Sustainable Building Projects

What are Sustainable Building Projects

• The goal of building a sustainable building is to have as little impact as possible on the natural environment and human health. Sustainable buildings use natural resources as efficiently as possible, ensure the health of people living or working in the building, and cause no environmental degradation by reducing waste and pollution. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and other related organizations help to set the guidelines for sustainable buildings and to judge whether a building is sustainable.

Features of a Sustainable Building

• LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system used to gauge a building's sustainability. There are six categories of sustainable buildings according to LEED standards. A sustainable site is one requirement and includes preventing pollution, offering access to public transportation, protecting the local environment and controlling storm water. Water Efficiency, another LEED category, includes landscaping, wastewater technologies, and reduction of water use. Energy and Atmosphere includes energy-efficient systems and renewable energy; Materials and Resources includes reusing materials, using local materials, recycling and using certified wood. Indoor Environmental Quality looks at whether the building provides clean air, access to natural daylight, and improved acoustics. Finally, in the Innovation and Design category, bonus points are awarded for innovative technologies.

Advantages

• Sustainable building projects carry economic advantages. Even though initial costs can sometimes be higher in a sustainable project, there are cost savings over the lifetime of the project. Buying materials locally also supports the economy, and building green creates jobs. An advantage of sustainable commercial and industrial buildings is employee productivity, as indoor pollution can decrease productivity and increase sick days. There are also environment benefits: Green buildings reduce air pollution and help to maintain water resources; they reduce waste and manage hazardous materials in a cleaner way.

Disadvantages

• There are also disadvantages to sustainable building projects. One problem with building green is the initial costs involved. Eco-friendly building materials are more costly than others. Builders may also have difficulties getting funding. Some lenders may be hesitant to loan money for new kinds of buildings. Finding green building materials is also more difficult in remote and rural areas than in big cities. In addition, certain locales are not suitable for certain kinds of green materials. For example, in very humid areas, you would not want to use straw bale construction.

  There may also simply not be enough time to find recycled or green materials.