Green Building Principles - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Resources

Commercially available, cost-effective energy technologies could reduce overall energy consumption and implement strategies such as proper siting and airtight construction, as well as installing energy-efficient equipment and appliances and renewable energy systems. Such technologies can reduce the amount of energy your building needs to operate and to keep its occupants comfortable.

Environmental Impact

The built environment has had a tremendous impact on the environment. However, your building can interact more positively with the environment if you pay special attention to preserving the site’s integrity and natural characteristics, landscaping appropriately, and selecting materials that have lower embodied energy and those that are produced locally.

Resource Conservation

Conserving resources is a cornerstone of green building techniques. There are many ways to conserve resources during the building process. For example, selecting materials that have at least some recycled content can conserve natural resources and virgin materials. Minimizing construction waste can ease the impact on landfills and resources. Installing water- and energy-efficient products can conserve resources while reducing operating costs. Choosing a green (plant-covered) roof can reduce energy use, cool urban heat islands, and prevent stormwater runoff, as well as contributing to wildlife habitat and air quality.

Indoor Air Quality

Energy-efficient buildings are more airtight and therefore hold greater potential for indoor air quality problems, especially if not properly ventilated. Building products can contribute to poor air quality, but these potential problems can be reduced by selecting materials lower in chemicals and toxins, and installing mechanical ventilation systems to ensure an adequate fresh air supply.

Community Issues

Placing green building projects within easy access of public transportation, medical facilities, shopping areas, and recreational facilities decreases the need for automobiles and encourages bicycling and walking. In addition, successful green buildings blend into the community, preserving natural and historical characteristics, and will utilize existing infrastructure in order to reduce sprawl. Co housing represents one approach
to creating a community of green buildings.

What Makes a Building Green?

Summarising the above criteria, broadly, what is intended is :

• Minimum disturbance to site conditions
• Use of Recycled & Environmental Friendly Building Material
• Use of Non-Toxic and recycled/recyclable Materials
• Efficient use of Water and Water Recycling
• Use of Energy Efficient and Eco-Friendly Equipment
• Use of Renewable Energy
• Indoor Air Quality for Human Safety and Comfort
• Effective Controls and Building Management Systems

What Are the Economic Benefits of Green Buildings?

A green building may cost more up front, but saves through lower operating costs over the life of the building. The green building approach applies a project life cycle cost analysis for determining the appropriate up-front expenditure. This analytical method calculates costs over the useful life of the asset. These and other cost savings can only be fully realized when they are incorporated at the project’s conceptual design phase with the assistance of an integrated team of professionals. The integrated systems approach ensures that the building is designed as one system rather than a collection of stand-alone systems.

Some benefits, such as improving occupant health, comfort, productivity, reducing pollution and landfill waste are not easily quantified. Consequently, they are not adequately considered in cost analysis. For this reason, consider setting aside a small portion of the building budget to cover differential costs associated with less tangible green building benefits or to cover the cost of researching and analyzing green building options. Even with a tight budget, many green building measures can be incorporated with minimal or zero increased up-front costs and they can yield enormous savings.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS - The urgent Challenge of energy efficiency

Buildings are responsible for at least 40% of energy use in most countries. The absolute figure is rising fast, as construction booms, especially in countries such as UAE, China and India. It is essential to act now, because buildings can make a major contribution to tackling climate change and energy use.

Progress can begin immediately because knowledge and technology exist today to slash the energy buildings use, while at the same time improving levels of comfort. Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development (MECSD will encourage interdependence by adopting holistic, integrated approaches among the stakeholders that assure a shared responsibility and accountability toward improved energy performance in buildings and their communities, making energy more valued by those involved in the development, operation and use of buildings and transforming behavior by educating and motivating the professionals involved in building transactions to alter their course toward improved energy efficiency in buildings.