Green building

Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure
and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's
life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This
practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility,
durability, and comfort.[1]

Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in
creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the
overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

 Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources

 Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity

 Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation[1]

A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use
of natural materials that are available locally.[2] Other related topics include sustainable
design andgreen architecture. Green building does not specifically address the issue of the retrofitting
existing homes.

Reducing environmental impact

Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of new buildings. Buildings account
for a large amount of land.

Goals of green building

the Blu Homes mkSolaire, a green building designed by Michelle Kaufmann.

The concept of sustainable development can be traced to the energy (especially fossil oil) crisis and
the environment pollution concern in the 1970s.[3] The green building movement in the U.S. originated
from the need and desire for more energy efficient and environmentally friendlyconstruction practices.
There are a number of motives to building green, including environmental, economic, and social
benefits. However, modern sustainability initiatives call for an integrated and synergistic design to both
new construction and in the retrofitting of an existing structure. Also known as sustainable design, this
approach integrates the building life-cycle with each green practice employed with a design-purpose to
create a synergy amongst the practices used.

Green building brings together a vast array of practices and techniques to reduce and ultimately
eliminate the impacts of new buildings on the environment and human health. It often emphasizes
taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight throughpassive solar, active solar,
and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for
reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques, such as using packed gravel or permeable
concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water, are
used as well.

While the practices, or technologies, employed in green building are constantly evolving and may differ
from region to region, there are fundamental principles that persist from which the method is
derived: Siting and Structure Design Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Materials
Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement, Operations and Maintenance Optimization,
and Waste and Toxics Reduction.[4][5] The essence of green building is an optimization of one or more
of these principles. Also, with the proper synergistic design, individual green building technologies may
work together to produce a greater cumulative effect.

On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a
building that is in harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the site. There are
several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify 'green' building materials from local
sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.

Siting and structure design efficiency

The foundation of any construction project is rooted in the concept and design stages. The concept
stage, in fact, is one of the major steps in a project life cycle, as it has the largest impact on cost and
performance. In designing environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize the total
environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the building project. However, building as
a process is not as streamlined as an industrial process, and varies from one building to the other,
never repeating itself identically. In addition, buildings are much more complex products, composed of
a multitude of materials and components each constituting various design variables to be decided at
the design stage. A variation of every design variable may affect the environment during all the
building's relevant life-cycle stages.

Energy efficiency
Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy use. To increase the efficiency of
the building envelope, (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space), they may use high-
efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar building
design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place
awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar
gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (daylighting) can provide more natural light
and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy
loads.

Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can
significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most
expensive feature to add to a building.

Water efficiency
Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in sustainable building.
One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer
exceed its ability to replenish itself. To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their
dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site. The protection and
conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by designing for dual
plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing. Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water
conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the
use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of
use water treatment and heating improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the
amount of water in circulation. The use of non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as site-
irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer.

Materials efficiency
Building materials typically considered to be 'green' include (Expanded polystyrene) rapidly renewable
plant materials like bamboo (because bamboo grows quickly) and straw, lumber from forests certified
to be sustainably managed, ecology blocks, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and
other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable (e.g. Trass, Linoleum, sheep
wool, panels made from paper flakes, compressed earth block, adobe, baked earth, rammed earth,
clay, vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, seagrass, cork, expanded clay grains, coconut, wood fibre plates,
calcium sand stone, concrete (high and ultra high performance, roman self-healing concrete) , etc. The
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also suggests using recycled industrial goods, such as coal
combustion products, foundry sand, and demolition debris in construction projects. Building materials
should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy embedded in
their transportation. Where possible, building elements should be manufactured off-site and delivered
to site, to maximise benefits of off-site manufacture including minimising waste, maximising recycling
(because manufacture is in one location), high quality elements, better OHS management, less noise
and dust.

Indoor environmental quality enhancement

The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) category in LEED standards, one of the five environmental
categories, was created to provide comfort, well-being, and productivity of occupants. The LEED IEQ
category addresses design and construction guidelines especially: indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal
quality, and lighting quality.

Indoor Air Quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds, or VOC's, and other air impurities such
as microbial contaminants. Buildings rely on a properly designed HVAC system to provide adequate
ventilation and air filtration as well as isolate operations (kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other
occupancies. During the design and construction process choosing construction materials and interior
finish products with zero or low emissions will improve IAQ. Many building materials and
cleaning/maintenance products emit toxic gases, such as VOC's and formaldehyde. These gases can
have a detrimental impact on occupants' health and productivity as well. Avoiding these products will
increase a building's IEQ.

Personal temperature and airflow control over the HVAC system coupled with a properly
designed building envelope will also aid in increasing a building's thermal quality. Creating a high
performance luminous environment through the careful integration of natural and artificial light sources
will improve on the lighting quality of a structure.

Operations and maintenance optimization

No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and construction, it can only remain
so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly. Ensuring operations and maintenance(O&M)
personnel are part of the project's planning and development process will help retain the green criteria
designed at the onset of the project. Every aspect of green building is integrated into the O&M phase
of a building's life. The addition of new green technologies also falls on the O&M staff. Although the
goal of waste reduction may be applied during the design, construction and demolition phases of a
building's life-cycle, it is in the O&M phase that green practices such as recycling and air quality
enhancement take place.

Waste reduction
Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during
construction. For example, in California nearly 60% of the state's waste comes from commercial
buildings During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going
to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants
as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.

To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. "Greywater",
wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface
irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e.g., to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater
collectors are used for similar purposes.

Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy. An alternative to this
process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other
benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant
with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated by a
settlement in Lubeck Germany in the late 1990s. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients
and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse
gas emission. Producing artificial fertilizer is also more costly in energy than this process.

Cost and payoff

The most criticized issue about constructing environmentally friendly buildings is the price. Photo-
voltaics, 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.[19] The stigma is
between the knowledge of up-front cost vs. life-cycle cost. The savings in money come from more
efficient use of utilities which result in decreased energy bills. It is projected that different sectors could
save $130 Billion on energy bills. Also, higher worker or student productivity can be factored into
savings and cost deductions.

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.

Regulation and operation

Many countries have developed their own standards for green building or energy efficiency for
buildings. Some of the major building environmental assessment tools currently in use include:

 Australia: Nabers / Green Star

 Brazil: AQUA / LEED Brasil

  Canada: LEED Canada / Green Globes

 China: GBAS

 Finland: PromisE

 France: HQE

 Germany: DGNB / CEPHEUS

 Hong Kong: HKBEAM

 India: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) / GRIHA

 Italy: Protocollo Itaca / Green Building Counsil Italia

 Japan: CASBEE

 Korea: KGBC

 Malaysia: GBI Malaysia

 Mexico: LEED Mexico

 Netherlands: BREEAM Netherlands

 New Zealand: Green Star NZ

 Philippines: BERDE / Philippine Green Building Council

 Portugal: Lider A

 Singapore: Green Mark

 South Africa: Green Star SA

 Spain: VERDE

 Switzerland: Minergie

 United States: LEED / Living Building Challenge / Green Globes / Build it Green /
NAHB NGBS / International Green Construction Code International Green Construction Code
(IGCC)

 United Kingdom: BREEAM

 United Arab Emirates: Estidama

 IAPGSA Pakistan Institute of Architecture Pakistan Green Sustainable Architecture

International frameworks and assessment tools

IPCC Fourth Assessment Report

Climate Change 2007, the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the United Nations Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is the fourth in a series of such reports. The IPCC was established
by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) to assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information concerning climate change, its
potential effects and options for adaptation and mitigation.

UNEP and Climate change

UNEP works to facilitate the transition to low-carbon societies, support climate proofing efforts,
improve understanding of climate change science, and raise public awareness about this global
challenge.

GHG Indicator

The GHG Indicator: UNEP Guidelines for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Businesses and
Non-Commercial Organizations

Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is a programme run by the United Nations (UN) related to sustainable development. It is a
comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the
UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans impact on the environment. The
number 21 refers to the 21st century.

FIDIC's PSM

FIDIC’s Project Sustainability Management Guidelines were created in order to assist project
engineers and other stakeholders in setting sustainable development goals for their projects that are
recognized and accepted by as being in the interests of society as a whole. The process is also
intended to allow the alignment of project goals with local conditions and priorities and to assist those
involved in managing projects to measure and verify their progress.

The PSM Guidelines are structured with Themes and Sub-Themes under the three main sustainability
headings of Social, Environmental and Economic. For each individual Sub-Theme a core project
indicator is defined along with guidance as to the relevance of that issue in the context of an individual
project.

The Sustainability Reporting Framework provides guidance for organizations to use as the basis for
disclosure about their sustainability performance, and also provides stakeholders a universally
applicable, comparable framework in which to understand disclosed information.

The Reporting Framework contains the core product of the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, as well
as Protocols and Sector Supplements. The Guidelines are used as the basis for all reporting. They are
the foundation upon which all other reporting guidance is based, and outline core content for reporting
that is broadly relevant to all organizations regardless of size, sector, or location. The Guidelines
contain principles and guidance as well as standard disclosures – including indicators – to outline a
disclosure framework that organizations can voluntarily, flexibly, and incrementally, adopt.

Protocols underpin each indicator in the Guidelines and include definitions for key terms in the
indicator, compilation methodologies, intended scope of the indicator, and other technical references.

Sector Supplements respond to the limits of a one-size-fits-all approach. Sector Supplements

complement the use of the core Guidelines by capturing the unique set of sustainability issues faced
by different sectors such as mining, automotive, banking, public agencies and others.

IPD Environment Code

The IPD Environment Code was launched in February 2008. The Code is intended as a good practice
global standard for measuring the environmental performance of corporate buildings. Its aim is to
accurately measure and manage the environmental impacts of corporate buildings and enable
property executives to generate high quality, comparable performance information about their
buildings anywhere in the world. The Code covers a wide range of building types (from offices to
airports) and aims to inform and support the following;

 Creating an environmental strategy

 Inputting to real estate strategy

 Communicating a commitment to environmental improvement

 Creating performance targets

 Environmental improvement plans

 Performance assessment and measurement

 Life cycle assessments

 Acquisition and disposal of buildings

 Supplier management

 Information systems and data population

 Compliance with regulations

 Team and personal objectives

IPD estimate that it will take approximately three years to gather significant data to develop a robust
set of baseline data that could be used across a typical corporate estate.

ISO 21931

ISO/TS 21931:2006, Sustainability in building construction—Framework for methods of assessment for

environmental performance of construction works—Part 1: Buildings, is intended to provide a general
framework for improving the quality and comparability of methods for assessing the environmental
performance of buildings. It identifies and describes issues to be taken into account when using
methods for the assessment of environmental performance for new or existing building properties in
the design, construction, operation, refurbishment and deconstruction stages. It is not an assessment
system in itself but is intended be used in conjunction with, and following the principles set out in, the
ISO 14000 series of standards.