Considerations for Building Green

A growing number of people have become aware of and even begun to measure their personal, ecological footprint on the planet. Others are concerned about healthy living and working spaces free of toxins. Some people simply see greening their properties as an effective cost-cutting measure or wise investment.

Whatever the motivation, the demand for green building materials has increased significantly in recent years. According to the Forest Stewardship Council’s web site, 25 percent of all commercial and industrial construction and 20 percent of residential building is expected to be green by 2013. That’s made sustainable materials and products increasingly more affordable and available in a growing variety.

There are several different factors that may constitute “green,” and the overall greenness of a new building or renovation can be increased exponentially with research. Many buildings now meet the benchmarks for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, while others actively seek to exceed them.

"The very first thing to consider in designing the building well is to make use of the elements. In order to build the greenest building, it's important to start looking at the static -- how it's oriented." Elaine Lipman Barnes, LEED AP

The first and simplest measure of sustainable materials is a high percentage of recycled content. To take it a step further, suppliers may look at the manufacturer’s own factory standards, policies, and environmental impact. If supplies can be drawn from a local or regional resource, reducing the need for shipping, the carbon footprint is reduced. And if they can be installed with adhesives and finishes that have minimal or zero toxicity, better still.

There are a number of variables involved in making decisions about building green, including the location of the building and the building material choices. This is also one of the main driving forces behind the growth of LEED and green consulting.

Location, Location, Location

Talk to any expert on environmentally healthy or LEED-certified buildings, and he or she will tell you that the first structural consideration in any green project, whether it’s a new build or a renovation, ought to begin with the careful assessment of its natural surroundings.

“The very first thing to consider in designing the building well is to make use of the elements. In order to build the greenest building, it’s important to start with looking at the static -- how it’s oriented,” says Elaine Lipman Barnes, LEED AP. Such steps do more than benefit the environment: they have real financial dividends, because “finding that sweet spot that can create cool daylighting throughout workspaces will reduce the heating and cooling load.”

Buildings tend to be designed and renovated according to streetscape or other factors, but zeroing in on their environmental position is something that more architects and engineers need to become vigilant about, according to Tyler Steele, owner of Greenovate, a Columbus, Ohio supplier of building materials that are healthful and environmentally friendly.

“I’m constantly amazed at how little attention architects and engineers are paying to what they are building, where they are building, and how they are building it,” he says. “Even from the planners and architects that get it, doing it successfully takes folks who are willing to do more and who are willing to pay attention to the nitty gritty.”

FSC Certified Wood

Wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is one of the most readily available green materials on the market. FSC certified wood has to meet a number of criteria, all of which are evaluated by an accredited certifier. Formed in 1993, the FSC supports sustainable forestry internationally by promoting products harvested from responsibly managed forests.

Insulated Concrete Forms

“One of the most efficient materials we’re seeing used is Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF),” says Barnes. “There are wall sections that are factory-made, easy to put together, and make for a nice strong, energy-efficient building.”

CFs are rigid foam (commonly expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene) forms that hold the concrete and reinforcing in place during pumping and curing. Afterward ICFs are left in place to serve as insulation. Once cured, R-values will typically range from R-17 to R-26. Because ICFs resist outside air and moisture well, they also trap less mold and dust and fewer allergens, creating a healthier indoor environment.

Steel

Few structural components have a higher percentage of recycled content (over 90 percent) than steel. To dig deeper into the environmental impact of steel supply, one has to examine the manufacturer’s standards.

Drywall

Several manufacturers now make gypsum drywall by using 75-100 percent recycled materials. Companies like Glasspoint have elected to take a more carbon-neutral approach to its production by using only solar power in its manufacturing process. EcoRock, a product created by Serious Materials, uses 80 percent recycled, post-industrial waste from steel and cement plants. It does not include gypsum and is also highly mold-resistant and can be fully recycled at the end of its life.

Roofing materials

Virtually every kind of roofing material is available with heavily recycled content, including asphalt shingles, rubber shingles that are made from discarded car tires, and recycled metal and plastic shingles. The lighter the shingles are in color, the greater the building’s energy efficiency. There is also little or no aesthetic compromise with recycled shingles. Another green roofing material is spray-on polyurethane foam roofing. Although it is extremely insulating and reflective and can increase the energy efficiency of a building, it is not a very attractive option.

