Impact and Benefits of Green Buildings in Our Environment and Lifestyle

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Abstract

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

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