Sustainable Buildings| Difference Between Green Building and Sustainable Buildings
Sustainable Buildings| Difference Between Green Building and Sustainable Buildings
Sustainable Buildings
Sustainability was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development 1987 Report Our common future, also known as the Brundtland Report, that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs.
The US Environmental Protection Agency defines it as the ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while protecting the planet’s natural systems and providing a high quality of life for its people.
Many other definitions apply to specific aspects of social, economic, and environmental activities.
Why is the sustainability of the building concern for us at this time?
- Depletion of finite world resource
- Third world development and its associated impacts on ecology and resource
- Exponential population growth.
- Global climate change.
- The growing inability of environmental sinks to absorb waste and pollution.
Buildings are a crucial component in the development of cities and by extension, a country. And the building and construction industry is one of the essential areas of intervention. It provides opportunities to mitigate the environmental impact and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
The sector is estimated to provide employment, now at 5 – 10 per cent at the national level, and generate 5-15% of GDP. Moreover, it includes housing, mobility, water, and sanitary infrastructures, and it represents the physical context for social interactions and economic development at the micro-level.
Nevertheless, sustainable development in the building and construction sector remains hampered by limited coordination between stakeholders throughout a building’sbuilding’s life span.
What’sWhat’s the Difference Between Green Building and Sustainable Buildings?
The terms “green building” and “sustainable building” have been used in association with modern commercial buildings.
Most of the time, sustainable and green buildings are used interchangeably, even though the terms do have slightly different meanings.
Green Building Definition
Green building refers to both the design and the application of building processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’sbuilding’s life-cycle starting from planning to design, construction, maintenance, operation, renovation, and demolition.
Sustainability is a vast concept that refers to a building’s overall ability to provide a healthy, comfortable, and productive environment over the long term without impacting the environment negatively. Sustainable buildings are not just about the environment, but take into account all three key pillars of sustainability that is:
- Planet,
- People, and
- Profit
Sustainable Buildings in the United States
According to the Energy Information Agency, (E. I. A) commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, CBECS buildings use about 40% of the total energy we consume and emit about 43% of the carbon dioxide we release.
They use about 70% of the nation’s electricity consumption.
The construction industry comprises almost 5% of the United States gross domestic product. We build about 35,000 new commercial buildings and remodel about the same number every year.
Edward Mazria, the founder of Architecture 2030, our building stock will be composed of 75% new or remodelled buildings in 2030.
Clearly, buildings are an essential factor in whether we have a sustainable society in the future. We still have an opportunity to influence the design, construction, and operation of these buildings.
What is a sustainable building design?
Historically, the issue of sustainability of buildings has not been a significant design determinant. Such factors as style and initial costs have been more important to us during most of our past.
If we are to begin constructing genuinely sustainable buildings, the process must start with design. We must educate the designers of our buildings in the science and technique of sustainable architecture.
A sustainable building uses the minimum of the resource over its lifetime, consistent with the occupants’ responsible needs.
How is sustainable design measured?
The concept of sustainable building design has evolved as thoughtful architects, engineers, scientists, industry members, and others become aware of the issues.
People began to apply their ideas to building design and to publish their designs. Many claims of sustainable design were made, and in some cases, the claims were disputed by other thoughtful people.
A need for a measuring stick for sustainability became apparent.
The Building Research Establishment published the earliest rating system in the United Kingdom in 1990. This system is named the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREAM).
It has grown from a checklist into a tool that may be used throughout a building’s life. It has been used in Canada, Australia, and some countries in Europe to base their rating systems.
Several countries have collaborated to develop the Green Building Challenge Assessment Framework, which was initially published in 1998.
From this work came a spreadsheet called GB Tool to adapt GB C. A .F. to regional energy and environmental priorities. The intention was to provide an international system that all nations could use to adapt the framework to local conditions.
