Originally developed in United Sates by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), is a voluntary system for defining what makes a building green. Green buildings efficiently use resources such as water, land, materials and energy.
The influence of building green and LEED can now be seen in all industries.
“LEED certification will provide challenges to the industry including the need to ensure an understanding of a new generation of materials properties and developing the practices and processes needed to ensure specifications and finished products meet the standards of green building. I am especially exited to be part of this process and in making a contribution towards shaping new building technologies." Ken Moscrip, President of Paramount Roll and Forming - one of Southern California’s most prominent metal rolling companies.
Consisting of a clear set of environmental performance criteria organized into six categories, the Canadian version of LEED, which is very similar to the USGBC version, is listed below:
Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy and Atmosphere
Materials & Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation in Design
“Building Green is not a new thing it is the right thing, and we always strive to use the most environmentally neutral building practices and materials. However, construction debris is always an issue, by ordering what we need and using it when we need it, it has helped us to divert as much as possible from the local landfill. There are tradeoffs which we all must take, however protection of our future and wise stewardship of our planet must be one of our utmost priorities." Justin Linden, President of ServiceBlocks Inc - a home renovations company in Ottawa, Canada.
Benefits of Building Green
Sustainable buildings considerably lower operating and maintenance costs, and these financial benefits are realized over the life of the building:
Reduced energy costs
Reduced water usage
Reduction in resource consumption
Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
For the construction industry, building green will continue to grow in importance, whether it is because of consumer demand, regulatory requirements, or the cost of energy.
“The LEED process guides designers and builders to make technically superior decisions in a manner that is environmentally responsible. By embracing this process, they are showing commitment to their clients, their profession and the world community at large. It allows them to provide the best design solution for both the owner and the environment." Vipul Acharya, Durisol Building Systems Inc., a leader in ICF green building materials.
For further information on LEED certification contact:
In Canada - Canada Green Building Council www.cagbc.org
In United States - U.S. Green Building Council www.usgbc.org
Given the new emphasis placed on environmental issues, sustainable design is becoming increasingly important. LEED is at the forefront of the environmental industry, and can also be used as an excellent marketing tool. LEED can easily be incorporated into the environmental design of buildings themselves, from residential and commercial industry right down to industrial practices.
The best way to demonstrate that a building is “green" is by achieving LEED certification.
Sustainable Construction Green Building
Sustainability is a significant issue of our times. Considering the social as well as the environmental benefits resulting from sustainable development, it is a no-brainer to direct all concerted efforts towards this notable cause. Sustainability can be defined as the ability to fulfill today's needs without affecting the ability to fulfill tomorrow's needs.
Sustainable development is recently being actively pursued by several developers and planners; the following are the primary factors that have contributed to its relevance, awareness and prominence:
? Some countries have made it a legal requirement and included sustainable development in the regional and local policies.
? Agencies are setting standards for sustainable development and are making efforts to promote it.
? The UK government has included sustainable development in its policy among other environmental issues like carbon dioxide emission reduction.
The UK government has made some remarkable progress in light of the recent trend towards sustainable development. It has defined a set of indicators that measure the quality of life; these include social, economic and environmental issues. The ratings on these indicators help measure how well a project is faring on the sustainable development scale.
Sustainable development is not an option for high-profile projects alone; efforts are being made to make it increasingly more feasible for all project types and budgets. Sustainable development includes the use of sustainable materials, resources, and design which includes the location, orientation, structure, systems, construction, use and also the eventual disposal of waste. All these elements are significant and in order for sustainable development to initiate and flourish, all or at least a few should be sustainable.
Sustainability does not indicate that the elements should simply have the ?recyclable? label. Each person involved at every step of the process should work to ensure that the recyclable products actually get recycled.
Design of a project is the chief consideration that establishes whether a project will really meet the sustainable development requirements. The various decisions involved throughout this comprehensive and cumbersome process will determine the quality of products and resources that will be available to the project team. As we are still early in the course of sustainable development, an approach of trying and learning from the results is needed to arrive at the ?perfect? combination for a sustainable development project. The following are among the various considerations for sustainability:
? Resource extraction and depletion
? Land use
? Waste disposal
? Contamination of ground water and surface water
? Global warming
? Pollution of air, water, noise etc.
? Economic development
? Impact on communities
? Environmental degradation
? Habitat destruction
Our current method of construction and approaching a development project is taking a toll on the environment. To name a few impacts:
? Extraction of required materials consumes the rapidly-depleting non-renewable resources
? Waste generated is disposed into the sea or landfills
? Resulting pollution affects the atmosphere and the quality of life
? Waste of energy due to poor construction and rapid failing designs
The major factor that drives people towards or away from a sustainable development project is the cost. In an attempt to compete and win a contract, builders offer extremely low prices. This strategy, however, has some very adverse affects and, if not checked immediately, can lead to extremely harsh consequences for the environment and for the people.
Solutions to this problem have been ascertained and the implementation of these solutions requires a strong will and a commitment to improve the conditions and thereby, make a difference in the world. Although the economic cost of alternatives to sustainable development is low, the costs to the environment and the people are much higher. These costs include a reduced quality of life, dangerous health impacts, polluted air and many more. The sooner we realize the relevance of sustainable development, the better we will be at taking steps to flip the situation in our favor. Either we choose to get away with the monetary costs and pay the environmental costs or we learn to take responsibility and consequently, pay the economic costs for a better and healthier environment. Soon, the costs shall disappear into a better and healthier quality of life.
Another way to look at the costs might provide the required motivation to commit oneself to this approach. The economic costs that seem additional at present will transform into nothing. In a matter of a couple years, sustainable development will be the norm and the way of life and at this time, the owners of sustainable projects will be enjoying the edge. The extra costs will become savings then. Realizing the potential and benefits of sustainable development is an asset in itself and those who act intelligently on the available information will benefit.
The sustainable development solution is a choice at the moment but soon enough, this choice will turn into a mandatory obligation. And perhaps, then might be too late to reverse the damage that has been done and to correct the actions. We should take responsibility for our actions and should follow the sustainable development approach as this is a decision we will be proud of. Acquiring this approach is not just the rightful decision that will prove rewarding for ourselves but it is also the selfish decision. In no time, sustainable development will become the required standard for urban, suburban, residential as well as commercial development.
Both Corey Rozon & Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga And Yolanda Bishop are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Corey Rozon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Trucks, Cars and Recreation and Sports. ABOUT THE WRITERSDavid Leonhardt and Corey Rozon are freelance writers from Ottawa, Canada.Special thanks goes to: Service Blocks, specializing in
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