilute high contaminant points that may be present as a result of new materials and construction tasks.
Green buildings conform to IAQ as the humidification aspects are pointed toward avoiding extreme indoor humidity intensities in order to reduce the possibility of microbial contamination, as well as provide occupants thermal comfort. If humidification is needed, the employment of steam-based systems is supported in preference to cold water spray systems, with the intention of reducing the possibility of microbial contamination kept in mind.
Green buildings also guarantee that thermal comfort tackles the performance of the ventilation system with regard to preserving the comfort of the building inhabitants. Thermal comfort is in dependent upon air speed, relative humidity, radiant temperature, air temperature, and additional occupant-related aspects (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are also much better as compared to conventionally constructed buildings as far as IAQ is concerned since they place prominence on ecologically friendly building materials that tackle ‘up-stream’ resource utilization, for example less toxins employed in the manufacture of products.
Hence, this is vital to the main outcome of improving indoor air quality. Green building offer healthier spaces, a significant feature given the rising concerns regarding indoor air pollution.
These takes account of the cautious choice of materials that will be utilized in the building founded on chemical features, the elimination or seclusion of potentially detrimental pollutant-generating tasks, and appropriately designing, building and sustaining building systems and elements to avoid the extreme buildup of pollutants and microbial contamination (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
In the green buildings, pollutant-generating tasks are taken into consideration during the designing stage the building in order to improve IAQ. An effort is made to establish the spaces incorporating various activities such as food preparation, so that emissions have a low impact on engaged parts of the building.
Ventilation systems for these spaces are devised and managed to thwart emissions from being conveyed to other areas of the building. This is done by supplying effective exhaust systems and not permitting recirculation of the air into the ventilation system from these spaces (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
In addition, green buildings improve IAQ by designing microbial control ventilation systems to avoid accumulation of high levels of moisture. This entails preventing moisture from building up in duct liners, the avoidance of condensation within ducts, and the supply of positive drainage of cooling coil drip pans to thwart the incidence of standing water within the system.
Another contribution to IAQ by green buildings is air cleaning and filtration where particle filtration and gaseous contaminants are filtered out. The design stages of construction, even those connected to indoor air quality are confirmed by testing and assessment to design requirements. These take in the testing, regulating, and matching of the ventilation system airflows. These procedures are pointed toward the direct assessment of a range of indoor environmental constraints (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
Furthermore, green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as a result of cautiously selecting the materials that are utilized in the building. Materials that practically emit zero or insignificant levels of organic compounds of volatile nature are for both general construction and interior finishing (Howe 8).
This is because volatile organic compounds could be hazardous to the health of humans. Moreover, green buildings lessen the quantity waste produced during their construction as well as demolition, thus bringing about significant savings in economic costs (Cullen and Gerrard 11).
Conclusion
Indoor air quality is a significant feature in green buildings. It is quite simple and inexpensive to devise a healthy building as well as preserve it through effective operation and maintenance than it is to evaluate, correct, and recompense for human suffering in an environment that has depreciated. Green building practices can considerably lessen or even eradicate many negative environmental effects as well as help enhance hospitability of inhabited buildings.
Economically speaking, “green” building design improve building marketability, lessen operating costs, augment staff productivity as well as diminish potential liability ensuing from indoor air quality problems. In a nutshell, green buildings improve IAQ by enhancing ventilation, decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals throughout building processes, provide for inhabitants general comfort by controlling heating. Lastly, green buildings can be designed to offer picturesque views of their surroundings.
Works Cited
Cottrell, Michelle. Guide to the LEED Green Associate. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
Croston, Glenn. Starting Green: An Ecopreneur’s Toolkit for Starting a Green Business-From Business Plan to Profits. Los Angeles: Entrepreneur Press, 2009.
Cullen, Howe J. and Michael Gerard. The Law of Green Buildings: Regulatory and Legal Issues in Design, Construction, Operations and Financing, Chicago, ILL: American Bar Association, 2010.
