Introduction to Green Building

Humanity has advanced in stunning ways in the last 100 years from a technology perspective. The advancements, however, have come with drawbacks. Green building is an approach that seeks to address some of those drawbacks.

Beginning with the industrial revolution, we started to consume massive amounts of natural resources. A byproduct of such consumption, of course, is waste. The more we use, the more we produce.

On an indirect level, we have known about the costs of wastes for some time. While greenhouse gases are all the rage these days, we already have address our waste issues. From the ozone depletion issue to smog in our cities, the impact of our consumption has been apparent.

The world is currently heating up and we are seeing the results of this in many ways. The reduction of the ice caps is the most obvious. The slowing of the ocean conveyor is the most serious. Together, all of this comes under the mantle of global warming.

As you know, there is a great debate about climate change. Many people think it is over whether climate change exists. This is incorrect. The question is the cause of the heating of the planet. As the ice caps melt, the question is whether we are the cause.

You may or may not believe emissions from our way of life is the cause of climate change. What is clear is that we not helping the problem at a minimum. This has resulted in many areas with an effort to find solutions to the problem. Green construction is one such solution.

Mention the term green and one tends to get images of people hugging trees and such. In truth, this is not the case. It simply refers to a more efficient way to build and use structures from simple residences to skyscrapers like the Hearst Towers in New York City.

The idea of efficiency is carried throughout green construction. Structures are built using recyclable materials, saving natural resources. The structures themselves also recycle their moving elements such as water.

From a design perspective, green construction philosophy involves incorporating renewable energy platforms. These can include solar panels to provide electricity, strategic plant placement to filter air and the use of opening windows instead of air conditioning.

Green building is ultimately about maturity. As we come to realize our impact on the planet, we must take action to minimize the negative effects. Green building is one method for doing so.

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