07-02-2013, 03:05 PM
Building green
Building green.pptx (Size: 1.36 MB / Downloads: 20)
Buildings that can breathe:
Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, so
the very first rule is: the greenest building is the building that doesn't get built.
The second rule is: every building should be as small as possible.
The third rule is :do not contribute to the sprawl.
Goals of Green Building
It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g.,
using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater run-off , and
Many other techniques are used, such as using wood as a building material, or using packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water.
using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques .
Life CYCLE Assessment
A life cycle assessment (LCA) can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental, social and economic concerns by assessing a full range of impacts associated with all cradle-to-grave stages of a process: from extraction of raw materials through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling. Impacts taken into account include (among others) embodied energy, global warming potential, resource use, air pollution, water pollution, and waste. Although LCA is widely recognized as the best way to evaluate the environmental impacts of buildings (ISO 14040 provides a recognized LCA methodology)
Cost and payoff
The most criticized issue about constructing environmentally friendly buildings is the price. Photo-voltaic, new appliances, and modern technologies tend to cost more money. Most green buildings cost a premium of <2%, but yield 10 times as much over the entire life of the building. Studies have shown over a 20 year life period, some green buildings have yielded $53 to $71 per square foot back on investment. Confirming the rentability of green building investments, further studies of the commercial real estate market have found that LEED and Energy Star certified buildings achieve significantly higher rents, sale prices and occupancy rates as well as lower capitalization rates potentially reflecting lower investment risk.