Dols, W, Stuart, Andrew, K Persily and Steven, J Nabinger. Indoor Air Quality in Green Buildings: A Review and a Case Study. (n.d). Web.
Doty, Steve and Wayner C, Turner. Energy Management Handbook. 7th ed. Lilburn: The Fairmont Press, 2009.
Frumkin, Howard, Christine, Coussens and Institute of Medicine (U.S.), and Roundtable Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. Green Health Care Institutions; Health, Environment and Economics. Washington, DC: National Academic Press, 2007.
Grondzik, Walter T, Alison, G Kwok, Benjamin Stein, and John S, Reynold. Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2009.
Mago, Shilpi and Michigan State University. Impact of LEED-NC Projects on Constructors and Construction Management Practices. Michigan, IL: ProQuest, 2007.
Zigenfus, Richard, E., Rochester Institute of Technology, and Health and Safety Management. Element Analysis of the Green Building Process. Newyork: ProQuest, 2008.
Today people are raising many concerns over the extensive direct impacts of industrialization on the environment for instance the building and construction directions, materials and designs. The resources in question include the energy, raw materials, water and even the waste materials.
The common unique challenge faced by the building experts, designers or owners include the need to meet building requirements and regulations such as accessibility, security, health and productivity. The most important need is to be environmental friendly.
At present, the economical growth is a great challenge to sustainable design but the approach used must be supportive to the environment by ensuring conservation. People will want to optimize a balance on benefits of expenditure, ecological, communal as well as human benefits while still meet the intended mission regarding proper infrastructure or facility mainly concerning comfort, productivity and safety.
The green house materials used for buildings
These materials identify with sustainability of resources especially the scarce resources. McDonough and Braungart (17) Most of the green professional builders will advice one to have their premises installed with alternative waste water systems or solar energy systems. Other recognizable materials include the rainwater harvesting facilities, the compost lavatory systems, radiation barriers, toxicant terminators or controllers and environmental friendly concretes.
The designs and engineering innovations ought to entail the environmental sensitive structures for a better and sustainable future. The innovative designs of bridges in the last two decades have brought about some dramatic impact on the need to conserve the environment through the aspect of beauty. The recent news is the awarding of a landmark “Transamerica Pyramid building” at San Francisco as a ”LEED Gold” due to its green nature thus upgrading the city’s status.
Effects and benefits of green materials to the environment
The availability of fossil fuels is dwindling day by day. With many heated issues arising daily concerning of the environmental degradation such as global climate change, security of the resources and dependency on the energy sources.
Sustainable measures require utilization of renewable energy sources in all the amenities especially the infrastructure. Measures to save the environment are evident today, for instance, the world debate by the international representatives in Copenhagen to combat measures causing the climate changes such as gas emissions and greenhouses gas pollution.
The other benefit posed by the green designs entails water conservation. At present, water is increasingly becoming a scarce commodity and a sustainable building ought to have on site measures of reducing wastage through conservation measures such as harvesting, storage, efficient utilization, reuse and recycling measures.
Green materials used on the sustainable buildings reduce the environmental hazardous impacts such as the global warming effects, depletion of resources, and toxicities. The materials also have reduced negative effects to human health thus contributing to the worker’s and users’ safety, reducing the liability measures hence low insurance costs for the owners, reduces resources disposal costs and helps in attaining the environmental goals.
There is equally enhanced indoor quality of the environment for the user whereby, production or comfort is achievable. Sustainable building ought to utilize natural lighting due to the appropriate ventilations and excellent means of controlling moisture. Such structures have ways of avoiding use of materials with emissions and entails appraisals for materials that are able to mitigate “chemical, biological or radiological attacks.” (McDonough and Braungart, 7)
Conclusion
The use of green materials for sustainable buildings entails installation of operating and maintenance costs at the initial phases of design. This eventually increases productivity, lessens usage of scarce resources or energy expenses as a measure of preventing failures or optimizing maintenance requirements.
