Sustainable Buildings

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS: SUSTAINING

LIFE WITHOUT LOSING LIFE

It is the concept of a cave: a 'crash pad' where the prehistoric man could rest during the night, that has evolved into thatched mud huts and then to the modern dwelling: houses and buildings made of bricks, concrete and of an iron and steel structure. However, before we can jump into the ultra-modern tech houses predicted by Issac Asimov or as in the popular cartoon 'The Jetsons', the environmental degradation caused by the traditional building materials has to be considered and corrected. Hence, the modern man is moving towards sustainable architecture.
So, why is the idea of sustainability so important? The idea of sustainability is to ensure that human activities in the present satisfy human needs in future and preserve the wholesome nature of the environment at the same time. Sustainable architecture aims at efficiently using resources during and after construction, reducing waste, pollution, protecting occupant health and promoting productivity. What makes the idea of sustainable building unique is that it achieves its aims, not by modern technologies, but by modern thinking.
Building materials including recycled denim, suitably harvested wood, Trass and ultra-high performance roman self-healing concrete is used instead of the traditional wood, steel and concrete frames. Panels are made from paper flakes, wood fibre and bamboo. When older buildings are demolished, timber in good condition is reclaimed and reused for doors, windows and hardware. Using such materials reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released. A case study conducted by the Department of Civil Architectural and Environmental Engineering at the University of Miami found that even though both the green products and the non-green counterparts both emitted levels of VOCs, the amount and intensity of the VOCs emitted from the former were much safer and comfortable for human exposure.
A main factor that ought to be considered is the energy consumption in the building. Windows are placed to maximize the input of heat-creating light while minimizing the loss of heat through glass. Renewable sources of energy like solar energy and wind energy are used instead of generated electricity. Roofs of the buildings house solar panels and are therefore angled towards the sun to allow photovoltaic panels to collect at maximum efficiency. Using solar energy has only advantages: it's free and it's clean. Small wind turbines are used to harness wind energy. Air-Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) are used as temperature controllers, which, unlike in an air conditioner, the condenser and evaporator can switch roles and absorb heat from the cool air outside and dump it into a warm house.
Countries like China and US are on the road to building sustainable buildings. Taipei 101 is the tallest and largest green building of LEED Platinum certification in the world. Other notable examples include CDC Division of Laboratory Sciences in Atlanta and Z6 House in Santa Monica. If this concept is so beneficial, why is this not revolutionizing the world like the latest trend? This is because the integration of technology is expensive, and also, building must be done perfectly and flawlessly for proper functioning.
The mindset of the man has become broader with the advancements in technology and he has started to think beyond himself and also take the needs of the environment into his consideration. This growing realization is enough to help save the environment and to assure a life to our future generations. After all, a Native Proverb says, "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."