Green Building

Green building  Is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible  Designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by  Efficiently using energy, water and other resources  Protecting occupant health and improving productivity  Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

 Green building incorporates  “green” materials (recycled, reused or made from renewable resources)  Healthy indoor environments  Landscaping that reduced water usage

Criteria 1.Resource Efficiency- products must be identifiable recycled content, come from natural, plentiful or renewable materials 2.Indoor Air Quality- enhanced by using low or non-toxic materials 3.Energy Efficient- materials, components and systems in building help reduce energy consumption

4. Water Conservation- products that help reduce water consumption in the building and conserve water in landscaped areas - use native plants in landscaping 5. Affordability

Environmental Benefits  Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems  Improve air and water quality  Reduce waste streams  Conserve and restore natural resources

Economic Benefits  Reduce operating costs  Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services  Improve occupant productivity  Optimize life-cycle economic performance

Social Benefits  Enhance occupant comfort and health  Heighten aesthetic qualities  Minimize strain on local infrastructure  Improve overall quality of life

Materials  Wood  Must be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council  Engineered wood uses wood scraps and small trees to create strong framing  Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)  Foam insulation sandwiched between two boards  Creates good insulation- why is this important?

 Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF)  Similar to Lego's made from Styrofoam stacked together then covered in concrete  Straw bale  Premade bales of straw stacked together and covered with insulation or adobe  Creates great insulation and very fire resistant  Earthen structures  Adobe, dirt, clay and other naturally occurring materials  Durable and well insulated

Straw bales homes

Dome Homes Energy efficient Hurricane Resistant Can withstand heavy snowfall

Passive Solar Homes Thermal Mass absorbs the heat and then releases it back onto the air when the temperature drops at night

Other Materials  Insulation and roofing materials are also taken into consideration when designing a green building  Insulation- cellulose, cotton, used newspaper  Roofing- steel, slate, composites (recycled materials)

Landscaping  Sustainable landscaping uses native species and water conservation methods  Grey Water Systems- using sink and shower water drained into a filtration system which can be used to water your yard and garden (not suitable for consumption)  Native plants are adapted to survive in their natural habitats and require little watering from the hose or fertilizers

Grey Water System  Rain Barrel – catches downspout water from gutters which can be used to water lawn and gardens (not for consumption)

Urban Heat Islands  A metropolitan area that is significantly warmer that the surrounding rural areas  NYC is 5-7° warmer than surrounding areas  This phenomenon is due to the metal buildings and asphalt which absorb a lot of heat during the day and release it at night  The warmer temperatures increase the use of fans and air conditioners, causing a spike in energy usage which can lead to large scales power outages

On May 11-12, 1997, NASA used a specially outfitted Lear Jet to collect thermal data on metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Nicknamed “Hot-Lanta” by some of its residents, the city saw daytime air temperatures of only about 26.7 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) on those days, but some of its surface temperatures soared to 47.8 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). In this image, blue shows cool temperatures and red shows warm temperatures. Pockets of especially hot temperatures appear in white. (Image courtesy NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio.)

Green Roofs  A roof of a building is partially or completely covered in vegetation  AKA Living Roofs  These can offset the Urban Heat Island phenomenon

Benefits Environmental  Reduce heating and cooling costs  Reduces storm water runoff  Natural habitat creation  Filter pollutants and CO 2  Increases agricultural space Financial  Increase the lifespan of the roof  Increase real estate value Social  Provides outdoor areas for employees and individuals  Access to the natural world (especially in an urban area)

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Summarizing Questions 1.What is a green building? 2.How do green roofs offset urban heat island effects? 3.Would you ever incorporate green building ideas into your own home? Why or why not?