They also reduce on the life cycle of buildings or renovation costs. In “Cradle to Cradle, McDonough and Braungart argument is that, the issue of having opportunistic designs comes about as a result of the existing conflicts between manufacturing and the environment conservation measures.
Works Cited
McDonough, William and Braungart, Michael. Cradle to Cradle: Remarking the
Way we Make Things. (First Ed). New York, NY: North Point Press Publishers. 2002
The idea of “green buildings” has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality.
Abstract
The idea of “green buildings” has in many ways helped enhance indoor air quality (IAQ). “Green buildings” are made possible by designing and constructing buildings which have high quality of indoor air as one of their major strengths.
As such, the construction of these buildings also involve developing housing structures which make use of processes that are resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, right from the initial designing through laying of foundation, actual construction, operation, routine maintenance, to even deconstruction. Thus, the green building approach to building and construction expands as well as balances classical building designs with durability, effectiveness, economic efficiency, and comfort (Cullen and Gerrard 4).
Introduction
The term “green building” is used to refer buildings that are designed, build, and managed with improved indoor and to a lesser extend outdoor air quality in mind (Dols, Persily and Nabinger p. 1). In other words, a green building is one which is designed, erected and operated in such a manner that it reduces the likelihood of infectious diseases, more so airborne diseases, spreading to or amongst their inhabitants.
This entails careful consideration of both the designs of structures and selection of resources utilized during construction, besides taking equally weighted measures that serve to improve the internal environments of “green buildings” during the process of routine maintenance (Zigenfus, Rochester Institute of Technology Environmental and Health and Safety Management 29).
What Constitutes a Green Building
For a building to qualify for certification as a green building, it must incorporate the following characteristics in its design (Croston 107):
Superior lighting, with good utilization of natural lighting.
Lighting is sufficiently controlled to lessen waste and energy-resourceful lighting systems that convey maximum light for consumed energy.
Superior insulation and generally build to envelope, accumulating energy for cooling and heating.
Inactive ventilation for air exchange and cooling.
Water preservation utilities along with energy-efficient windows.
Utilization of building materials that is sustainably manufactured and does not discharge hazardous substances into the indoor air environment.
Greater relieve due to enhanced environmental control.
Renewable energy fabrication, for instance on the rooftop from solar panel.
Cool roofs that cut down air-conditioning requirements.
The term ‘green’ in “green buildings” is used to denote the concern for the health and well-being of building users or occupants together with conservation of the larger environment (Grondzik, Kwok, Stein, and Reynolds 14). In addition, not only do green buildings utilize both energy as well as energy resources efficiently, they contribute significantly in efforts to conserve water by largely making use of recyclable materials (Cullen and Gerrard 26).
Green buildings greatly take into consideration the general health of their occupants (Howe 6). In comparison, majority of older building have been found to make their inhabitants suffer a condition called as “Sick building syndrome”, which is brought about by biological contaminants, for instance mold, chemical contaminants from interior as well as exterior sources, besides insufficient ventilation (Cullen and Gerrard 7).
Green Building and Indoor Air Quality
The definition of “superior indoor air quality” encompasses the integration of satisfactory ventilation, management of airborne contaminants, and preservation of relative humidity as well as optimal temperature in the buildings.
Green Buildings seek to solve indoor air quality problems. The IAQ problem may come about in inhabited building structures when the concentration of pollutants in the indoor air goes up to a level where the occupants of houses might suffer allergic attacks, illness, and even other discomforts.
Pollutants on indoor air may include bioaerosols, gases and dust and/or smoke particles. According to Doty and Turner (455), a satisfactory quality of indoor air is that air which has practically no or very tiny levels of contaminants which can be detrimental to human health at detrimental concentrations (455).
In the United States, a whooping 140 billion dollars is paid out annually in direct medical costs resulting from the problems of poor indoor air quality. Furthermore, as energy efficient buildings have added in their design “airtight envelopes”, the possible risk of indoor air quality problems is most likely to go up (Gottfried 146).
