Free Custom «The Differences between Sustainable and Green Building Construction» Essay Paper

The Differences between Sustainable and Green Building Construction

Green building construction refers to an environmentally friendly style or design of building. These are the means of construction that tend to hinder or largely reduce the effect it may possess on the environment. There are different strategies involved in the green building construction. These strategies are applied in order to achieve the goals of this design of construction. The first strategy includes reduction of energy usage. This method works on reducing the total amount of energy consumed at the end of the project. Thus, much energy gets saved when this system of construction is used. The second strategy implies the conservation of water. The third strategy involves the reuse or recycling of the waste matter. With the above mentioned strategies put in place, this method of construction appears to be more reliable and cost effective as well as environmentally friendly. However, the use of green material in building and construction does not necessarily mean that the system of building is sustainable.

 

Type of service

Type of assignment

Title of your paper *

Academic level

Pages

Timeframe

Spacing

Currency

  Order now

Sustainable building construction refers to a building design or style that tends to avoid the permanent degradation of land or the environment. Moreover, it allows for the future generation to meet their wants without destruction that occurs due to the types of constructions that were used previously. Sustainable building construction involves several strategies in its processes of construction, operation and design. The application and use of green materials in building and construction poses an immense advantage in the process of building and construction.

The green building materials tend to provide several merits to the builder and his or her tenants. The merits or advantages involved prove the general importance and reliability of this building design. First, there is a great deal of energy conservation as compared to other methods of building. The method occurs as largely cost effective in the event of future changes in the design or size of space. Next, the style is more flexible to any future changes in the design. Furthermore, the use of the green building materials poses fewer risks to the health and well- being of persons occupying such buildings. In addition, the costs of maintenance and future replacements get largely reduced (Furr, 2009).

The application of green constructions and designs caught the attention of most builders and constructors. However, various reasons lie behind this profound realization and desire to use green building and construction techniques. The first reason for this includes the recent hikes in the prices of energy. There arised an immense need to apply a lesser energy- consuming method of building and construction. Eventually, this could save energy for other purposes. Other methods of building possess a large risk of global warming which leads to adverse weather conditions and changes that possess several risks on the human activities. Another reason that drew the attention of the most builders to using the green method of construction includes the fact that other methods lead to the reduction of most water supplies. This led to the extensive application of this method in order to reduce the loss of water sources. In addition, much of the water could be saved for other purposes such as domestic use. The non- green methods of building and construction lead to the reduction and depreciation of numerous oil reserves. This occurs through land degradation in the processes of retrieving building materials from the ground. Moreover, a lot of land as a resource gets wasted through degradation. Thus, in the green design of building, several significant matters are put into consideration.

Stay Connected

Live Chat Order now

First, the green design of building involves the immense use of energy sources such as geothermal, wind and solar. These energy sources provide large energy efficiency. These types of energy sources are renewable, therefore; this provides an energy conservation strategy. Secondly, the green design reduces health risks to the occupants of such buildings. This is done through the provision of an adequate ventilation system within the homes. Another way in which this method helps in reducing health risks includes the use of non- volatile organic compounds. Non- volatile organic compounds tend to hinder or avoid the emission of harmful gases within the buildings or homes.

Green building design applies the use of particular building materials that occur more sustainable. In addition, such materials possess a lower embodied energy. Furthermore, they produce a lower or reduced effect on the environment. It also aids in the appropriate utilization of water appliances. For instance, faucets and showerheads are extensively used in the arid and semi-arid settings. In addition, the grey waters get recycled while the rainwater gets stored and conserved for the non-portable building activities (Kibert, 2007).

Sustainable building and construction involves an eco-friendly method of building. It works on building with the immense reduction of permanent impacts and destructions on the environment. One of its major aims includes allowing future development of the environment without hindrances from past degradations caused by the design of construction initially used. Several laws govern the use of sustainable building design.

Sustainable building designs possess various challenges in their application in the building and construction industry. This method of construction occurs more costly than the traditional methods of building and construction. However, the consideration made when selecting a suitable method of building and design includes the future savings that come with the particular method selected. The sustainable design ensures future reductions in energy consumption. This makes the power bills relatively lower. Reduced water usage also largely makes this design of building more cost effective. In addition, while this design is more costly than other methods, some of the materials used in the process are less costly.

There is an extensive application of natural ventilation method in sustainable building design. These involve the cooling and heating systems in the homes. For instance, there exist the passive solar design and windows that offer efficient ventilation in homes. The design also fits most budgets since it involves the use of renewable sources of energy. These include wind turbines, solar energy and heat pumps sourced from the ground. All these sources of energy pose less harm to the environment. Hence, they turn out to be environmentally friendly methods (Kronenberg, 2010).

There is a management of water sources with the sustainable design. Moreover, waste matter is recycled for use in the construction processes.

In conclusion, these two building designs possess numerous similarities in the sense that they are environmentally friendly. Their application ensures that the design of construction does not affect the future generations. In addition, both methods tend to use renewable energy sources in the exercise of construction. They both exclude artificial ventilation especially in the sustainable design.

These methods of building and construction also apply renewable sources of energy in the installation processes. These include geothermal, wind and solar energy. Apart from being a renewable energy sources, they appear more cost effective and reliable over a period.

Avoiding land degradation is another factor of consideration when using these methods. These methods help in reducing the destructions that may occur due to building and construction activities. They tend to reduce the depletion of oil deposits and water sources. In addition, these methods work on the reduction of global warming. Thus, the occurrences of future adverse weather changes are largely evaded.