The construction of green buildings was always inevitable. It had to happen someday. With a major focus on ecology and green norms lately, the construction industry has adopted and excelled in the green buildings segment. Especially, countries from the developing world have surprisingly welcomed this concept with open hands. People today, across the globe are demanding and expecting healthier places to live and work. Even the Governments of various countries are committed to Green Building which happens to be a trillion-dollar industry. Lowering operating costs and enhancing health have become talking points among everyone these days regardless of the geography they are a part of. Green buildings come with both. Not only they put less stress on the pockets but even maintain the green factor by inculcating practices that are energy efficient and pure.
Factors to be taken into account during the green building construction:
So what are the factors that need to be considered while constructing a green structure? Well, one should first take into account the site selection. Always look out for options that have plenty of sunlight and good airflow. These form the base for any green construction. One also needs to look into the surrounding waterways as well as nearby farms if any.
Besides, always look forward to safeguarding endangered species. The construction should not affect their existence otherwise the entire purpose of a green building gets diluted. One should also make sure to preserve open space within the building’s area. Planting trees, miniature waterways always work as they not only look great but also help in the restoration of nature. All these practices should always be given due importance before the construction begins.
Vertical and Horizontal greenery
You may have noticed, as the name suggests Green is everywhere when it comes to a Green infrastructure. Proper green patch is maintained on the roof and these days even vertical greenery has been given a lot of push. And to be honest, it looks really impressive. Besides the fact that they not only uplift the cosmetics of the structure, the greens also help in making sure that proper circulation of fresh air takes place.
Daylight control light system
One can experience the comfort of lighting systems that detect daylight. During the day, in a green building, the sensors switch off the lights since there is enough light coming from the sun. But when the Sun sets, the lighting system immediately switches the lights on. Imagine the magnitude of operational cost which gets saved due to this activity. The use of artificial lighting during the day time gets reduced and even at times when one forgets to switch off the lights when not needed is well taken care of due to sensors.
Vegetation
One of the most crucial elements that need to be looked into is the vegetation of unpaved areas. A significant portion of the unpaved area should be dedicated to farming. What this would do is that the greens planted would absorb rainwater which otherwise goes into the drainage contributing to the flooding. The flora will bind the water together and help in keeping the green factor in check.
Rainwater Harvesting
Almost all the green buildings today tag themselves with the Rainwater harvesting system. The structure as we are well aware catches water and stores in big containers. This water is then used to water plants, flush toilets, etc. Moreover, the system is easy to maintain, reduces water bills, and is suitable for irrigation.
Zero-chemical water treatment
Selecting a proper water softener and water treatment to solve  problems such as hard water and corrosion in pipes is a very common way to acquire good quality water. However, chemical water treatment in using chlorine can be harmful to the environment, so zero-chemical water softeners installation can be an alternative used for removing the hardness in an environmentally friendly way. It definitely can be regarded as a crucial element to green building.
Solar Panels
The feature can never be overlooked as it utilizes the roof space with solar panels that continuously help in saving electricity costs and also help to reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. This attribute is common in green infrastructure and most of the regular structures that intend to adopt the green practices make it a point to have solar panels embedded in their roofs on priority.
High market value
From a commercial perspective, green structures end up having a higher market value as compared to the regular structures and why not? The techniques used in green buildings are superior and focus on long-term benefits rather than expecting short-term gains. The maintenance is always on the lower side as most of the benefits derived from the green buildings are due to renewable sources rather than the non-renewable ones.
No compromise on quality
The best part of any green structure is that the quality factor never gets compromised. With the use of renewable sources that are free from any mechanical or chemical intervention, the quality of living does achieve a different level altogether making these structures worth to go for.
Better efficiency
It has been scientifically proven that people working or living in these green structures enjoy many health benefits that in turn make them more efficient and less prone to diseases. Non-usage of any toxic substances is a major reason why people enjoy such a healthy lifestyle within the vicinity of green infrastructure.
Throughout the lifecycle of a building, what matters is its dependence on the non-renewable sources of energy. If the tilt towards using the said sources is more, the inevitable is bound to happen; an increase in the maintenance, operational cost and also depletion of the material used during the construction are some of the many challenges that the structure will face over a period of time. This is apparently not the case with the green buildings which predominantly use renewable sources and though their construction cost is on the higher side one gets to know their true value as the days and years progress. Using natural energies and utilizing them to the fullest is an art and Green buildings in no doubt have mastered it. However, with time, several new avenues within the green building scope would come up and it will depend on how efficiently and effectively the same have been incorporated to upgrade the user experience even further. Our planet in the next few years will run out of natural resources and it requires no rocket science to make up our mind to invest in green buildings if we haven’t done that already.
Green architecture has become popular over the past decade, and as climate concerns and attention to sustainability grow. Many architecture and engineering companies and others are stared adapting green building techniques in design and construction. The motivation is clear: green buildings help in saving money on energy costs, they help protect the environment, they help businesses meet their sustainability goals and it attracts potential buyers and tenants.
