Exploring the Concept of Green Buildings and its Benefits

It is no surprise that an increasing number of industries, both locally and globally, are seeking ways to minimize their carbon emissions, the influence they have on climate change, and the environment and the world around them. The building industry is no exception. So, the concept of green buildings has been gaining popularity in recent times. 

The Concept Of Green Buildings For A Better Tomorrow

Green building is an idea that begins with the recognition that the constructed environment can have far-reaching, both positive and negative, consequences on the natural environment and the people who live in it.

Thus, a green building is one that, by its design, construction, or operation, lowers or eliminates negative impact while potentially creating good impacts on our climate and natural surroundings. They help people inside it to preserve valuable natural resources while also improving the overall quality of life. 

Why Green Buildings are Necessary?

With our society’s growing concern about the environment, it’s unsurprising that green constructions are becoming increasingly popular. Here are some of the advantages of green building:

Environmental benefits

According to statistics, environmental hazards such as air pollution kill nearly 3 million children under the age of five each year, accounting for more than 4.2 million deaths in total. These buildings also lead to a cleaner atmosphere and a less polluted world by using renewable sources to conserve energy.  

For instance, Beitou Library, located near the Beitou Hot Spring Park, is Taiwan’s first green public library. The building comprises solar panels that can store up to 16W of power, as well as a rainwater collection system for flushing toilets and watering inside plants. 

Health benefits

Going green entails eliminating harmful contaminants and being able to breathe fresh, clean air, a good indoor environment preserves the tenant’s health and improves their quality of life by preventing serious illnesses caused by the intake of hazardous chemicals. You must understand that improved indoor quality not only protects your life but also boosts staff productivity.

Cost-effective

As energy and water prices rise property owners and facility managers seek strategies to cut operating costs while maintaining performance by designing sustainable structures. While green buildings may be more expensive initially, the long-term savings more than compensate. 

According to Smart CRE research, green buildings can save 25%-50% in energy, 10%-40% in water use, and around 12% in maintenance expenses. These savings can result in a return on investment of up to 40% over a building’s lifespan. Thus, green buildings reduce energy and water use, resulting in lower utility bills. 

Higher efficiency

One of the primary advantages of the green building concept is the conservation of water and energy. Coal, a key source of electricity for the world, is utilized less when energy efficiency is improved. Solar panels are installed to safeguard this natural resource by using sunlight instead.

Furthermore, sustainable buildings allow adequate natural light to penetrate through the window panels, eliminating the need for electric lighting at all times and substantially reducing energy use. Also, CopenHill (Copenhagen, Denmark) thinks green. It is the power plant that burns waste to generate electricity.

Reduced carbon footprint

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), buildings are responsible for 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Landlords and large organizations have taken notice, as increased sustainability provides a chance to benefit both the company and society as a whole.

For example, Living Landscape, Iceland uses a prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure to reduce the building’s embodied carbon footprint by nearly 80% compared to a typical concrete building, while operational emissions are reduced through a complete waste-heat recovery system, thorough insulation, and a renewable energy supply.

Conclusion

To conclude, it is evident that sustainable buildings are the future. Green buildings must ramp up to limit global warming to 1.5°C, whether through designing and building new, energy-efficient projects, retrofitting older buildings to be more airtight, or supporting renewable energy sources.

Furthermore, to accomplish this goal, BIM promotes better-educated sustainable building decisions, resulting in greener designs. BIM facilitates collaboration and encourages the attainment of long-term goals. BIM enables sustainable site planning by optimizing building orientation for maximum energy efficiency.

TechnoStruct Academy takes the lead in delivering exceptional BIM training courses and a Certification Program. Renowned for its excellence, TSA specializes in BIM engineering tailored for Architecture, MEP, and BIM Management.

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