Eco-friendly is a term that has already made its way into a variety of sectors.
Given that construction is a major source of global energy consumption, it’s no wonder that eco-friendly architecture has become a top priority in designing buildings and towns. So let’s check out what is eco-friendly architecture?
What is sustainable architecture?
Sustainability is defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as development that fulfills current demands without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet their own.
When applied to architecture, this complicated notion relates to design that produces healthy living conditions while minimizing negative environmental consequences, energy consumption, and human resource utilization.
The materials, construction techniques, resource consumption, and overall design of a building all contribute to its sustainability.
The design must also allow for long-term functioning throughout the building’s life cycle, including disposal. While it must be practical and visually pleasing, the space must be built with the goal of long-term efficient use of energy in mind.
Green architecture or ecological architecture are other terms for sustainable architecture. It pushes architects to create smart designs and use available technology to guarantee that constructions have the least amount of negative impact on the environment and communities.
If you are not familiar with the building industry, it may be difficult to grasp this notion; thus, an overly simplified illustration may be necessary at this point.
Consider a piece of property that you believe is in a good location for you to build your home. The issue is that there are 100 trees grown on it, all of which are the last of their kind.
If you don’t care about the environment, you’ll probably remove trees to clear the area and use all the timber to build your house, regardless of whether anybody else has the chance to utilize the same trees in the future.
This is the polar opposite of environmentally friendly design. The term “eco-friendly architecture” refers to design that considers environmental considerations.
What is the significance of sustainable architecture?
While cities continue to grow, the Earth as a whole is not becoming any bigger. This expansion has a significant environmental impact since the process of creating new habitats for our populations consumes a significant portion of our natural resources on a regular basis.
The Earth is not an endless well that can be replenished at the same rate as modernity.
Building and development account for more than 35 percent of worldwide final energy usage and approximately 40 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions, as per the UN Environment Global Status Report 2017. While these figures are lower than in 2010 due to increased environmental consciousness, there is still a considerable distance to go.
The form and look of a structure can no longer be designed in isolation. The fabric, the building services, and the controlled fittings are now all inextricably intertwined.
To be deemed sustainable development, a precise balance must now be struck between a building’s design, function, and interactions with its surroundings.
There are environmental, economic, and social benefits to incorporating sustainable design in new or existing structures.
Advantages of eco-friendly architecture
Sustainable Architecture’s Environmental Benefits include, Natural resource conservation and restoration, Waste and energy usage are both being reduced. Protection of ecosystems and biodiversity in the environment rapidly increases, as well as improved air and water quality
Sustainable Architecture’s Economic Benefits Long-term expenditures and reliance on traditional energy sources are reduced, and residents’ productivity is improved. It also increases the value of your assets and gives you a competitive advantage.
Improving residents’ living circumstances, health, and comfort, improving air and water quality, and reducing demand on local utility infrastructure are all social benefits of sustainable architecture.
How to achieve an eco-friendly design?
When discussing a new construction project, it’s easy to throw around the word “sustainability,” but proving that a building design is truly sustainable is a complicated process.
When creating a sustainable structure, a variety of elements must be taken into account, including resources, energy, materials, space planning, weather, and many more. It’s a meticulous approach that necessitates professionals that are up to date on the newest methodologies and strategies that have been demonstrated to be both productive and cost-effective.
The planning stage is really important. Architects that specialize in sustainability must develop a game plan that includes environmental awareness into all elements of the construction process from the beginning.
They must understand how to maximize the usage of novel materials and building improvements to guarantee that the ultimate product is successful.
There are voluntary sustainability standards available to assist in analyzing and comparing a building’s level of sustainable design and construction. Projects in the United Kingdom can seek BREEAM certification. This is an international method that certifies the evaluation of the sustainability performance of specific buildings, communities, and infrastructure projects by an independent third party.
This means that in order to meet the highest BREEAM sustainability criteria, a property owner must prioritize consulting with specialists who can give sustainability-related advice while designing and building a project.
To achieve the maximum degree of sustainability, consultants must be included early in the RIBA Design process to ensure that sustainability problems are addressed and integrated into the project, rather than being treated as an afterthought.
Overcoming obstacles in the implementation of sustainable architecture
Individuals, companies, communities, the market, and the environment all gain from sustainable architecture. While it is true that more nations are moving toward sustainability, the progress made so far has not been sufficient to meet the ever-increasing demand for resources.
There are, however impediments that might stymie the growth of sustainable design, one of the most significant of which is the financial cost.
While sustainable construction may save you money in the long run, many people believe that sustainable materials and procedures are significantly more expensive than traditional alternatives.
This isn’t always the case, which is why bringing in sustainability specialists early in the design process is so important.
Working with a design team that knows the complexity, needs, and problems of developing a sustainable structure will allow you to offer better established solutions that provide both the essential environmental advantages and cost-efficiency.