Pollutants, for instance noise, odor, temperature, lighting, quality, humidity, temperature, and material gassing from biological, chemical and particulate substance, influence the indoor environmental value of buildings (Cullen and Gerrard 148). Green buildings endeavor to solve indoor air quality problems by mainly providing adequate ventilation.
Indoor Air Quality management can effectively be dealt with through utilizing building materials with less volatile organic compounds as well as extensive utilization of natural light in lighting the buildings during day time (Mago and Michigan State University 5).
There are four principles for maintaining high-quality indoor air in green buildings (Frumkin, Coussens, and Institute of Medicine 30):
Mark or otherwise identify the source of pollutants if they are hard to eliminate.
Ensure there is active ventilation control to get rid of pollutants.
Describe performance specifications earlier and check the building at different stages of construction and operation with the intention of ensuring that it functions as designed.
Always make sure that the building is kept clean throughout its entire operational life.
The aim of Indoor environmental quality management is to promote thermal comfort, favorable lighting as well as adequate ventilation. Green buildings are vital in attaining a minimum indoor air quality performance standard as well as forbid smoking in the building.
If smoking is permitted, it is proposed that smoking lounges be supplied and that they are separated from the rest of the building by offering a one-pass ventilation system devoid of recirculation. Furthermore, these lounges should be unconstructively pressurized in relation to the adjacent space (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are able to achieve effectiveness by adequately incorporating various indoor air quality features, such as ventilation, not making use building materials that release volatile organic compounds or formaldehyde, supplying a specific quantity of temperature controls and individual lighting along with offering daylight and external views inside the majority of the building.
Green building are also useful in the examination for carbon dioxide; utilization of less-emitting materials, paints, coatings plus finishes; enhanced ventilation effectiveness; management of indoor air quality during and after construction; in addition to permitting occupants to manage the systems in their individual workspace (Cullen and Gerrard 21)
Consequently, green building features aimed at improving good indoor air quality must be weighed with building features that are pointed toward generating a minimum negative influence on the universal environment. For example, enhanced outdoor air supply should be weighed with the energy needed to condition the air.
With consideration to indoor environment, this denotes utilizing maintenance practices and products, building material, and operating tactic that supply satisfactory indoor air quality to building residents (Persily and Nabinger 1).
Green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as they are, in essence, devised to promote sufficient ventilation of air into buildings in addition to filtration of this air to get rid of harmful substances. Thus, green buildings optimize air quality by means of ventilation and the utilization of products that produce low or zero volatile organic compounds (Howe 9).
Suitably conditioned air is supplied to the inhabited spaces of a building where the structure is built “green”. Air is supplied as a way for diluting bioeffluents generated by people occupying the building plus other contaminants found indoors. In essence, conditioned air is supplied to promote the comfort of the occupants.
Also, green buildings also supplies air to the building by mechanical means or through either window or open vents. This may involve a building’s flush-out period in which elevated ventilation rates are utilized to dilute high contaminant points that may be present as a result of new materials and construction tasks.
Green buildings conform to IAQ as the humidification aspects are pointed toward avoiding extreme indoor humidity intensities in order to reduce the possibility of microbial contamination, as well as provide occupants thermal comfort. If humidification is needed, the employment of steam-based systems is supported in preference to cold water spray systems, with the intention of reducing the possibility of microbial contamination kept in mind.
Green buildings also guarantee that thermal comfort tackles the performance of the ventilation system with regard to preserving the comfort of the building inhabitants. Thermal comfort is in dependent upon air speed, relative humidity, radiant temperature, air temperature, and additional occupant-related aspects (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
Green buildings are also much better as compared to conventionally constructed buildings as far as IAQ is concerned since they place prominence on ecologically friendly building materials that tackle ‘up-stream’ resource utilization, for example less toxins employed in the manufacture of products.
Hence, this is vital to the main outcome of improving indoor air quality. Green building offer healthier spaces, a significant feature given the rising concerns regarding indoor air pollution.
