14.4. GREEN BUILDING or GREEN CONSTRUCTION OR SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

A green building is one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building.

A green building incorporates sustainable practices in its design and construction process. This means that it aims to use fewer resources like water and energy compared to traditional buildings. It also focuses on conserving nature and reducing waste, making sure that the building is healthier not just for the environment, but also for the people who use it. The goal is to create spaces that are efficient and promote well-being.

Imagine a green building as a smart athlete who not only runs fast but also eats healthy, recycles, and takes care of their training environment. Just like the athlete optimizes their performance by making healthy choices, a green building optimizes its resources and sustainability.

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.

Sustainable building considers the entire life cycle of a building. This means taking into account everything from where the building is located (siting), to how it is built (design and construction), and how it operates and is maintained throughout its life. Moreover, it also includes how the building is renovated or eventually demolished. The idea is to minimize a building's environmental impact at every stage.

Think of it like planning a party. You want to choose a location that suits your guests, design fun activities, manage the food and decor throughout the event, and even think about what happens to the leftover food afterward. A sustainable building plans for all these details to ensure less waste and a greater positive impact.

Objectives: Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources; Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity; Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

The objectives of green buildings are multi-faceted. First, they aim to use energy, water, and resources efficiently to reduce waste. Second, by ensuring a healthier environment inside the building, they promote better health and productivity for occupants. Lastly, the goal is to minimize environmental degradation, which means protecting our planet from further damage.

Consider a bicycle versus a car. A bicycle uses less energy and resources than a car, which helps reduce waste and pollution. When more people use bicycles, the air becomes cleaner, helping everyone stay healthier and happier, much like the aims of a green building.

Buildings can be rated for their environmentally sustainable construction. One such rating system is the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This building rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (GBC). The other rating systems are BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment method -United Kingdom) and CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency-Japan) help consumers determine a structure’s level of environmental performance.

Rating systems like LEED, BREEAM, and CASBEE are in place to provide standards for evaluating how environmentally friendly a building is. LEED, in particular, uses a credit-based system to award points for sustainable practices, making it easier for builders and consumers to understand the environmental performance of buildings. This encourages better practices in construction and design.

Think of these rating systems as report cards for buildings. Just as students receive grades based on their performance in school, buildings earn points based on how well they manage energy, resources, and health factors to get recognized as 'green'. This motivates builders to aim for better scores.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.

LEED is essential as it sets a framework for judging how well a building performs environmentally. By encouraging builders to adopt sustainable practices, LEED helps drive the market towards greener designs. This strategic grading system promotes a culture of sustainability in construction.

LEED can be likened to a coaching manual for sports: it sets out best practices and strategies to improve performance. Builders can refer to this manual to realize their goals of constructing energy-efficient and environmentally responsible buildings.

LEED certification is available for all building types including new construction and major renovation; existing buildings; commercial interiors; core and shell; schools and homes. LEED systems for neighborhood development, retail and healthcare are currently pilot testing.

LEED certification applies broadly to almost any type of building, whether new or existing. This inclusive approach allows many different sectors, such as schools and healthcare facilities, to participate in sustainable building practices. This ensures that the impact of green building extends widely across communities.

Think of LEED like a community health initiative that encourages everyone—from schools to hospitals—to adopt healthy practices to improve public health. By promoting these standards across various building types, LEED helps spread the benefits of green construction.

LEED certification levels: four progressive levels according to the following scale: Certified 40–49 points; Silver 50–59 points; Gold 60–79 points; Platinum 80 points and above.

The LEED certification levels indicate how environmentally sustainable a building is, based on the number of points earned. The higher the level, the better the building aligns with green building practices and principles. This system encourages builders to strive for the highest recognition by implementing more sustainable features.

Just like earning medals in sports, LEED certification levels show how well a building has done in terms of sustainability. A building that earns a Platinum certification is like an athlete who wins a gold medal—often viewed as the best in class.

Green building materials offer specific benefits to the building owner and building occupants: Reduced maintenance/replacement costs over the life of the building; Energy conservation; Improved occupant health and productivity; Lower costs associated with changing space configurations; Greater design flexibility.

Using green building materials not only helps reduce environmental impact but also provides long-term economic benefits. For example, materials that are durable can lower maintenance costs, and energy-efficient systems can lead to cost savings. Additionally, healthier materials enhance occupant well-being, which can increase productivity.

Imagine choosing between a cheap pair of shoes and a high-quality pair. While the cheap shoes save money upfront, they wear out quickly, leading to more expenses over time. In contrast, investing in the quality shoes may cost more initially but provides durability and comfort—just like investing in green building materials pays off in the long run.

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