Green Buildings : A Green Building Essay

Current trends of making houses sustainable and use zero-net energy will take time and research to be implemented most effectively and used on a large scale, but it is the drastic change that is needed to solve the issue. There are many different combinations and approaches to a sustainable zero energy building. In order to describe the current trends I will look at two different buildings, the ZOE building located at Discovery Park and America’s most efficient home built in Salt Lake City, Utah. I will also explain LEED certification, HERS and ENERGY STAR in order to explain how the efficiency of sustainable buildings and appliance are nationally measured.

As the trend of healthcare architecture research and design, sustainability is researched by scholars. What is more important, the theory should be tested and practiced in planning, designing and constructing. Varied strategies have been worked out by world wide designers and constructors. Modular construction and design is one of the thousands of strategies. A research done by Wu (2014) analyzed the ecological performance of modular constructions. By criteria of the LEED, charts and calculations were finished to prove sustainable performance of buildings. Also, the author summarized how modular construction works. First, designers should figure out specific rule to determine the modular decomposition. Then, each modular was designed individually by sustainable standard. At last, the modules would be combined together and test the function requirement (Wu, 2014). The author also mentioned that a green building technology modular system could be built up by combining with the theory and the characteristics of green building technology system.

According to a “go green” blog named 2B Green World Website-LEED Consultants, “buildings represent over 50% of US wealth; $800 billion is the amount of renovation and new construction in the United States, buildings account for 1/6 of the worlds freshwater withdrawals, ¼ of its wood harvest and 2/5 of its material and energy flow” (Go Green Facts 1).These figures represent the disadvantages of a world without green building. Throughout this report the focus is on LEED certification and accreditation, and the impact LEED has on several different service firms. The report begins with background information about the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED, and LEED

"Sustainable Architecture" - this phrase in recent years is mentioned a lot. The concept of "sustainable architecture" is associated, even identified with the concept of green architecture, ecological architecture, environmentally friendly, energy efficient ... to reach a stable value for the environment human life, reduce negative impacts on the environment in the present and future. However, although this interpretation is correct, but only one aspect, because that's what people are missing and need to achieve. Try to reach and understanding of sustainable architecture in general and more simple ...

Being environmentally friendly isn’t merely a trend. After thousands of years of using the earth’s resources, we have finally come to realize that we are destroying this beautiful gift we were honored with. Architects play an influential role in trying to preserve this gift by encouraging a multitude of strategies that can be more cost efficient in the long run, be more comfortable for its users, and most importantly, have a lower carbon footprint. Strategies can include drastic changes to heat and air systems, construction material selections, or even specific design details to the architecture of a building that would reduce the amount of energy it consumes.

The main aim of factor 4 is to decrease the level of materials utilization and usage of human resources to one fourth level. The Factor 4 follows a set of guidelines for comparing design options and for evaluating the performance of buildings and their component systems. Factor 4 suggests that for humanity to live sustainably today, we must rapidly reduce resource consumption to one-quarter of its current levels. Fortunately, the technology to accomplish Factor 4 reductions in resource consumption already exists and requires only public policy prioritization and implementation.

One World Trade Center (OWTC) is undoubtedly the tallest building in the western hemisphere (Bawaba, 2010). This carefully designed structure is the first building of its magnitude to aim for the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification (West, 2014). With the expertise and experience of Tishman Construction, the world’s leader in sustainable building knowledge (Bawaba, 2010). OWTC was awarded the LEED Gold v2.0 rating for multiple categories including several advanced energy and water saving technologies, lighting, materials, transportation, air quality, and people (Facility Executive , 2016). Making this work of art, the most environmentally sustainable building of its size, in the world (Contract 2010)

Wind energy is, “a renewable resource and has no fuel cost”, which helps the wind energy industry rise to prominence (American). With the low prices of wind energy, it is becoming an affordable form of electricity, although it still isn’t a main component in regards to energy production. Hydropower is the United States, “largest source of renewable electricity”; the most common type is conventional, which is typically associated with dams (Valley). Although hydropower is the most prominent green energy source in the United States, it doesn’t take away from the outrageous prices that go along with having this type of energy. Solar energy is the last main source of green energy. There isn’t as much research regarding this industry, because it isn’t as developed as the others. However, millions of dollars have been granted to try and better its development (Howell). Green buildings are structures that, “aim to reduce the negative impacts on the environment through using less natural resources to build and operate” (Dwaikat). These eco-boosting buildings incorporate each of the common types of green energy, however in some cases, they “don’t perform as predicted” (Dwaikat). In a case study over green buildings, it was found that they, “used around 160% more energy than expected”, which became a trend for the majority of the buildings (Dwaikat).

LEED, also known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, “is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design”. The building has a LEED-EB Certification. People installed high-efficiency lighting systems. The purpose was to improve its controls to reduce the building’s energy consumption. Overall the building uses less water and energy which helps them save money.

In the Book Building Green Skyscrapers by Mary Reid, the wind turbine is the best because it can be be use for two uses. To start wind turbines can power up buildings. The narrator stated “The wind spins the huge blades of a wind turbine... the turbine runs a machine called a generator. “ (Reid 5). This shows that this can save energy because all extra energy goes into the batteries for later use. Furthermore, Wind is the best type of source. The narrator stated “Wind power is one free source of clean electricity… wind does not produce harmful gases… Nobody needs to worry about running low on wind” (Reid 4). This explains that wind turbines are the best because you can always count on wind to help if you need. In conclusion, Wind Turbines

Green Buildings can help the earth in so many ways. Being certified means that you build more environmentally friendly, which means that building green friendly can reduce the negative effect buildings and operations have on the environment. Also green building greatly decreases the chances of fire, explosions, spills or splashes. Building green also reduces health problems such as allergies.

As energy and environmental awareness continues to grow, consumers are recognizing residential energy efficiency as an easy, low cost way to optimize energy use, financial resources, and occupancy comfort while reducing their environmental impacts. The Shelton Group’s Energy Pulse 2013 Report found 81% of consumers surveyed stated that energy efficiency would impact their home purchasing decision . Echoing these findings, a recent 2014 report by McGraw Hill Construction surveyed builders and found 73% of single family home builders and 68% of multifamily builders agree that customers are willing to pay more for a green home. In addition to this willingness to pay, 47% of single family builders and 59% of multifamily builders found green homes to be more marketable. This number significantly increases to 65% for firms that construct more than 30% green projects (McGraw Hill Construction, 2014) . Building certification programs, like the ENERGY STAR® Certified New Homes Program, have been created in response to the consumer demand for more comfortable and efficient buildings.

To receive an L.E.E.D certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. L.E.E.D was by the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC). Since its inception in 1998, L.E.E.D has grown to encompass more than 14,000 projects in the U.S. L.E.E.D was created because USGBC had a vision that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation, USGBC’s mission was to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. There are four certification levels for L.E.E.D construction- certified, silver, gold, and platinum that correspond to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmentally quality. L.E.E.D is a reward system that comes with certification, such as access to expert technical support; wide-ranging marketing benefits, the unbiased, transparent assurance that the project team cut no corners in the marking or updating of a Class A green

In this part, government attitude and policies are focused on, as well as advanced technologies are considered. Finally, this paper also turn to highlight the relevant field in China and what availability would suit for China, especially focus on what recommendations be suggested to local authorities in order to guide the whole society to aware the importance of green building and accelerate the development of this industry.

Green buildings generally use 50% - 75% less energy than conventional construction. therefore, in order to find solutions to environmental problems and economic plaguing the construction sector we urgently need to change traditional patterns used in the design and implementation of buildings to make them more sustainable, and this required change must begin quickly to provide indoor