How to Make Buildings Environment Friendly

16.03.2018

Environmental protection and sustainability are now priorities of both the government and private sector. In fact, Sustainable Sydney 2030 prioritises the following areas:

Low-carbon
Water sensitive
Climate resilient
Zero waste
Active and connected
Green and cool

To achieve a truly sustainable city, we must embrace the green principles starting from the design, construction, use and maintenance of buildings (residential, commercial, industrial and government). A single approach is not sufficient to realise that vision. Often, dozens (or even hundreds) of eco-friendly practices should be applied to maximise results.

Sustainable building design

It starts with creating a design that supports environmental sustainability in the first place. This could be accomplished by making a design that best makes use of the existing natural advantages such as sunlight.

More and more buildings now are designed to allow the maximum amount of light from the sun to enter the establishment. This is to minimise the reliance on artificial lighting and an added benefit of better health for the building’s occupants.

Another objective in sustainable building design is the use of eco-friendly materials. In addition, hazardous materials and products should be properly handled from installation and removal up to disposal.

Minimise environmental impact during construction

Many construction activities (e.g. excavations, tree removals) may contribute to environmental degradation and introduction of hazards to the ecosystem and human society.

That’s why new environmental laws and regulations were already being implemented to protect nature. This often requires minimising the environmental impact of construction activities. This also includes prompt and appropriate action on possible spills and contamination.

Energy efficiency & use of solar power

Energy consumption has a huge effect on the building’s long-term costs. In addition, high energy consumption may be directly related to combustion of more fossil fuels and building more power plants to sustain our modern lifestyle.

That’s why engineers implement energy-efficient systems in buildings and place special emphasis on heating, ventilation and air conditioning. They also encourage the use of solar power for sustainability.