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♤ Buildings are one of the major pollutants that affect urban air quality and contribute to climate change.
♤ Human Habitats (Buildings) interact with the environment in various ways. Throughout their life cycles, from construction to operation and then demolition, they consume resources in the form of energy, water,
materials, etc. and emit wastes either directly in the form of municipal wastes or indirectly as emissions from electricity generation.
♤ Green building is the essence of which would be to address all the pollution related issues of a building in an integrated and scientific manner.
♤ A green building depletes as little of the natural resources during its construction and operation.
♤ The aim of a green building design is to:
♤ Minimize the demand on non-renewable resources and maximize the utilization efficiency of these resources when in use, and
♤ Maximize reuse and recycling of available resources
♤ Utilization of renewable resources.
♤ It costs a little more to design and construct a green building.
♤ However, it costs less to operate a green building that has tremendous environmental benefits and provides a better place for the occupants to live and work in.
♤ It maximizes the use of efficient building materials and construction practices; optimizes the use of on- site sources and sinks by bio-climatic architectural practices; uses minimum energy to power itself; uses efficient equipment to meet its lighting, air-conditioning, and other needs; maximizes the use of renewable sources of energy; uses efficient waste and water management practices; and provides comfortable and hygienic indoor working conditions.
♤ It is evolved through a design process that requires all concerned (the architect and landscape designer and the air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and energy consultants) to work as a team to address all aspects of building and system planning, design, construction, and operation.
♤ They critically evaluate the impacts of each design decision on the environment and arrive at viable design solutions to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts on the environment.
♤ In sum, the following aspects of the building design are looked into in an integrated way in a green building:
♤ Building system designed in a way to efficiently use HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning), lighting, electrical, and water heating.
♤ Integration of renewable energy sources to generate energy onsite.
Do you know?
The 42nd Amendment to the constitution brought about in the year 1974 inserted two new Articles namely.
Art. 48-A under Directive principles of State Policy, making it the responsibility of the State Government to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country
Art. 51-A (g) under Fundamental duties of citizens; making it the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures
♤ Selection of ecologically sustainable materials (with high recycled content, rapidly renewable resources with low emission potential, etc.) for Water and waste management.
♤ Indoor environmental quality (maintains indoor thermal and visual comfort and air quality)