Green building is a resource-efficient construction method that results in healthier buildings with fewer environmental impacts and lower maintenance costs. This sustainable construction approach takes into account the entire building life cycle, including siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.
Green building is a necessity in India to conserve resources and protect the environment from further degradation. Depletion of natural resources and rapid development have had a negative impact on the environment. Green building technologies and materials can help reduce real estate's carbon footprint.
What is a Green Building?
A green building is an environmentally sustainable structure that uses land, materials, energy, and water efficiently while costing less to maintain. A green building improves energy efficiency, saves water, and best uses recycled, recyclable, and non-toxic materials. During the construction process, as little waste as possible is generated. Green building entails methods, resources, and skills that are consistent across the construction company, with the sole goal of reducing negative environmental impact.
What are the Characteristics of Green Buildings?
Green Buildings Promote Sustainability:
Green buildings promote sustainability not only during the construction process but also during operation and maintenance. Green buildings use knowledge and expertise in wall and roof construction, waste management, rainwater harvesting, and thermal comfort to save energy and reduce environmental risks.
Green Buildings are Energy and Water-Efficient:
Energy efficiency is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a sustainable building. A green building should be energy and water-self-sufficient, utilizing renewable energy sources and rainwater harvesting. In addition to solar panels and energy-efficient lighting, the building design should make the best use of daylight and include effective ventilation and enough thermal mass to regulate internal temperatures. All of this reduces the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning, lowering the building's energy consumption.
It Connects to Nature:
Most green buildings include space for greenery to help people connect with nature. Trees can also improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide, absorbing pollution, and producing oxygen. Trees nearby can also help to keep the temperature down. Green buildings can incorporate agricultural and food-growing spaces into the building complex, such as kitchen gardens, roof gardens, or backyard gardens.
Green Buildings and Sustainability:
Green buildings use locally sourced and renewable materials such as clay, sand, stone, bamboo, and so on to reduce their carbon footprint. Waste produced during development is recycled into new materials or composted for reuse. Effective solid waste management during and after construction is essential. Even after occupancy, green buildings in India provide efficient waste management systems, such as separating wet and dry waste, to further reduce the negative environmental impact.
Advantages of an Ecological House:
Environmental Protection:
Green buildings benefit the environment, their inhabitants, and society in general. Real estate development is a major consumer of natural resources (water, energy, and raw materials) and generates a large amount of waste and pollutants. According to studies, buildings account for 40% of global energy consumption each year. Green buildings reduce the environmental impact by using fewer natural resources. Green homes reduce carbon emissions, energy consumption, and waste generation through sustainable design, construction, operation, water conservation, and toxin exposure.
Low Maintenance and Operating Costs:
Greenhouse designs are intended to conserve energy and water. Owners can thus save on their water and energy bills. Greenhouses are much less expensive to manage in the long run and throughout the building's life cycle because they use less water and energy for lighting and air conditioning.
Better Health:
People living in green buildings enjoy numerous health benefits because hazardous materials are not used in construction. Green construction companies, for example, avoid using products that emit toxic substances. As a result, indoor air quality is frequently far superior to that found in ordinary buildings.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory and lung diseases caused by poor indoor environmental quality are three of the top five causes of death. Green buildings' properties improve health and well-being. A healthy home in a green building provides natural protection against respiratory diseases. Research has also shown that people who work in green buildings are happier, healthier, and more productive than those who work in traditional buildings. Incorporating the natural environment into buildings improves residents' psychological, physical, and social well-being.
Green Building Council and Certification
When purchasing a green home, ensure that the building has been certified by one of these systems.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a widely recognized green building certification system. In India, green building rating systems include the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
Green Building Concepts in India
The green building market in India is still in its infancy, with only 5% of buildings designated as green. By 2025, India's green building market is expected to double to approximately 10 billion square feet, valued at $35 billion to $50 billion.
According to the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), India has completed 7.17 billion square feet of 'green building'. According to the report, the country has nearly 6,000 green projects and more than 5.77 lakh acres of major development projects, contributing to achieving the 75% green footprint target for buildings two years ahead of schedule.
According to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-GBC India survey, Maharashtra is the leader in green buildings in India, followed by Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
A greater understanding of green buildings and their long-term benefits will encourage green building construction.
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