Green Construction for a Greener Future
We need a way to make everything greener to help our planet remain a habitable place for us as long as possible. Although there are tons of governing standards and regulations around the world that help maintain some friendliness to the general ecosystem, we are far from that point.
One way of making a neighborhood sustainable and eco-friendly, and the entire city or town is to adhere to regulations for building green buildings. Let’s see some key points why green buildings are so important, what makes them green, and what you can do to make your home greener.
Why Are Green Buildings Important?
With the rise in the general world population becoming a little over 8 billion, there’s an enormous rise in housing demand. With the population growing each day, the occupiable space needs to expand, and the way towards green building needs to be more than paved by now.
Although not thriving in developed countries, many developing countries still lack regulations to restrict buildings with hazardous materials or other non-eco-friendly ones. So, green buildings become important because of:
- Energy efficiency: The resources used on green buildings are fewer than the ones used on regular buildings. They usually rely on renewable resources for energy consumption.
- Environmental impact: Because they’re made from eco-friendly materials and use renewable energy, they have a very low impact on the environment. Plus, some of the materials used during the building process might be recycled.
- Well-being: The quality of indoors is a priority because comfortable living should be green as well. There are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions, better natural lighting, and air quality that all improve the well-being of the occupant.
- Resilience: They should be resilient to hazardous weather conditions. If they are built in areas where there’s a higher risk of extreme weather, water scarcity, or power outages, they tend to be more resilient than regular buildings.
- Demand and value: Because people are becoming more and more aware of their environmental impact, the demand for buildings that are considered green is growing, so the future for this kind of architecture and design is very bright.
- Cost-effectiveness: When you look at the bill for building it, it’s a bit higher than anything you’re used to probably. Eco-friendly homes are up to 30% more expensive. But, the long-term expenses are cheaper than in regular buildings.
How to Make Your Home Green?
All the things that make green construction and green buildings important are the same things you should apply to your home to make it greener. There are many sustainable practices out there that just make sense:
- Making it energy efficient: Get the most energy-efficient appliances. Get the LED bulbs, and seal any air leaks that you can find using a Blower Door Test. Control the heating and cooling based on your time spent at home.
- Using renewable energy: Solar panels or wind turbines for electricity generation, and heat pumps for cooling and heating. These are the greatest solutions using renewable energy.
- Conserving water: This includes installing low-flow faucets. Rainwater harvesting systems are also a great deal to collect and store rainwater. Finally, fix any leaks that you may find.
- Adapting sustainable materials: We consider bamboo to be sustainable, but we also strongly recommend reclaimed wood and recycled glass countertops. Some certificates deem some materials green
- Improving the air quality: Don’t use paints that leave unhealthy emissions, and try to avoid using finishes of the same sort. The indoor air pollutants should be minimized as much as possible to make it a healthy living environment.
- Reducing waste: By recycling you can reduce your home’s environmental impact. You can compost and avoid using plastic. Plus, if you have old stuff that you want to get rid of, you should think about different ways to dispose of it. Think about giving it away.
Conclusion
Green construction or green buildings are important because they’re one of the steps for a brighter and more sustainable future. They are healthier and more eco-friendly than the current types of buildings. To make your home a green one, just go over these points and test it. If you see that you’re missing something, try to implement it.