Building ‘green’
Description
More than one-third of energy is consumed in buildings worldwide, accounting for about 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In cities, buildings can account for up to 80 percent of CO2 emissions. The built environment is therefore a critical part of the climate change problem. A sustainable building, or green building is an outcome of a design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal. Due to the increased emphasis on climate change abd corporate responsibility the number of green buildings is on the rise. Many countries have developed their own standards for green building or energy efficiency for buildings, such as the LEED rating in the US or the BREEAM in the Netherlands.
Enablers
- Corporate responsibility
- Green building rating systems
- Increased energy prices
- Legislation
Inhibitors
- Building cost
- Economic decline
Paradigms
Making a building green increases the cost for the build and is therefore often neglected. On the other hand, the green design will reduce the energy used and therefore lowers operating cost of the buildings. Many green features are currently cost effectives Future energy prices and legislation will determine the extend in which green buildings will be a standard.
Experts
- Architects
- Environmentalists