Efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Strategically placed windows to maximize natural light. Around the world, there is a strong shift towards “ecological thinking”, which is evidenced by ongoing environmental initiatives, programs and regulations. Now, the growing interest in energy savings, space efficiency and waste reduction has placed sustainable building design at the forefront of the industrial, commercial and residential construction industries.
Today's manufacturers, companies and even homeowners are realizing the need to reduce their impact on the environment, both today and throughout the life cycle of a building or home. These current programs and standards are just a few examples of efforts to improve the environment and, without a doubt, several other initiatives on the horizon will lead companies and individuals to further examine innovative products that optimize the design of sustainable buildings. One of the buzzwords that has emerged from the new global environmental initiative is “sustainability” and, although many promote it, few truly understand what it means. In the context of building design, sustainability seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by improving efficiency and moderation in the use of energy, space and materials.
In short, sustainable building design involves saving energy, using space efficiently, and reducing waste throughout the life cycle of a building. In addition to reducing the impact on the environment and reducing costs throughout the life cycle of a building, sustainable building design also improves worker productivity and job satisfaction thanks to healthier work environments. A recent North American study revealed that brighter office conditions increased performance by more than 10%. Studies show that LEED-certified buildings have significantly fewer lost workdays among employees and lower employee turnover.
In fact, a California-based company experienced a 40% drop in absenteeism after implementing skylights and lighting controls. Sustainable buildings are also estimated to generate higher rental rates, lower vacancy rates and higher market values compared to conventional buildings. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 30% of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. This provides building owners and managers with an enormous opportunity to save operating costs through sustainable building designs.
HEADQUARTERS 1800 Route 34, Suite 209, Wall, NJ 07719. Sustainable architecture takes into account a couple of essential elements, such as biomass, natural ventilation, sunlight, shade and orientation. Building owners face unique challenges in meeting the growing demand for new or renovated sustainable building designs that are balanced with safe and productive environments. The slight increase in initial construction has no consequences if one takes into account the fact that a sustainable building normally achieves a positive return on investment in the first two years and ultimately offers a significantly reduced operating cost throughout the building's life cycle. .
While the definition of sustainable building design is constantly changing, the National Institute of Building Science defines six fundamental principles. The sustainable facilities tool is a comprehensive online resource to support decision-making on sustainable building principles, materials and systems. Architectural cladding systems can be made of several products, such as glass and stone, that are durable and resilient, while providing architects with flexibility in design. The construction of unsafe buildings can result in loss of life, so it is imperative that architects design less risky and safe buildings.
When it comes to sustainable architecture, it focuses on designing buildings with a limited impact on the environment, energy efficient and comfortable. Buildings consume energy even when they are not occupied, so optimizing energy control is a fundamental component of sustainability. Building for sustainability was once considered extremely expensive, but recent technological advances and increased demand have resulted in a decrease in initial construction costs associated with “sustainability.”. We have been taught that a sustainable building must have a long lifespan, little maintenance and require little energy to operate; however, it's not just about the amount of energy buildings use, reducing solid waste and recycling are also important.
According to recent research, the cost of building a sustainable building with LEED certification is associated with an increase of approximately 1% in start-up costs in the lower range and an increase of 11.5% in the upper range. .