These takes account of the cautious choice of materials that will be utilized in the building founded on chemical features, the elimination or seclusion of potentially detrimental pollutant-generating tasks, and appropriately designing, building and sustaining building systems and elements to avoid the extreme buildup of pollutants and microbial contamination (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 2).
In the green buildings, pollutant-generating tasks are taken into consideration during the designing stage the building in order to improve IAQ. An effort is made to establish the spaces incorporating various activities such as food preparation, so that emissions have a low impact on engaged parts of the building.
Ventilation systems for these spaces are devised and managed to thwart emissions from being conveyed to other areas of the building. This is done by supplying effective exhaust systems and not permitting recirculation of the air into the ventilation system from these spaces (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
In addition, green buildings improve IAQ by designing microbial control ventilation systems to avoid accumulation of high levels of moisture. This entails preventing moisture from building up in duct liners, the avoidance of condensation within ducts, and the supply of positive drainage of cooling coil drip pans to thwart the incidence of standing water within the system.
Another contribution to IAQ by green buildings is air cleaning and filtration where particle filtration and gaseous contaminants are filtered out. The design stages of construction, even those connected to indoor air quality are confirmed by testing and assessment to design requirements. These take in the testing, regulating, and matching of the ventilation system airflows. These procedures are pointed toward the direct assessment of a range of indoor environmental constraints (Dols, Persily and Nabinger 3).
Furthermore, green buildings are better in terms of IAQ as a result of cautiously selecting the materials that are utilized in the building. Materials that practically emit zero or insignificant levels of organic compounds of volatile nature are for both general construction and interior finishing (Howe 8).
This is because volatile organic compounds could be hazardous to the health of humans. Moreover, green buildings lessen the quantity waste produced during their construction as well as demolition, thus bringing about significant savings in economic costs (Cullen and Gerrard 11).
Conclusion
Indoor air quality is a significant feature in green buildings. It is quite simple and inexpensive to devise a healthy building as well as preserve it through effective operation and maintenance than it is to evaluate, correct, and recompense for human suffering in an environment that has depreciated. Green building practices can considerably lessen or even eradicate many negative environmental effects as well as help enhance hospitability of inhabited buildings.
Economically speaking, “green” building design improve building marketability, lessen operating costs, augment staff productivity as well as diminish potential liability ensuing from indoor air quality problems. In a nutshell, green buildings improve IAQ by enhancing ventilation, decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals throughout building processes, provide for inhabitants general comfort by controlling heating. Lastly, green buildings can be designed to offer picturesque views of their surroundings.
Works Cited
Cottrell, Michelle. Guide to the LEED Green Associate. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
Croston, Glenn. Starting Green: An Ecopreneur’s Toolkit for Starting a Green Business-From Business Plan to Profits. Los Angeles: Entrepreneur Press, 2009.
Cullen, Howe J. and Michael Gerard. The Law of Green Buildings: Regulatory and Legal Issues in Design, Construction, Operations and Financing, Chicago, ILL: American Bar Association, 2010.
Dols, W, Stuart, Andrew, K Persily and Steven, J Nabinger. Indoor Air Quality in Green Buildings: A Review and a Case Study. (n.d). Web.
Doty, Steve and Wayner C, Turner. Energy Management Handbook. 7th ed. Lilburn: The Fairmont Press, 2009.
Frumkin, Howard, Christine, Coussens and Institute of Medicine (U.S.), and Roundtable Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. Green Health Care Institutions; Health, Environment and Economics. Washington, DC: National Academic Press, 2007.
Grondzik, Walter T, Alison, G Kwok, Benjamin Stein, and John S, Reynold. Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2009.
Mago, Shilpi and Michigan State University. Impact of LEED-NC Projects on Constructors and Construction Management Practices. Michigan, IL: ProQuest, 2007.
Zigenfus, Richard, E., Rochester Institute of Technology, and Health and Safety Management. Element Analysis of the Green Building Process. Newyork: ProQuest, 2008.
