All about Green Buildings: What they are and their Benefits?

With world leaders and nations striving to conserve the ailing Mother Nature, Sustainability has become an important term. It is essential to be sustainable in all activities including construction of homes.  This brings us to the topic of green buildings. Green building refers to constructing a house with the right products and techniques, such that it ensures the health of the family and the world as a whole.

What drove the development of green buildings?

To start with, we spend 90% of our time indoors. As research has it, the indoor air quality is five times lower than the one outdoors. This may seem difficult to understand, but it is a fact. It is attributable to the poor circulation and ventilation, which characterize the indoors. Hence, any harmful particles stay in the realm of the air, and the occupants inhale it.  Secondly, traditional buildings use about 39% of the entire energy consumed in the United States.  This shows that there is the need to make smarter choices to cut on the energy consumption rate.

What is green building?

Green buildings in general terms imply to a new approach to the way we construct, redesign, renovate and develop our residential areas and the surrounding community.  It ensures that the products, equipment and the techniques are not harmful to the environment and the people. It addresses the entire system rather than one element.  To achieve this, the team must work together to understand the aspects of the whole project before starting on it.  That is the planners, engineers, architects, contractors, mortgage lenders, builders and material suppliers work together to achieve a common goal.

Benefits of green buildings

The benefits of green buildings are many. They are better understood when they are divided into categories based on who is on the receiving end.

Advantages to the builders

• Reduced Warranty claims and callbacks – The entire project of green building is well thought-out. Quality is the priority of the teams handling various parts of the construction. Hence, when it is done, it passes the building codes without a problem. While the technology takes more time at the initial stage, it pays in the end.
• Low cost on materials and labor- The building technique strives to eliminate unnecessary human labor and uses as fewer materials as possible while recycling some when needs be.
• Low waste production- In green building most of the waste is recycled back into the construction.
• Quality homes- The beauty of constructing houses using green techniques is the outcome. Green buildings are of high quality and hence, more valuable than conventional structures.

Benefits to the owners and the nation

• Lowered utility bills- The design is optimized for energy efficiency and water saving
• High quality indoor air
• Reduction of greenhouse gasses emission into the air- More sustainable equipment and appliances are implemented to cut on emissions.
• Lower medical bills, since the people are living in healthier environments.

Although green buildings are yet to become popular, they are gaining grounds. If you are thinking of building your home, you should consider green building.

Author’s Bio:

Christine Rudolph is a passionate blogger who loves to write on Health and Agriculture. A true essence of how to save the ecosystem is always evident from her writings. Green and healthy environment is a wish of hers and to breathe in such an environment is a fantasy that she believe would definitely come true.

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