Green building is the systems of construction or establishment of houses, refuges or other constructions, realized with materials of low environmental or ecological impact, recycled, recyclable or extraíble by means of simple processes and of low cost as, for example, materials of origin vegetable and biocompatible and that do not suppose any toxicity for people and the environment.
According to the work Bioethics:
The awareness of the environment is what leads to formulating models or application of design and construction techniques for green buildings, buildings with sustainability options, constructive processes in favor of earth architectures that evoke the presence of the four elements of nature: earth, water, air and fire, in the processes of life in just proportion, where if we analyze this proportion to approximate the optimum, from a biological perspective, which considers the resonance between the architecture and its inhabitants, these earth architectures would be valued, since in combination with the stone for the foundations, the wood for ceilings, the clay fired for roofs and the shapes given to these materials, resolve the harmony of these elements. The earth, and its associated symbolic form, the circle, have historically resolved the foundation of the housing architecture.
Principles of green building
The principles of bioconstruction are the general principles of environmentalism: they start from the desire to make people aware that the planet is our home, and it is our responsibility to care for and preserve it with ourselves and with future generations, to him and to the people who inhabit it in optimal conditions., and considers that any activity of a living being has repercussions on others and provokes reactions in the environment, tangible or not, shorter or longer term, at a greater or lesser distance, so human activities affect the rest of living beings, of the planet and they have a great impact beyond themselves.
Building causes a great impact on the environment. The bioconstrucción intends to minimize it, helping to a sustainable development, that does not exhaust the resources. It also tries to get a healthy habitat. The bioconstrucción must be understood as the way to build respectful with all living beings.
For this, the following should be taken into consideration:
Soil management
Water management
Air management
Energy management
Consumption and local development
The ecological construction, therefore, is a way to create an adequate habitat for the human being, respecting in the best possible way the environment where it is made, and taking care of the elements of nature. It also takes into account factors such as proximity and the use of easy-to-use materials, with the lowest energy expenditure. The objective is to reduce the environmental impact that construction has on the environment, trying at the same time to root it in society through awareness, not only of people who feel respect for nature and concern for health but of all those that, related to the construction for their work or for mere interest in building a house, do not know the techniques and materials of low environmental impact for the building.
Tasks
Reduction of the cumulative (for the entire life cycle of the building) of the detrimental impact of construction activities on human health and the environment, which is achieved through the application of new technologies and approaches
Creation of new industrial products
Reduction of loads on regional energy networks and increase of reliability of their work
Creation of new jobs in the intellectual sphere of production
Reducing the cost of maintaining new buildings
National Green Building Standards
In countries where Ecological Construction is developing, national standards are created that take into account the socio-economic and natural conditions of the country: legislation, state policy on energy resources and the environment, climatic conditions, the level of awareness of energy efficiency and environmental issues among professional communities and the population.
The essence of the development of the national standard is the reformulation of only those conceptual recommendations of the generally recognized systems of environmental appraisal of real estate that will be able to introduce the national design and construction sector into practice. For example, it is inappropriate to introduce such recommendations in the northern regions of Russia as autonomous power generation by wind generators and solar batteries. Adaptation of international green standards is intended to give the construction sector a methodological basis for activities, for the construction of energy-efficient, eco-friendly and comfortable housing.
The Green Building Councils, specially created non-profit organizations, are engaged in the development and implementation of the Green Standards.
Coordination of councils and other environmentally oriented construction and management companies is carried out by the International Council for Green Buildings, World Green Building Council (WorldGBC).
WorldGBC is a non-profit organization whose activity is to convey the experience of construction industry leaders to other market participants and to provide an international discussion platform for discussing the most advanced methods of design, construction and architecture in the framework of the generally accepted concept of sustainable development of territories (generally accepted in the concept is the recognition of the priority of “green” solutions in the industry).
The organization has a multitude of activities, including support for developing national councils for green building and certification systems for assessing the quality of buildings. WorldGBC experts are engaged in the development of organizational tools, the marketing promotion of green solutions in the core business sectors, the information support of the WorldGBC programs and the National Green Building Councils, as well as the organization of independent briefings and advising individuals interested in climate change and green solutions in construction and design.
Measures for the construction of green buildings
The designation green building is associated with a large number of practices and techniques aimed at reducing and eliminating the impact of buildings on the environment and human health.
