Sustainable Building

What is a Sustainable Building

The question that needs to be addressed first is "what is sustainable living?" The answer to that question greatly depends on the one explaining as there are various schools of thought on the answer to that question.  In a broader aspect sustainable living means continue living here on planet earth without further hurting and depleting its natural resources.  It is living your life to the fullest, having a lifestyle that is fulfilling and satisfying with you being accountable to mother earth and all that pertains and thrive on her surface, under and over.

Sustainable living is living more simply. This is not saying that you go leave your present life and go backpacking and live in a commune. With regards to this aspect, what then is a sustainable building? Let's start with a lesser edifice. What is a sustainable house or home then?

Sustainable building or green building is the product of a design philosophy that focuses on emphasizing the efficiency of energy, water and building materials while at the same time reducing if not totally eliminating their harmful effects and impact on human lives, health and the environment. A green or sustainable building should be designed, operated and maintained in accordance to the following guidelines.

You might think that a humble DIY wannabe has nothing to give in order to contribute to maintaining if not building a sustainable home. On the contrary. You have the ability and the responsibility to contribute to sustainable living by making sure that your home is a green homes. What can you do then? Short of getting a green architect and having him redesign or rebuild your home, you can do the "greening" of your home yourself.

Sustainable Building Options

Choosing Green Materials.  Choose building construction materials that has minimal effect on your health and the environment. At this day and age, the bountiful forests that have given millions and millions of homes and buildings their walls, flooring and structural frames are almost depleted. Choose flooring materials that are made of bamboo, concrete, cork, laminates, linoleum, tiles and other stones. Green Wall Materials are typically made from plants that grow quickly such as bamboo. Straws are highly recommended too and lumbers from forests are certified to be sustainably managed. 

Other materials known as ecology blocks and dimension stones, recycled metals and other non-toxic products are highly recommended for construction. There are homes today that have used clay, baked earth and rammed earth for walls and flooring too. You only need to use your imagination and creativity and sense of nature preservation and you should do fine. When using wood stains and sealants, choose ones that have the lowest VOC (volatile organic compound), made with natural pigments and ones that have non-formaldehyde sealants. Use hard wax and oil polishes that are natural.

Reduction of Energy Consumption.  A great number of architects and builders in the U.K. are members of the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB). This organization's advocacy is to go green in the design and conception of buildings of all types.  One way for you to contribute is to make sure that you conserve energy. There are various ways to conserve energy and one of them is designing and constructing an energy efficient home. If you are not in this stage, then make sure that your home is not an energy nosebleeder.

The place to start conserving is at the building's envelope which are the roof, walls, doors and windows. If heat and air are passing freely and unchecked through your home's envelope then you are wasting energy no matter how efficient your mechanical systems are. It is worthwhile to know that the biggest leak sources in your home are not the windows and doors. Leaks from these sources account for only 10% as about 30% of the leakage is through the ceilings, wall and floors; 15 % from ducts and 14% from fireplaces.

Have you checked your attic lately? The attic is the single biggest leak in your home. If you're in the dead of winter and it is freezing cold inside your home even if you've turned the thermostat up. The hot air has probably risen straight up to the attic. Seal all leaks by using foam insulations. If you think you cannot manage such work, consult a qualified contractor to do the job.

Manage your waste. There are campaigns involving contractor to manage their construction waste when constructing buildings. Well thought and designed green buildings have provisions for their occupants' waste.  Most "green" constructions have on site compost bins to minimize waste filling up landfills.

This is not the magnitude of waste management for you though. Aside from turning off lights and unplugging electrical gadgets from sockets when not in use, you can further manage your waste by minimizing the trash that you make. You might start to ditch using paper towels and napkins. You might want to consider using rechargeable batteries and solar lights for your outdoor garden. If you have the budget and the capacity to go for photovoltaic solar panels for your house's electric consumption then go for it. 

For simpler ways to conserve and manage waste, try buying only what you need and use all that you buy. There's so much waste the world over because people have this need to buy more stuff that they would ever need.  Think of your waste as a thing that would not die. You put your trash in landfills, but the landfills eventually fill up. You try to bury the trash, it's still there waiting to be unearthed and might even adversely affect the plants that we grow. You throw your garbage in the sea and it all comes back killing fish in the process.

In order for you to contribute to a sustainable living, there is a need for you to make your home a sustainable or a green home.

 

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