A Green Approach to Construction
by Trev Verte
Humanity has advanced in stunning ways in the last 100 years from a technology perspective. The advancements, however, have come with drawbacks. Green building is an approach that seeks to address some of those drawbacks.
The difference between the average persons life in 1907 and 2007 is laughably huge. Frankly, the century has been unlike any other, but so has our consumption of resources. Only now are we starting to realize the impact on the planet.
On an indirect level, we have known about the costs of wastes for some time. While greenhouse gases are all the rage these days, we already have address our waste issues. From the ozone depletion issue to smog in our cities, the impact of our consumption has been apparent.
Such problems, however, pale in comparison to what we are seeing today. Instead of impacting small geographic areas, our entire planet seems to be at risk. The future looks threatening given global change.
As you know, there is a great debate about climate change. Many people think it is over whether climate change exists. This is incorrect. The question is the cause of the heating of the planet. As the ice caps melt, the question is whether we are the cause.
A large part of the cause seems to be the wastes created by our way of life. Confronted with this fact, finding a solution seems the answer. The problem, of course, is the answer is vague and very expensive. Small steps such as green building seem prudent.
Just what is green building? Is it some hippie concept? Nope. It is the idea of building efficient energy structures while minimizing environmental impact. This can be for housing or large building such as The Solaire in New York City.
Efficiency is about low energy control. Many green buildings filter their air through plant life. They recycle their water. They use recycled materials for building elements from newspapers for insulation to steel from demolished structures.
From a design perspective, green construction philosophy involves incorporating renewable energy platforms. These can include solar panels to provide electricity, strategic plant placement to filter air and the use of opening windows instead of air conditioning.
Given its relative infancy, green building is somewhat of a vague catch term at this time. Nonetheless, it is still a step in the right direction. It represents the idea that we both recognize our wasteful habits and are prepared to deal with them.
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