The New Age in Green Building Design
By Rick Walker- a LEED-AP and CEO of http://greenefficient.com, and focuses on green building and LEED certification of buildings.
Building design has never been as socially, environmentally and economically responsible as it is at this pivotal time. New-Age building design is about embracing the multi-dimensional aspects of green or sustainable construction and assuring their interaction throughout the project.
Developers, architects and real estate experts are finding that effective new-age design has positive effects on the ecological environment, the atmospheric environment, the work environment and the social environment. In the early stages of the green movement, design was regarded with skepticism as project participants warily agonised over every expense related to sustainable design.
What has become abundantly clear is that strong sustainable components pay dividends. Those dividends are measured in drastically reducing long-term operating costs and in increased demand for sustainable space. Increased demand from prospective owners and tenants means increased value. Sustainable design has turned the corner from fashionable trend to profitable pursuit.
As the demand for sustainable design has increased, the relationships between the core elements of sustainable design have also gained definition. New-age designers view construction projects through five basic parts, which comprise the whole.
- Sustainable site design
- Water conservation and quality
- Energy and environment
- Indoor environmental quality
- Conservation of materials and resources
The key to a sustainable outcome lies within the designer's ability to successfully relate each of these elements to each other and the project. The more intense the interaction, the higher the degree of sustainability will be. To effectively integrate, the designer must acknowledge the basic principles of each of the five elements that have evolved as the green movement has expanded.
- Sound sustainable construction begins with sound sustainable site selection. Ideally, the site will consider and address each of these standards.
- Reduce urban sprawl
- Minimise destruction of land
- Promote high density urban development
- Preserve existing green space by pursuing Brownfield development
- Minimise site disturbance
- Restore natural habitat
After applying the basics of site selection to the project, the designer may set about orienting the design to the sustainable site. As successful as sustainable construction has been, the movement is still in its infancy. New-age designers must constantly stay on top of new developments in the sustainable movement.
The Five Elements of Green Design
- Successful sustainable construction begins with a design that addresses each of the following five central elements of green building design.
- Sustainable Site Design
- Water Conservation and Quality
- Energy and Environment
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Conservation of Materials and Resources
To assure the integrity of the design and the eventual sustainable outcome, integration of green technology within each of those core design elements is critical. For example, the interrelationship between the site orientation, the water conservancy program, the use of natural energy sources, the quality of natural sunlight inside the building all affect the building's need for materials and energy sources. In fact, the ideal design brings all the elements together over and over again.
- Sustainable Site Design
- Only select a new site when necessary
- When a new site is necessary, do not chose a site that is critical to the local eco-system
- Orient the building to on the site to utilise natural resources like solar energy
- Select a site that allows access to mass transit
- Minimise the building's footprint by using existing surfaces, lightening roof color and using natural shading
- Water Conservation and Quality
- Realise that orientation of the proposed building that allows for natural drainage is often the least expensive way to improve the location
- Be certain that the site assessment captures the natural hydrological attributes
- Allow for the use of low-impact storm water retention
- Set a water budget and implement features that help achieve the budget
- Improve water conservation and quality by utilising indigenous trees, plants and turf that do not require irrigation, fertilizers or pesticides
- Energy and Environment
- Maximise passive solar orientation
- Reduce the need for artificial lighting by planning to use natural sunlight whenever possible
- Use exterior insulation to maximise the performance of the exterior envelope
- Use natural ventilation
- Use Energy Star energy efficient appliances
- Use new-age lighting products and settings
- Research all the new energy technologies
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Protect the building's interior during the construction process
- Make the building smoke-free
- Maximise the used of daylight sunlight
- Make sure that all interior finishes are environmentally friendly and safe
- Design a healthy heating, cooling and ventilating system
- Materials and Resources
- Use engineer designed high stress materials whose strength reduces the quantity of used materials
- Use recycled materials whenever possible
- Use materials that can be recycled when their functional life has elapsed
- Support the local economy and reduce the transportation of materials by using local providers of local products
The five major elements, from sustainable sites to materials and resources are also considered in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED building certification. Whether considering that certification or just interested in green building, the above points to consider can make a huge difference in returns, cost and the environment.