Green design is a term which has been closely associated with the environmental debates going on in the world. The fact is that the concept involves the integration of numerous environmentally-conscious approaches that are used in designing structures, objects, and services in the modern world. Some of the key components attached to this approach would include careful utilization of energy resources, conservation of materials, and creation of safe environments.
Urban centers have proved to be more serious in undertaking these programs, thus making it more environmentally friendly to live in cities than in the rural areas. The idea of urban centers being environmentally friendly has become common nowadays, especially with the application of green design principles which can take many forms. This paper examines sustainable city and regional planning as an effective approach which has been applied in most parts of the world to carry out the concept of green living in urban centers.
The concept of sustainable city and regional planning is guided by a number of principles which have been borrowed from the natural environment. These principles include, but not limited to, the aspects of efficiency, renewability, carrying capacity, and reduction of negative impacts. In order to achieve the expected goals of sustainability in cities, urban designers and planners have adopted new planning principles and techniques (Jenks and Burgess, 2000).
For instance, these developers have come up with new ways of organizing the structure of cities to comply with the policies of ecological sustainability. The perfect designing of sustainable landscapes in the urban centers has led to efficient use of land in cities and the surrounding regions. This controlled use of land through urban planning has further led to orderly development of infrastructure and facilities in the cities.
Sustainable city and urban planning has also been effective in reducing ecological impacts that are likely to arise from urban sprawls. As it will be observed, housing demands are likely to rise as more people shift from rural areas to the cities. This has often necessitated for the expansion of the urban cities to accommodate the increasing numbers.
This expansion usually results into more harm to the environment, as new space is cleared off for building purposes. Sustainable land-use management approaches used in putting up structures in the urban centers have significantly minimized this spread of suburban development, thus helping to preserve the ecosystem. In this regard, sustainable city and regional planning has enabled many urban centers in the world to accommodate their carrying capacities without having to stretch to rural landscapes.
Modern urban planners and designers have also managed to cooperate with metropolitan development authorities in ensuring that the benefits of green spaces are realized in the urban centers (Roberts, 1994). This has been achievable through amenities such as greenbelts, nature reserves, animal parks, botanical gardens, and waterways in cities and big towns.
Apart from connecting human beings to nature, these amenities have also served as learning zones for environmentalism and other related disciplines. More importantly, these green spaces have served as good venues for social gatherings owing to their attractive nature.
According to Kenworthy (2006), the idea of sustainable city planning has significantly improved public transportation in the urban centers. The roads in many cities of developed countries have been sustained with bike lanes and walking paths to help ease transportation.
This, however, has helped to eliminate the need for people to own cars, since the above forms of transport are certain to provide transportation which is much cheaper and easier. In this regard, many people will be packed into a single mode of transportation, and this reduces the high levels of emissions that would have been realized if everybody had to use their own car. Things, however, would be much different in the rural areas, where people must use their cars to get to work or when they have to go out to run errands.
Accessibility is the other aspect which makes urban centers more eco-friendly, compared to rural areas. As a matter of fact, accessibility to places of significant interest such as hospitals, shopping malls, and recreation centers is easy in the urban centers. In other terms, it is easier and cheaper for people to access useful resources in cities than in suburbs or rural areas. This can be explained in the sense that people will have to burn less fuel to get to these facilities while in the city, than when they are in rural areas.
The other reason why cities are environmentally friendly is because of their effective approaches to the management of waste. Waste is arguably one of the biggest pollutants of air and environment in the world today. Apart from being the primary cause for water pollution and diseases, waste has also contributed towards the issue of global warming through emission of carbon dioxide and methane, among other greenhouse gases.
In this respect, there is a need for countries to adopt new building designs and strategies that will facilitate effective management of waste in both urban and rural areas. These development strategies have been applied in many developed and developing countries, where the built environment in cities and towns is utilized in a manner which makes the elimination of waste easier. Based on all these facts, it is more environmentally friendly to live in urban areas than in rural areas.