Often the priority use of renewable resources is emphasized, such as the use of sunlight through passive, active and photovoltaic techniques and the use of plants and trees on green roofs, in rain gardens and to reduce rainfall. Many other techniques, such as the use of compressed gravel for parking instead of concrete or asphalt to improve groundwater replenishment, are also used. However, effective green buildings are more than just a random collection of eco-friendly technologies. [12]Rather, they require careful and systematic planning of the resources used in construction – both environmental and consumption – but also the emission of contaminants throughout the lifecycle of a building.
At the same time, the philosophy of “green” architecture and sustainable planning is based on the intention to bring the design of a building in harmony with the natural conditions and resources of its surroundings under aesthetic criteria. In this context, several key actions are needed: locating “green” material from local sources, reducing pollution, optimizing systems and developing locally renewable energy.
Materials for green buildings
Typical building materials typically referred to as “green” include rapidly growing plant materials such as bamboo and straw, wood from environmentally managed forests, natural stone, recycled stone, recycled metal and other products that are non-toxic, recyclable, renewable and / or recyclable (e.g. Eg trass, linoleum, sheep’s wool, paper flake floorboards, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, linen, sisal, seaweed, cork, grained expanded clay, coconut, fiberboard, calcium sandstone etc.). [13] Building materials should be recovered and treated in the local area of the site to minimize the energy that must be applied to their transportation.
Reduced energy consumption
Green buildings often implement measures to reduce energy consumption. In order to increase the efficiency of the building envelope (the threshold between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned zones), for example, high-performance windows and insulating materials are used in walls, roofs and floors. Another strategy – the integration of passive solar energy – is often used in low-energy homes. The planning of windows, walls, local awnings, canopies and trees [14]is oriented towards the claim to place windows and roofs for the summer months as possible in shaded areas, while in the winter months a maximum gain in solar energy should be achieved. In addition, the effective placement of windows allows more daylight to be provided, thereby reducing the use of electric light during the day. Solar powered water heaters can also reduce the energy load.
In addition, on-site generation of renewable energy from solar, wind, hydropower or biomass can have a significant impact on the environmental performance of the building. Last but not least, electricity generation is also the most expensive item in a building.
Reduced waste
“Green” architecture reduces the waste of energy, water and building materials. In the design phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material that ends up in the landfill. Well-planned buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by their inhabitants by providing local solution concepts such as compost buckets.
To minimize impacts on sources or water treatment plants, there are several options: greywater (waste water from dishwashers, washing machines, etc.) can be used for underground irrigation or, if treated, for purposes that do not require drinkable water, such as toilet flushing or car washing, are used. Rainwater tanks are used in a similar way.
Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be expensive and consume a large amount of energy. An alternative to this process is the reprocessing of wastewater into fertilizers, which eliminates unnecessary costs and offers other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and passing it on to a semi-central biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated in the late 1990s by a settlement in Lübeck. The transport of biological waste takes place in the sanitary room via a vacuum toiletbecause here with very little water, the hygiene flush can be guaranteed. In these practices, such as the soil is with organic nutrients supplied, whereby CO2 sinks result, the CO2 from the atmosphere drag and greenhouse gas emissions offset. In addition, the production of artificial fertilizer often costs more energy than this process. [15]
Sustainable Construction, an integrated approach
Involve the entire chain of construction stakeholders, from the start of the construction project (programming and design phase) by following the steps of the construction and then checking the relevance of the selected options and the quality of their implementation during of the use phase by residents and users, characterizes the integrated approach of any sustainable construction approach.
Thus, an overall cost approach for a project is preferred over the cost of delivery. This economic approach not only integrates traditional investment positions (such as: cost of design, management, construction) but also the costs of maintenance and deconstruction operating costs. The valorization of natural resource-based energies to approach passive-habitat buildings (which consume very little energy) as well as the use of low- energy gray materials are also priority themes to be addressed.
Sustainable construction is also a coherent philosophy with the phrase “Think globally and act locally”. Indeed, the social impact of such programs must take into account the social and economic realities of a job pool (initial and continuing vocational training, social and entrepreneurial innovation) and even cultural realities (lifestyle, architectural identity). of a region, local traditions).
Natures of works
The works concerned by the “Sustainable Construction” can be of different sizes, ranging from single-family houses to complex real estate projects that can mix with: Tertiary buildings, public buildings, collective housing, eco-neighborhood development and even industrial sites illustrating joint policies for the sustainable development of a territory and a company.
A sustainable construction approach may involve rehabilitation projects as well as new construction sites. At the construction stage, some materials in a sustainable construction project may be more expensive than a conventional project, when using advanced technologies, or actually cheaper, as in the case of the straw house that reuses local materials sold at low cost and promotes the short circuit.
