What Does Green Construction Mean?

Construction projects can potentially harm the environment. Luckily, there are methods of preventing this and constructing infrastructure in a sustainable way. So, for this to be implemented, I believe we should start by looking at what Green Construction means. Green Construction refers to the form of construction that aims to reduce any economic impact. It is also aimed at reducing waste and eliminating the use of natural resources. I will be going over some principles of green construction in detail, explaining how it is used.

Low Carbon Footprints

This principle is a concept that refers to a model that aims to achieve the minimal usage of greenhouse gas emissions as possible. Not only can this reduce climate change, but it also offers several benefits, such as an innovation boost, enhanced quality of life, and it can also create employment opportunities. Smart buildings is an example of a low-carbon building. It uses technology to balance some very high energy expenditures such as, heating, cooling, and ventilation. Once the construction of your low carbon building is finished, the next step is to set up the networking components. The networking and computing should avoid heavy power setups. When networking is set up efficiently, it maximizes the transmission of data while using less energy.

Water Efficiency

It is important to design buildings that consume the least amount of water possible without having the need to sacrifice functionality. This involves utilizing water management practices. Examples of these practices are using low-flow fixtures and recycling greywater. Low-flow fixtures include toilets, faucets, and showerheads. These can greatly decrease the consumption of water in a building without eliminating functionality. They use less water per use but perform on the same level as traditional fixtures. Implementing water-conserving fixtures can decrease any environmental harm and plays a part in water management practices. Greywater recycling systems take wastewater found in sinks, showers, and washing machines, and it’s used for toilet flushing reuse or may be used for irrigation. When greywater is recycled, buildings can use less reliance of water supplies and minimize any strain on sewage systems.

Material Selection

The selection of materials used for construction has an impact to the environment. It’s crucial to choose sustainability when examining your building materials. This principle involves utilizing renewable resources and recyclable materials. The principle also states that you should source materials locally because it lowers transportation emissions.

When you prioritize materials selection, its important to consider a few factors. One of them being the sustainable options. There are numerous material alternatives such as bamboo flooring or recycled steel beams. They carry less environmental impact in contrast to traditional materials. By doing this, we can minimize waste. Another factor to consider is a tool called Life Cycle Assessment. This is a tool that measures the environmental impacts of a product through its lifecycle.

By implementing this tool, you can make more informed decisions when it comes to selecting the building materials. The last factor to consider is waste management. The waste from construction and demolition takes part in the environment’s landfills which makes waste management important in environmental design. This involves decreasing construction waste through having an efficient plan, reusing materials when possible. When this is prioritized, we save resources future generations.

Indoor Quality

This focuses on constructing an indoor environment with healthy air quality, natural lighting, and a comfortable temperature. These enhance productivity and satisfaction for people who are in the building the most. Poor air quality can cause health issues, it is important to pay attention to the ventilation systems that takes fresh, outdoor air and bring it in the building and filter out pollutants. With natural lighting, it has been shown to improve your overall mood. Green Design emphasizes this by incorporating open spaces and giving access to nature. Putting the building at a comfortable temperature can be prioritized by utilizing proper insulation and efficient windows which lessens the need of heat use.

Conclusion

Each principle in this blog should be incorporated at some point during the construction or planning process to ensure minimal environmental impact. By putting each of these principles into consideration, new buildings can function more efficiently and be constructed with sustainable and renewable materials. With every new building, we should be putting the environment as our top priority.