References
Jenks, M., & Burgess, R. (2000). Compact cities: sustainable urban forms for developing countries. United Kingdom: Routledge.
Kenworthy, J. (2006). The eco-city: ten key transport and planning dimensions for sustainable city development. Environment and Urbanization, 18(1), 67-85.
Roberts, P. (1994). Sustainable regional planning. Journal of the Regional Studies Association, 28(8), 781-787.
Green building movement is one of the most topical issues nowadays. It addresses many environmental issues and human health problems. Despite its quite long history, the movement has gained its high status in society only a decade ago. The hypothesis of the present research can be formulated as follows: Indoor air quality can be increased with the help of green building, and this positively affects people’s health.
The hypothesis is proved to be true since numerous data suggest that high indoor air quality is beneficial for people since it decreases the number of health threats and leads to budget savings. More so, nowadays air quality is one of the major concerns of the green building movement, so numerous effective strategies are being worked out. Thus, indoor air quality is regarded as one of the most important elements of the green building movement which is beneficial for people from different perspectives.
Introduction
The development of science and technology has brought many opportunities for construction, but has led to numerous environmental problems and human health issues. Fortunately, people have found the way to minimize the construction negative impact on the environment and people’s health as well. Green building is this fortunate way. On one hand, green buildings improve environmental situation due to the use of environmentally friendly products while construction.
On the other hand, the use of “green products” during construction positively affects people’s health, since they are not harmful, in contrast to the products containing chemicals. More so, it is important to point out that green building pays much attention to indoor air quality which is crucial for human health.
The hypothesis of the present research can be formulated as follows: Indoor air quality can be increased with the help of green building, and this positively affects people’s health.
To check the hypothesis it is necessary to consider such issues as the history of green building, the impact of green building on environment and people’s health, the importance of the high indoor air quality in houses and, finally, the role of the green building in the indoor air quality increase.
The history of “green building”
The history of the U.S. green building can be traced back as far as 1970s when “Arab-Israeli conflicts resulted in a flowering of innovations in energy conservation and renewable energy systems” (Kibert and Kibert 4). Thus, many standards as for building energy saving efficiency were enacted in the 1970s. After the fuel crisis ceased to exist, energy saving building also declined. However, environmental concerns came into place.
This led to the development of green building movement which started in the late 1980s when “society began to seriously consider complex global environmental issues” (Kibert and Kibert 4). In terms of these concerns people acknowledged that construction contributes to increase of environmental issues. Besides, the green building is also regarded as beneficial economically. Thus, the research implemented in 2003 counted economical benefits of the green building (see table 1).
Table 1. Economical Benefits of the green building. Jerry Yudelson and S. Richard Fedrizzi, The Green Building Revolution (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2008) 36.
However, it was also accepted that it is possible to decrease the negative impact of construction on environment.
Definition of the term “green building”
At this point it is necessary to define the term “green building”. Yudelson provides a very precise definition pointing out that it “considers and reduces its impact on the environment and human health” (3). It is also noted that
Green building is designed to use less energy and water and consider life cycle of the materials used. This is achieved through better site development practices, design, construction, operation, maintenance, removal and possible reuse of materials. (Yudelson 3)
Thus, green building presupposes thorough analysis of every stage of construction. One of the first green building projects in the USA was the “Greening of the White House” which was started in 1993, and was highly publicized (Kibert and Kibert 5). The project was carried out by a group of engineers and architects, officials and environmentalists.
It was very effective: energy cost savings – $300,000 annually, emissions reduction – 845 tons of carbon annually, as well as reductions in “water and solid waste management costs” (Kibert and Kibert 5). The success of the project led to many new projects and development of various organizations preoccupied with green building movements and setting of certain green building standards.
For instance, one of the most influential standards in the field is regarded as rating system LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which was introduced in the late 1990s and has been improved since then (Kibert and Kibert 6). This rating system estimates the project in terms of major principle of green building movement. Thus, in 2006 7 World Trade Center which is located in New York (see fig.1) was rated as “Gold” in accordance with LEED rating (Yudelson 4).
