Green building overview

[M II A II R II K]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.

Green building is also sometimes known as sustainable building or environmental building, although there are slight differences in the definitions. The practice of green building can lead to benefits including reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, and reduced environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm water runoff and the heat island effect.

Green building and natural building are both sets of building techniques that aim to be more sustainable than conventional construction. However, there is a difference in degree of sustainability. In practice, green building tends to be popular with professionals in the development industry who are convinced that building more sustainably is not only necessary to lessen impact on the environment, but also makes good economic sense. Green building is increasingly governed by standards, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Natural building, on the other hand, is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally.[1]

Green Architecture

The focus of green architecture is for the project to work in harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the site, and to use materials that are sustainably grown or recycled rather than new materials from non-renewable resources.

Building materials may be sought within a 500-mile radius of the building site to minimize the use of fuel for transportation. The building itself may be oriented a particular direction to take advantage of naturally occurring features such as wind direction and angle of the sun. When possible, building materials may be gleaned from the site itself; for example, if a new structure is being constructed in a wooded area, wood from the trees which were cut to make room for the building would be re-used as part of the building itself. Taking advantage of available natural light reduces dependence on artificial (energy-using) light sources. Well-insulated windows, doors, and walls help reduce energy loss, thereby reducing energy usage. To further address energy loss hot water heat recycling is used to reduce energy usage for domestic water heating.

Low-impact building materials are used wherever feasible: for example, insulation may be made from low VOC (volatile organic compound)-emitting materials such as recycled denim, rather than the fiberglass insulation which is dangerous to breathe. To discourage insect damage, the insulation may be treated with boric acid. Organic or milk-based paints may be used.

Architectural salvage and reclaimed materials are used when appropriate as well. When older buildings are demolished, frequently any good wood is reclaimed, renewed, and sold as flooring. Many other parts are reused as well, such as doors, windows, mantels, and hardware, thus reducing the consumption of new goods. When new materials are employed, green designers look for materials that are rapidly replenished, such as bamboo, which can be harvested for commercial use after only 6 years of growth, or cork oak, in which only the outer bark is removed for use, thus preserving the tree.

Good green architecture also reduces waste, of both energy and material. During construction phase, the goal is to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing onsite solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.

To reduce the impact on wells or water treatments plants, several options exist. "Greywater", wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used to flush toilets, water lawns, and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes, and some homes use specially designed rainwater collectors to gather rainwater for all water use, including drinking water.

Green architecture often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and for reduction of rainwater run-off. Many other techniques, such as using packed gravel for parking lots instead of concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water, are used as well.

Green building is an essential component of the related concepts of sustainable design, sustainable development and general sustainability.

Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment. The appearance and style of sustainable homes and buildings can be nearly indistinguishable from their less sustainable counterparts.

[Exodus]

Check out what is going on at the Ford Rouge Plant
• Video Link

[Smoker]

Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Center is LEED Certified Gold.
Click HERE to see photos. You have to scroll down to bottom of page.
That's grass on the one roof section.

[M.K.]

Is this also a green building?

[Chi649]

Great article and pics of some of Chicago's green buildings

http://www.news.com/2300-13842_3-621...tag=ne.gall.pg

[bnk]

midwestbusiness.com

Merchandise Mart in Chicago Now World’s Largest LEED Building

Published on 12/21/2007

CHICAGO – The City of Chicago has achieved yet another green milestone as Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) has recently announced that the Merchandise Mart building in Chicago has been awarded the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED-EB) silver certification.

At 4.2 million square feet, Merchandise Mart in Chicago is the world’s largest commercial building.

In addition, it is now the world’s largest LEED-certified building as well.


“Merchandise Mart is to be congratulated for achieving LEED-EB silver certification,” said USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi in a statement. “This certification sends a message that Merchandise Mart cares about the health of the building’s users and employees.”

In order to receive LEED certification, a building must meet the highest performance standards.

It is subjected to an independent, third-party verification in the five areas of sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The awards range from certified, silver, gold or platinum depending on how well the building scores.

...


By SARA ROBERTSON
Staff Writer










http://freepages.nostalgia.rootsweb....z/chimmart.JPG







http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchandise_Mart

[jpIllInoIs]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=182739

Environmentally conscious engineering may be all the rage today, but HSBC was building "green" into the design of its Mettawa headquarters from the time construction started two years ago.

The London-based company bought the former Prospect Heights-based Household International in 2003 for about $14 billion and recently moved its North American headquarters to Mettawa.

The facility celebrated its grand opening Wednesday.

The state-of-the-art building, which eventually is to house 3,100 area employees, collects rainwater on its roof and regulates sunlight in its offices.

For all the altruistic intentions the bank may have, HSBC building managers say the new building's "green" features will pay for themselves within five years.

HSBC's European sales top $115 billion, and it is best known locally for home loans.

Brown said HSBC did not deny him any technological tool in building the new headquarters. The building has two 30,000 gallon tanks buried on the 29-acre campus, collecting rain water for toilets and other non-drinking uses.

In addition to a 7,000-square-foot workout room and a meditation room for religious employees, the building is so energy efficient that its goal is to be completely "carbon neutral."

That means some energy will be coming from wind farms in Texas, other energy will be captured from the sun. Windows adjust to the sunlight. Up to 35 percent of the building's energy comes from "sun harvesting."
Even employees are strictly environmentally regimented. All desks must be cleared of paper by evening every day. Cleaning crews work days so they don't have to use lights at night to do their work.

The cafeteria only allows workers to have reusable cups and china plates. The building is cashless, all transactions being taken via electronic cards.

Each workspace has separate baskets for refuse and recyclables. Each desk has its own adjustable ventilation from the floor.

Brown is among the workers who do not have a designated desk because up to 20 percent of HSBC employees are encouraged to take advantage of flexible hours.

HSBC's 'green' headquarters

• 100 percent of power comes from renewable or non-carbon resources

• Rainwater harvested from roof is used for toilets

• Reusable mugs. Each employee gets a mug; no paper cups allowed.

• Duplex printers print on each side

• No papers on desk. Each night desks are cleaned of paper.

[preethabiju]

http://www.keralaarthome.com/building.htm
Emphasizing the construction of buildings and monuments.