The investment budget, which is higher, especially if you integrate technologies, may be lower if the project is well designed. And when this extra cost concerns the energy balance (advanced thermal study, solar collectors, regulation, efficient boiler or mass stove…), the difference is reversed in a few years (from 5 to 10 years) by energy savings, maintenance and maintenance generated.
This type of construction generally provides better thermal and hygro-thermal comfort and a positive impact on the health of users and inhabitants due to the use of less toxic components and materials.
Materials and ecological equipment
These buildings use construction materials and ecological insulation 2 such c stones, bricks of raw earth, the hemp, the straw (see straw house), fiber wood, the wool of sheep, the cellulose wadding…
The use of materials whose raw materials incorporate a lot of energy extraction, manufacturing or transport, should be avoided as much as possible. Not to mention, of course, the wood frame construction, whose wood is preferably from the labeled sector (PEFC for European timber and FSC for tropical timber) for the sustainable management of forests and provides a concrete response and quantifiable in the fight against global warming. To further improve the insulation, it is also possible to use a green roof or a green wall.
In addition to the energy saving obtained by good insulation, the use of renewable and natural energies such as passive solar energy, photovoltaic panels, solar water heaters, wind turbines, hydraulic energy (turbine hydraulic, water mills), and all biomass energies, such as wood, biogas, composting… also reduce the ecological footprint.
Ecoconstructions can also seek to integrate waste treatment systems (phytopurification, lagooning, composter, dry toilets…) and rainwater recovery, thus contributing to the improvement of the ecological resilience around the battisse.
Some bases of the green building
Proper location
Avoid the proximity of emitting sources of electromagnetic radiation, chemical or acoustic contamination, such as factories, large communication routes, high voltage lines, substations and transformation centers. In another order of things, you should also avoid endangering any ecosystem or habitat.
Integration in the environment
Attending to the morphology of the land, adjacent constructions, the traditional architectural styles of the area, including vegetation of the place and harmony of constructive forms. Trying to integrate more than to occupy. The spatial proportions, as well as the shapes and colors have great importance in the harmonization of the place.
Custom design
According to the needs of the user, in such a way that the house adapts and serves perfectly to develop his life in it. The bioconstrucción tries to avoid the excess of rectilinear elements and the corners and angular corners, as well as the excessively rigid or stressed materials. The lights are saved with arches and vaults.
Space distribution and orientation
The efficient distribution of services as well as bioclimatic, energy saving and functional considerations will be addressed. A good orientation will be pursued wherever possible. The appropriate glazing will be projected for the maximum thermal and luminous use (with walls and floors of high thermal inertia) Location of rooms of little use to the North: garages, pantries, staircases, and zones to the south day. In places of rest, it will try to avoid the passage of electricity, water or any other type of pipes.
Use of healthy, biocompatible and hygroscopic materials
These should facilitate the exchange of humidity between the home and the atmosphere. The house must “breathe”. The materials should be raw materials as less elaborate as possible and, if possible, resources from the area should be used. They must be completely free of harmful elements such as asbestos, polyurethane or PVC. The large diameter sanitary pipes can be made of ceramic with rubber connections and those of small diameter, of PP (polypropylene), PB (polybutylene) and / or PE (polyethylene).) instead of PVC. With these materials, the pipes are more stable, flexible, durable and less noisy. For electrical conduits, there are already halogen-free and PVC-free cables on the market, as well as polypropylene tube-loop. We will avoid the insulations and paints of closed pores, plasticized, retaining elements of electrostatic dust (carpets, plastic floors…) and all those materials that emit toxic gases in their combustion. We must use silicate paints, water, linseed oil, rosin, natural waxes, etc…, as well as, for decorative elements, wood treatments or lucidos and plasters. In the structural elements, we will use natural cements or hydraulic lime. The use of steel should be restricted to the essential and should be conveniently derived to ground. Nowadays, structural elements of reinforced concrete such as beams, pillars and slabs are being abused, especially pre-stressed reinforced concrete joists, which contain steel with a permanent tension-torsion, when in many cases these can be replaced by Self-supporting walls, trusses, arches and vaults. On the other hand, Portland-type cement is composed of volatile ashes and steel slags that affect sustainability and health in various ways:
Optimization of natural resources
It is highly recommended to carry out a study of local resources, in such a way that we can determine the natural elements that can bring us some kind of “work” without limiting its durability, to keep in mind: Climatology
