| Just what is green architecture, and why are we | | | | areas of heating and cooling. Gray water recycling, |
| hearing so much about it? Green architecture | | | | passive solar design, and the use of renewable |
| projects represent an approach to building that's | | | | power are all elements of this. |
| been growing in popularity for nearly three decades. | | | | Building should be constructed to match the |
| It concentrates on minimizing the environmental | | | | environment, rather than forcing changes to the site. |
| impact of creating a building. | | | | Buildings should be located and oriented to take |
| While green architecture was once viewed as highly | | | | maximum advantages of their surroundings. Improved |
| unconventional, it's getting a lot more acceptable and | | | | energy efficiency is the desired outcome and it |
| popular. Many of the regulatory agencies are learning | | | | makes for a building more pleasant to use. Use of |
| to recognize the advantages of the methods of | | | | land planning in the form of parking and |
| green construction. | | | | transportation concerns become viable, too. |
| Today's green revolution can probably be tracked | | | | In a perfect setting the materials used should allow |
| back to 1960s social awareness and the adoption of | | | | the building to be reused for other construction |
| different methods of design. Green construction has | | | | possibilities in the future producing minimal waste. |
| made great strides since then. New techniques have | | | | Green architecture should reduce the dependence on |
| been developed, new, innovative concepts and | | | | wasteful and toxic materials and products, which is |
| materials invented, and buildings have gotten greener. | | | | becoming much easier as the industry grows. Some |
| A successful green project will reduce waste, use | | | | buildings even reuse parts of other buildings, or |
| non-toxic materials, and pay close attention to the | | | | waste materials such as old shipping containers. |
| location and function of the building, as well as the | | | | Of course, not all projects labeled green are really |
| climate that surrounds it. That's a long way from the | | | | green. Some are "greenwashed" - ordinary projects |
| old idea of "one size fits all" construction methods of | | | | given a green veneer for respectability purposes. |
| the past. | | | | Others are built with good intentions but poor |
| What makes a building green? There are a number of | | | | planning. That's why it's highly important and effective |
| concepts that make up a green building. The main | | | | to know that all green projects be inspected carefully |
| ones are energy efficiency, use of land, reduction of | | | | to ensure they are as safe for the environment as |
| waste, materials used and the sustainability of the | | | | claimed. Helping the environment is complex, but it's |
| project. Green projects should use energy efficient | | | | worth it in the long run, with buildings being more |
| electrical systems whenever possible, especially in the | | | | usable and more sustainable years down the line. |