Through sustainability and green building practices, architects are finding new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operating costs, and improve occupant health. These advancements are key to addressing climate change and creating a healthier Earth. Here are some of the ways they are accomplishing this:
Energy
Between heating, electricity, and more, buildings use an immense amount of energy. However, there are many ways that architects are looking to change that. Creating high-performance building envelopes (the parts of a building that separate the inside from the outside) is one of the most effective ways to reduce the thermal energy buildings require. Proper insulation keeps buildings warm in winter and cool in summer, lowering heating and AC costs. Window and building positioning can improve sunlight and ventilation. Not only do these designs help reduce buildings' energy consumption, but they also provide greater comfort for the people inside.
Architects are also looking at how to not only reduce the amount of energy buildings consume, but also integrate renewable energy sources into the design. This is called “energy plus’, and is a way to produce more energy than the building consumes. Advancements in energy plus involve integrating features such as solar panels and wind systems into buildings to make better use of passive energy.
Materials
Materials used in building can increase global emissions at every stage of construction, including manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. This is called embodied carbon, and accounts for approximately 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
That doesn’t include operational emissions, which are the energy used daily while the building is in operation. Researchers have been looking for alternative materials that would lower carbon emissions compared to materials like steel and concrete.
Wood from sustainably managed forests stores carbon as it grows, and engineered timber is similar in strength to conventional structural materials but has significantly lower environmental impact.
Not only do wood products help lower whole-building global warming potential, but they also require far less fossil-fuel energy to manufacture than concrete and steel.
Bamboo grows rapidly, even faster than wood. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio, so it can be used as a substitute for higher-carbon materials like steel.
Like wood, it also stores carbon as it grows. It is readily available in tropical and subtropical climates and can be used in other parts of the world as well. Although it is not recommended for buildings over two stories, bamboo buildings have many applications.
- Hemp is being researched as an alternative to concrete and asphalt. By combining hemp shiv (the woody core of the hemp plant) with lime as a binder, scientists have been able to make what they call “hempcrete”, a substitute for concrete. This can be beneficial for building insulation because of its ability to regulate moisture and heat flow. Hemp fiber can also be used as reinforcement in highway asphalt mixes, as it may extend pavement life and reduce maintenance needs.
Integration with Nature
An aspect of green building concerns how well what you are constructing works with the surrounding nature. The land can be surveyed to see what natural plant life is around and what needs to be preserved. As discussed above, positioning the house in relation to sunlight and wind can create a more comfortable living situation and make better use of natural energy. Buildings with plants growing on their roofs or walls also help reduce energy use, reduce heat gain, and improve air quality and biodiversity.
These measures can restore and protect ecosystems by lessening the negative impact of construction sites. They can also improve indoor air quality and ventilation in buildings, leading to greater comfort for residents.
Conclusion
By being mindful of carbon emissions and their effects on the environment, architects can build better, more sustainable buildings and streamline building processes. These advancements are only the beginning of the many ways to create green buildings.
Citations:
Buildings Energy Efficiency - Energy.gov
Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Strategies in Buildings: A Review of Technologies, Policies, and Future Directions - MDPI
Energy-plus Building - Wikipedia
Embodied Carbon 101 - RMI.org
New Zero-Carbon Wooden Building Concepts - MDPI
Sustainability and Green Building Practices - Green.org
A holistic sustainability overview of hemp as building and highway construction materials - Science Direct
"Schools, airports, high-rise towers: architects urged to get ‘bamboo-ready’" - The Guardian