Insolation (incident solar radiation and temporality)
Geology and hydrology
Pluviometry
Dominant winds (strength, temporality and direction)
Biomass (forest mass)
Ecosystems
Throughout history, the first element of analysis for the choice of a place as a human settlement has been water. This is the primordial element that conditions the sustainability of a settlement. Today we must consider it a scarce resource. Special care will be taken with the treatment of water, its collection, its accumulation, its use, its purification, its reuse and its return to the natural environment. The capture is convenient to realize it in a horizontal mine (if possible), if not, we will have to look for the phreatic level or a vein of water. Or even channel and accumulate rainwater. Water tanks should be protected from light and heat, as well as constructed from natural materials. Its use must be responsible and austere. It is advisable to separate gray water (sinks, sinks, showers) of the black water (toilets) to be treated efficiently and to purify them in a biological way for later reuse. It will try to take advantage of sunlight (insolation) as a primary element of lighting and as a source of energy for the heating of walls and solar collectors. In the same way, electricity can be produced with photovoltaic panels. The prevailing winds, their intensity, direction and temporality will be taken into account. With this we can adopt HVAC systems based on the principle of “differential pressure in ventilation ducts and / or cooling”, as well as adopt measures to avoid possible conditions by placing biological screens. Implement elements for natural air conditioning, such as forest stands, lagoons, solar thermal sunsets, greenhouses,
Implementation of systems and equipment for savings
Use of Bioclimatic, through passive solar collection systems, controlled ventilation galleries, hydrological vegetable systems that regulate temperature and humidity. Ventilation by thermosolar sunt. Eaves properly designed. Preferably self-supporting walls that provide thermal inertia, with insulation to the outside. On ventilated facades with strong insolation, ventilated screens can be incorporated. Perennial vegetation to the North and expires, to the South, East and West. Where the weather permits, it is convenient to incorporate floodplain cover. Atomizers for saving water in the taps. Those that are used for showering must be thermostatic. Low-impact furniture equipment with ergonomic configuration, low-energy appliances with low electromagnetic and ionic emissivity, no microwave emission and gamma waves, etc… with an adequate grounding, that do not emit harmful gases and that their surrounding elements are natural. One must take into account not only the optimal arrangement of the furniture, but also its own geometric shape and contour.
Incorporation of clean production systems and equipment
After a study of the natural resources of the place and the needs to be covered, we can determine the most adequate systems to obtain the energy we need, such as:
Solar thermal energy with flat panels, concentrators or vacuum tubes to cover the needs of Sanitary Hot Water and heating support. We can also produce cold with solar, geothermal, biomass or biogas, using absorption machines. By means of solar ovens and / or parabolic concentrators we can obtain the energy necessary for the cooking of food in more than 75% of the days.
The planning of systems that consider saving is not only based on the per se saving of the installed mechanism, but also on the type of use of it. This is how a system of solar passive capture but without individual regulation per room, gives a poor use of the system. To efficiently incorporate the system, we will consider the needs of the system separately than the consumption systems, so that we can optimize energy efficiently. 3
Geothermal in those places that have some magmatic vein and / or steam coming from the subsoil, by intarcambiadores for all types of thermal treatments such as those covered by solar thermal.
Biomass from agroforestry waste for Solar-Thermal support.
Biogas from the anaerobic digesters of the WWTP for the support of the Solar-Thermal.
Photovoltaic solar energy for the production of electricity.
Hydraulics for the generation of electricity as well as those machines that require a driving force. Its use should be considered restricted to those places where its impact is minimal.
Wind exactly the same as Hydraulics. Its use should be considered restricted to those places where its impact is minimal.
Program for waste recovery and discharge treatment
Separation of waste at source, with recycling program and if possible reuse of inorganic solids and composting of organic. We must pay special attention to the purification of wastewater for its later use, eg in irrigation. In places with severe water shortages, organic dehydration systems or “dry toilets” with their subsequent composting program must be incorporated.
User’s manual for its use and maintenance
In which are detailed the actions that the user must perform and those that the professional maintainer must perform.
Some of the materials of the bioconstrucción
The bioconstruction is based on construction traditions with primary materials typical of the place to be built, such as adobe (a mixture of clays, vegetable fibers and sometimes dry excrement) or stone.
