Designing a sustainable future-Green Buildings,benefits of green buildings, understanding Green economy --My inquiry for LOI 4-

Sustainability is important for many reasons including Environmental Quality – In order to have healthy communities, we need clean air, natural resources, and a nontoxic environment. 

 Sustainable construction means using recyclable and renewable materials in building projects and minimizing energy consumption and waste production. 

The primary goal of the sustainable construction method is to reduce its impact on our environment.

Sustainable construction does not end after the completion of the building project, the design of the building itself should have a minimal impact on the environment over the structure's lifespan. It means that the design of the building should incorporate elements and materials that have a continuous influence on the structure's environmental impact.

These can include energy-efficient roof hatches on the rooftop, solar panels, appropriate insulation to prevent heat loss, and minimizing energy consumption from the grid that mostly comes from fossil fuels and long lifespan building materials. 

Why is sustainability important in architecture?

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. 

The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

10 Benefits of Green Building

• Improved Indoor Environment: Quality of Life.
• Saving Water: Reduce, Reuse, Replenish.
• Enhanced Health: Eco-Friendly For Life.
• Reducing The Strain: Shared Resources, Increased Efficiency.
• Reduced Operational Cost and Maintenance: Traditional vs.Green
• Energy-Efficient: Non-Renewable vs Renewable

• Carbon Footprint Reduction: Saving The Planet One Step At A Time

• Keep It Clean: Protecting Our Ecosystem

  Global warming has been a growing concern for a number of years, and it’s no wonder – our planet has seen a drastic depletion of our natural resources, while pollution and the consequent climate-change is at an all-time high. Sustainable architecture is not only energy-efficient and healthier for its inhabitants, but it also benefits the planet. By reducing our reliance on non-renewable resources (fossil fuels such as coal and oil), green architecture can actually promote and maintain a cleaner environment.

• Efficient & Sustainable Material: Minimal Use For Maximum Impact-Sustainable architects, engineers, and green designers are tapping into existing resources to reduce carbon footprints and save natural resources. By implementing sustainable strategies into the design process, like reducing waste, preserving natural resources (such as water and wood), protecting our air supply, and limiting energy use, green building companies can create extremely efficient structures that can withstand the test of time.

• Durability For The Green Homeowner: Built To Last

  For educated homeowners, going green is a no-brainer: from energy and water savings and improved air quality to overall durability, sustainable materials have been proven time and time again to last longer. 

 What is the difference between ESG and sustainability

ESG means using Environmental, Social and Governance factors to evaluate companies and countries on how far advanced they are with sustainability. Once enough data has been acquired on these three metrics, they can be integrated into the investment process when deciding what equities or bonds to buy.

Is ESG and CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility) the same?

Whilst ESG and CSR are both concerned with a company's impact on society and the environment, the major difference between them is that CSR is a business model used by individual companies, but ESG is a criteria that investors use to assess a company and determine if they are worth investing in.

Why is sustainable construction important?

From energy usage to emissions, the construction industry has a huge impact on the environment.
Aside from the potential for building over wild habitats, the construction industry's energy use is high. The heavy machinery used in construction still leans heavily on fossil fuels, and even inefficient electricity use can result in the unnecessary burning of fossil fuels further down the energy supply line. In fact, the construction industry accounts for an incredible 36% of worldwide energy usage, and 40% of CO2 emissions.

What counts as a green building?

A 'green' building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment.

There are a number of features which can make a building ‘green’. 

These include: 

• Efficient use of energy, water and other resources
• Use of renewable energy, such as solar energy
• Pollution and waste reduction measures, and the enabling of re-use and recycling
• Good indoor environmental air quality
• Use of materials that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable
• Consideration of the environment in design, construction and operation
• Consideration of the quality of life of occupants in design, construction and operation
• A design that enables adaptation to a changing environment

Any building can be a green building, whether it’s a home, an office, a school, a hospital, a community centre, or any other type of structure, provided it includes the features listed above.

What is meant by a green economy?

A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
In simple words, A green economy is defined as low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.
The term green economy was first coined in a pioneering 1989 report for the Government of the United Kingdom by a group of leading environmental economists, entitled Blueprint for a Green Economy (Pearce, Markandya and Barbier, 1989).
The six key sectors are
 agriculture, fisheries, forests, manufacturing, renewable energy and tourism.
A green economy facilitates sustainable development. It is resource and energy-efficient. This economy creates decent work and green jobs. It respects planetary boundaries or ecological limits or scarcity.

How do you make a green economy?

A transition to a green economy involves expanding green production and markets; reducing depletion of natural resources and degradation of ecosystems caused by economic activity; and increasing reliance on low-carbon energy supply to mitigate climate change.

Bibliography

https://www.construction21.org/articles/h/what-is-sustainable-construction.html

https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/design-excellence/sustainability/sustainable-design

https://newschoolarch.edu/blog/10-benefits-of-green-building/

https://www.robeco.com/en/key-strengths/sustainable-investing/glossary/esg-definition.html

https://www.businessleader.co.uk/what-is-the-difference-between-esg-and-csr/

https://www.worldgbc.org/what-green-building#:~:text=A%20'green'%20building%20is%20a,our%20climate%20and%20natural%20environment.

http://designkmg.weebly.com/green-design.html

https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/europes-environment-aoa/chapter3.xhtml

https://www.sociologygroup.com/green-economy/

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1446