Green Buildings are Building a Better, Healthier World

Green building design has become an integral factor in contemporary architecture. As our society has incorporated the concept of sustainability into our everyday lives, we have come to expect our buildings to do the same. Green buildings are winning fans everywhere because they are constructed upon a foundation that includes energy conservation, lower maintenance costs, greater flexibility in design, less expense in configuring space, and improved health and productivity for the occupants of the building. By considering its effect on the planet and the people, a green building is able to build a better community.

Why Green Buildings Are Making A Difference

In the past, when the environmental movement got underway, buildings were not a primary factor in the philosophy of adopting a greener lifestyle. But, as we began to realize that the use of nonrenewable resources was having a negative effect on our environment, we started to explore our ecological options. A 1995 study by Roodman and Lenssen revealed that three billion tons of raw materials are used annually for building and construction activities all over the world; that amounts to 40% of total global usage. Statistics like that led everyone to realize that when we’re trying to save the planet from the harm that human activity causes, we can no longer leave buildings out of the solution.

What Are Green Building Materials?

Green building materials are environmentally responsible; that’s why they’re made of renewable resources. Green building materials take into consideration the extraction, transport, processing, fabrication, installation, reuse, recycling, and disposal of the products that are used in the construction. Instead of designing and constructing a structure that disregards its own potentially massive carbon footprint, green building materials are selected on the basis of specific criteria.

Resource And Energy Efficiency Are Green Building Trademarks

Resource efficiency relies upon the usage of recycled content, natural and renewable materials, products that are manufactured with resource-efficient processes, materials and components that are available locally, products that have been salvaged or refurbished, and packaging materials that are reusable and recyclable. The energy efficiency comes into play by maximizing the use of materials, components, and systems that aid in the reduction of energy consumption in buildings.

Other Key Factors In Green Building Materials

• Indoor Air Quality
  Indoor Air Quality or IAQ can be enhanced with the usage of materials that emit minimal or no carcinogens or chemical emissions. These materials are installed with minimal VOC-producing compounds. They’re moisture resistant. Materials that use non-toxic cleaning materials are the ones that promote healthy IAQ.
• Affordability
  The green building material bandwagon also promotes affordability in the products that used, as part of the overall economic health of our society and our planet.
• Conservation of Water
  We shouldn’t take water for granted. Countries which are dealing with droughts know this, and the rest of us need to take it to heart. By using products that help reduce the consumption of water, we are conserving one of our most vital natural resources.

Making the world a better, healthier place, one building at a time, is part of our company’s motto: Global Vision, Local Focus.