What Is Green Building Design?

Posted under environment by Jerry Dyess

While green building is a popular subject matter, it can be difficult to know what it involves, what characteristics make a building green, and how engineers and architects are continuing to improve the state of the art and lessen environmental impact. Here are some of the most important characteristics of green building, and the methods used to achieve these goals.

Energy efficiency is one of the biggest parts of going green. In order to be environmentally friendly, a building not only has to use sustainably produced, recyclable materials. It needs to not waste energy over the course of its existence. The bulk of a building’s environmental load comes from the energy it uses, after all. Not everyone agrees on what makes a building energy efficient, however. That’s why there needs to be more to a green building than just the label - you need to do your research to determine whether or not a building is truly environmentally friendly.

For many kinds of buildings, energy performance can be rated on a scale of one to a hundred. This allows the buildings to be compared to similar ones. If a building rates more than seventy-five on this scale, it may qualify for the EPA’s Energy Star rating, just like more familiar Energy Star rated appliances. Builders who would like to get this rating on buildings that are in the process of being built can use the EPA’s Target Finder to establish a target for their project’s energy performance. This Target Finder can also be used for building renovations meant to improve a structure’s energy efficiency.

All that needs to be done is for the designers to enter the estimated energy consumption to generate a performance rating on the system. Excellent examples of green design are eligible for special recognition by the EPA.

Green building requires sound policy for consistent results. By using simple, standardized metrics throughout a building’s design, designers can create processes that consistently meet not just local code, but more aggressive energy targets which result in greener outcomes.

Evaluation during the process is also key. By checking on progress, designers create valuable feedback loops that help ensure green outcomes. Evaluations should ensure that the structure conserves water and energy, is using environmentally friendly materials and methods, and does so in a way that does not needlessly waste money over time.

Green building is an interesting, but complex area. Taking the time to understand how to accomplish this is an important step for any designer, architect, or engineer. If you’re interested in green buildings, be sure to find out more about them.

About the author: Jerry Dyess has been in the Commercial Energy business for the past 7 years. Get more information on Business Electric rates.

categories: green energy,building,design,engineering,environment