Bales of straw of cereals or grasses high as blocks, which are coated with pulps including mixtures of lime or clay to protectfrom external agents. This system, although it may seem very rudimentary, allows constructions of great resistance and acceptable habitability, with reasonable thermal and acoustic insulation, which allows a greater energy saving. There are straw bale houses standing for 150 years. There has even been a sports center with this system in Germany.
Fibers of jute, hemp and flax in agglomerates or mortars with lime, for the preparation of bricks of great strength and fire resistance, or a variety of insulating materials.
Wood and derivatives (mortars, agglomerates, etc.), both for structures and wood fiber boards for insulation
Land and clays “for the construction with tapial, BTC, cob, adobes and mixed techniques.
Recycled plastic materials, paper (especially in insulation and between façade and interior partition or dry partitions), glass, etc. The insulation with recycled and ground newspaper, also called cellulose insulation, reused bags of jute, in Central Europe has been applied for 25 years, in the USA for a century. Its application is very simple with special machines by blowing or wet projection in cavities, facades, attics, roofs or false ceilings or dry partitions.
In general, anything that emerges from the use and the idea of a low environmental and economic impact can be included within the bioconstruction.
Isolation:
of vegetable origin: cellulose, wood fiber, cork, hemp, cotton, linen, coconut fiber, jute, sisal fiber.
of animal origin: sheep wool
of mineral origin: arlite, perlite, vermiculite, clay
Construction systems:
Raw land: tapial, adobe, block of compressed earth, cob
Cooked land: cooked bricks of various kinds
With vegetable materials: straw bales, bamboo, lime and cane formwork, light wooden framework
The benefits of implementing the approach
The advantages of certification of buildings, structures and products in accordance with Green standards for investors, property owners, developers, designers and management companies:
Greater competitiveness in the promotion of its project or solution as environmentally friendly and consistent with the principles of sustainable development of the environment;
Guarantee that during the construction of the facility, technologies that are consistent with the basic principles of sustainable development of the territories were applied;
Activating the search for innovative solutions that minimize the impact on the environment;
Reducing operating costs and improving the quality of working and living environments;
Compliance with the standard, which demonstrates progress towards corporate and organizational environmental goals, gives the right to be publicly called the Green Company in the field of real estate.
In other words, certification in accordance with Green Standards and achievement of high energy efficiency indicators becomes a significant competitive advantage, which increases the profitability of the project through increased rent and cost reduction, which is highly valued by potential investors.
Advantages for the environment:
Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, debris and polluted waters;
Expansion and protection of the natural habitat and biological diversity;
Conservation of natural resources.
Advantages for health and society:
Creation of more comfortable conditions in the premises for air quality, as well as thermal and acoustic characteristics;
Reducing the level of pollution entering water, soil and air, and as a consequence, reducing the burden on urban infrastructure;
Improvement of the quality of life with the help of optimal urban planning – placement of places of employment in close proximity to residential areas and social infrastructure (schools, medical institutions, public transport, etc.).
Economic benefits:
The use of green buildings in comparison with traditional facilities is economically more profitable. So:
The energy consumption is reduced by 25%, and accordingly the cost of electricity is reduced;
Reduction of water consumption by 30% naturally leads to a significant reduction in water supply costs;
Reducing the cost of maintaining the building is achieved due to the higher quality of modern management tools, effective control and optimization of all systems;
Increased current net revenue (for example, a 3% premium on the average lease rate) and the value of property assets (for example, a 10% premium on commercial value) may result in lower financial and insurance costs;
Decrease in the number of refusals from leases and property, increase in tenants’ satisfaction, which can also lead to lower costs;
The implementation of the principles of green construction is perfectly suited to attract public attention, contributes to an early return on rental space and greater tenant loyalty;
According to socio-economic research, analysts forecast the growth of the market for green building materials by 5% annually from $ 455 billion in 2008 to $ 571 billion in 2013. Most of the world’s largest construction companies plan to conclude at least half of all their contracts for Green Buildings by 2013;
Buildings built using Green technologies contribute to the preservation of the health of people working in them, which can reduce losses from payments for health insurance;
The principles for the construction of green buildings are already in line with the expected tightening of environmental legislation related to carbon sequestration;
Constant reduction of the cost price. Most Green buildings are more expensive than conventional ones by no more than 4%, and in the near future the use of Green Technologies will be the most effective means to reduce the cost of construction. At the moment, the additional cost can be amortized during the operation of the building, and is usually compensated during the first 3 or 5 years due to a reduction in operating costs.
Many investors are already considering the construction of conventional buildings as an increase in their risks and increased responsibility.
Source from Wikipedia