Fig. 1. 7 World Trade Center. Jerry Yudelson, Marketing Green Building Services: Strategies for Success (Burlington, MA: Architectural Press, 2007) 4.
Admittedly, this rating is not the only one incentive to encourage U.S. companies to join the green building movement. Thus, there are several rating systems, such as ASHRAE, USGBC, NAHB and many others which estimate the buildings in terms of the environmental and health issues (Raymer 13-8).
The role of green building in indoor air quality increase
One of the primary concerns of these standards is the health of people. Thus, indoor air quality plays an important role in green building movement. Johnson and Gibson state that indoor air quality is “the sleeping giant of the homebuilding industry”; stressing that though people know the danger of using some products, these products are still being used (273).
More so, the danger of low indoor quality is not even that products used during construction are harmful, but it is much more dangerous for people that they are exposed to the negative influence of these products 90% of their time, since they spend it indoors (Johnson and Gibson 273). It has been estimated that …as many as 15 percent of Americans are allergic to their own homes. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 40percent of children born today will suffer some form of respiratory disease. (Johnson and Gibson 273)
Among harmful products used during construction it is possible to single out formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, phthalates, styrene-butadiene latex, etc (Johnson and Gibson 280-281). All these chemicals cause various dangerous diseases in people and animals (see fig.2).
Fig. 2. The impact of poor indoor air quality on human health. “IEC Services”; Indoor Environment Check indoor environment check. 2006. Web.
It goes without saying that it is crucial to avoid using such materials during construction. It is important to point out that regarding the importance of indoor air quality increase economical benefits should also be taken into account.
Thus, according to the study implemented by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory “American businesses could save as much as $58 billion in lost sick time and $200 billion in workers’ performance by making improvements to indoor air quality” (Sentman and Kaufman 110). Many companies ignore health threats and use them due to their inexpensiveness and availability.
However, green building presupposes the use of natural materials only and excludes the use of any harmful chemicals. Nowadays green building strategies aimed at improving indoor air quality include “appropriate mechanical ventilation”, air filtration, “appreciation for the kinds of hazards” and “efforts to eliminate them” (Johnston and Gibson 273).
Admittedly, there is yet much to do in the field. Many dangerous chemicals are still regarded as appropriate for construction. Nevertheless, the improvements in the green building ratings and the increasing attention of the government to the issue will lead to improvements in the field.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is possible to point out that though green building movement is regarded to originate since 1970s, the movement became influential in 2000s. Admittedly, the movement resulted in the development of environmentally friendly strategies which also positively affect people’s health. During the last decade numerous standards and green building rating have been worked out.
The U.S. government is also concerned with the development of the green building strategies and supports promising projects. It goes without saying, that there is still much to be done in the field since many people still prefer materials inexpensiveness and availability to health and environmental safety. However, it is possible to assume that the green building movement will be developing and in the nearest future all people worldwide join it.
Works Cited
Johnston, David, and Scott Gibson. Green from the Ground up: A Builder’s Guide : Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction. Newtown, CT: The Taunton Press, Inc., 2008.
Kibert, Nicole C., and Charles J. Kibert. “History and Status of Sustainable Development.” Green Building and Sustainable Development: The Practical Legal Guide. Ed. Jonathan E. Furr. Chicago, Ill: American Bar Association, 2009. 3-11.
Raymer, Paul H. Residential Ventilation Handbook: Ventilation to Improve Indoor Air Quality. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional, 2009.
Sentman, Shannon D., and Bonni Kaufman. “Costs and Benefits of Green Buildings.” Green Building and Sustainable Development: The Practical Legal Guide. Ed. Jonathan E. Furr. Chicago, Ill: American Bar Association, 2009. 103-123.
Yudelson, Jerry. Marketing Green Building Services: Strategies for Success. Burlington, MA: Architectural Press, 2007.
Yudelson, Jerry, and S. Richard Fedrizzi. The Green Building Revolution. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2008.
