In recent decades, there has been a sharp jump in awareness of environmental responsibility and green building methods. The pioneers were organizations or individuals who espoused the ideology of sustainability, after which various bodies including the government, began to adopt and implement the approaches. The ultimate goal is to turn a city or building into a low to zero consumer of fossil fuels. By focusing on the environmental / green side and long-term planning and use of engineering modules based on technologies that consume low to zero levels of carbon including use of building materials, such as lightweight construction methods (e.g. use In wood instead of concrete - production and use of concrete requires much more resources and energy compared to wood).
Despite the different standards that exist in different countries there is a need to change construction methods and materials because of climate differences that are reflected in temperature, available raw materials, demographics, culture and more. In many smaller countries, there are matte natural minerals or energy sources like wood, metal, fuels, water and therefore there is great importance in renewable energy utilization (see details below), as mentioned non-perishable resource utilization like solar utilization for solar energy generation, wind utilization to generate electricity from wind turbines. When building houses or offices, it is vital to look at ways that you can create sustainable futures.
New houses are built differently today
Many houses are built with gutters leading water to cisterns located in the belly of the earth - under the building for use mainly in the hot summer months, the ceilings were built at a relatively high height to allow removal of hot air, wide walls to maintain insulation, slowed use of energy-saving windows. As strange as it may sound, Europe is one of the pioneers of environmental development and green construction.
As the world began to work diligently to develop and operate renewable energies in the energy economy, the goal is energy independence and improving the environment, awareness of the need and importance of renewable energy is noticeable except in the Middle East. Renewable energy is energy that utilizes inexhaustible resources and sources - solar energy / solar energy, wind energy - wind turbines to generate electricity, water energy - utilization of tides or waves, production of energy from biomass (utilization of gases released from landfills and wastewater for energy production), energy Geothermal (using heat from the center of the earth). Consumable resources and energy sources can be attributed to fuel from fossil gas and coal sources created over millions of years. The guiding view is that these energy sources will not stay forever and therefore one needs to prepare for the not-too-distant future. This means that the way in which we consume energy is important and the types of energy solutions fitted is also just as important. For example, the electricians and plumbers used - how can this help businesses? With a Pro Circuit Inc you can find the best industrial electricians for the job.
Tips for green building and sustainable development
Use of smart insulation materials for the building shell (insulated double glazing, thermal plaster, insulation materials)
Green engineering / architectural design - planning for hot air flow
Intelligent utilization of the sun's rays for heating and natural lighting (heat and light in winter blocking the sun's rays in summer)
Purchase electrical appliances with a low energy rating A + (low consumption of electricity and water) washing machine, oven in child inn, dryer, TV, computer, LED lamps.
Use materials that do not damage the planet in any way
Optimize water consumption like intelligent use of irrigation or gray water system
Place a composter for recycling organic waste
Ensure proper insulation is used with friendly materials
Buy quality products that will last a long time and can be renewed or recycled for inside the buildings
Ensure effective sealing to prevent heat leakage in winter and cold in summer
Use a coating for glass windows that prevents UV radiation and reduces cooling consumption.
Try to recycle as much as possible when building
When architects build using the green architecture method, the right way to incorporate the principles of sustainable design is first and foremost through a careful selection of quality and environmentally friendly building materials. Traditional and main building materials in architecture include: steel, iron, wood, concrete and glass. In this article we will learn how these materials are harnessed to the service of green architecture and how can they be integrated into the sustainability approach?
When we try to trace the sources of sustainable materials in new buildings alongside old buildings that have been reinforced and renovated, we need to research and know where the materials come from, how they are manufactured, what their lifespan is and what happens to them when they wear out and need to be replaced? Sometimes, what appears to be a more expensive option in the short term, becomes a better investment later on, when over time the cheaper item needs to be replaced.
Wood
Wood is a renewable resource, and can come from forests that are pre-managed as sustainable forests. Wood is considered a relatively lightweight raw material that can be easily processed. Wood as a building material has gained sympathy among many architects and in the construction industry used mainly in kitchen design but also in other rooms, thanks to new technologies, with the most promising being the technology that creates engineered wood (CLT) in a process similar to plywood but on a larger scale.
Steel and concrete
Despite popular belief, concrete is actually considered environmentally friendly in all stages of its life expectancy, from the raw materials and production stage to the demolition stage, making it a natural choice for sustainable construction. Today a combination of steel and concrete is increasingly used for economic reasons mainly, and since they can be purchased in advance in large quantities and used in any project and almost any required size. The most common way to use these materials is by creating walls that are formed by using formwork into which concrete is poured around reinforced steel in the mesh.
This is a vital step for the future of any sustainable building business in the making.