Recycled Eco House by Chilean Architects: wood pallets + shipping containers

Manifesto House, designed by Chilean architects and sustainable construction firm Infiniski, is a man-made marvel! Although it’s not totally prefabricated, this home in Curacavi, Chile is built using premade materials to allow for quick, cost-effective and sustainable construction. At a cost of just 79,000€, this eco home is made of two 40-ft. and two 20-ft. repurposed shipping containers. Recycled wooden pallets cladding the home’s exterior not only give the house a cool look and feel, but they also provide natural cooling via shade and ventilation. Cool in more ways than one, this modern recycled home features spacious, airy interiors separated from the outdoors by sliding floor-to-ceiling windows. Interiors are largely open concept, and feature a sleek minimalist interior design that’s as simple as the home’s concept as a whole. On the other side of the glass walls, an outdoor entertaining area sheltered by a large awning offers an al fresco living space. The sustainable house boasts geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling. Infiniski
photo credit: Antonio Corcuera

Going Green: Reaping the Rewards of Daylight Harvesting

As technological advances facilitate much finer degrees of control over a building's internal environment, the expectations of users for levels of comfort, controllability and energy efficiency have moved to take advantage of new possibilities. The result can be an almost symbiotic relationship, in which buildings are able to work with their occupants in a far more dynamic manner than has ever previously been possible. One aspect that is attracting great attention is in finding the optimum balance between natural and artificial light.

The energy efficiency of a building and occupant comfort can be profoundly affected by the building's orientation to the sun. Sunlight falling on a building façade usually results in both heat and light transfer to the interior. While these may be welcomed during winter, they often cause problems through overheating and glare in summer.

The focus historically, especially in hotter climates, has therefore tended towards mitigation strategies against the effects of solar radiation. Fixed shading can prove effective in this respect, particularly in terms of blocking solar heat, which would otherwise lead to the need for additional cooling and the requisite energy to provide that cooling.

However, emerging green targets and occupant comfort factors have spawned a new appreciation for the benefits of natural light, leading to the practice now known as 'daylight harvesting'. This has shifted the focus towards building designs that are flexible enough to protect against the summer heat, while still able to embrace natural light and heat at other times.

The simplest form of integrated lighting and blind system might use a timer to change blind settings depending on the time of day and season, with the lighting levels automatically adjusted accordingly.

Façade and fenestration

The key to optimising the balance of natural and artificial light is the design of the façade and fenestration (window layout) of a building. The use of motorised blinds in a building can assist in regulating the internal environment in a range of different light and heat conditions. In such situations, heat management is more important than light management because heating and cooling account for a much higher percentage of energy usage than lighting typically does. Moreover, the increasing use of efficient LED light sources means the difference in energy use between heating/cooling and lighting systems will become more significant in the future.

Blinds are best used to manage heat with artificial light levels adjusted to the required level. As the sun angle changes and the heat-load diminishes, blinds can be raised to take advantage of natural light and minimise the energy used to illuminate an area.

It is best to use blinds to manage heat, and adjust the artificial light levels to suit the occupancy.

There is an obvious synergy between the systems controlling blind position and lighting levels within buildings, so it is essential to integrate both systems. Such solutions deliver systems that address the needs of occupants in an energy-efficient and sustainable way. They are flexible and intelligent enough to accommodate multiple indoor environmental scenarios, including balancing light from natural and artificial sources, and to take floor-zoning and occupancy into account.

Sense and sophistication

The simplest form of integrated lighting and blind system might use a timer to change blind settings depending on the time of day and season, with the lighting levels automatically adjusted accordingly. The introduction of sensors and more sophisticated programming however, make for a system that responds to real environmental factors and delivers enhanced energy and natural light benefits. For example, blind position may be determined by readings from an external solar sensor, which measures sunlight incident on the building. If the measured solar radiation is above a certain threshold, the sensor communicates with the control system and instructs the blinds to close, thereby restricting heat entering the building.

As the blinds are raised or lowered, the changing level of incoming daylight is measured by strategically-placed light level (or daylight harvesting) sensors, leading to corresponding lighting level adjustments to maintain preset lux levels. In order to maximise user acceptance, any automatic dimming must be driven by a slow fade. Gradual dimming of lighting levels over 30-second periods is unlikely to be noticed by the occupants of a room.

As blinds are raised or lowered, the changing incoming daylight levels are measured by light level sensors, leading to corresponding lighting level adjustments to maintain preset lux levels.

Similarly, the responsiveness of the blind control system needs to be carefully programmed to avoid distraction to the occupants of a building. Transient events, such as a cloud passing in front of the sun, should not cause the blinds to go up and down. Systems can be configured with a built-in delay by calculating the average light level reading for a period of time so that the blinds are adjusted only when there is a sustained change in ambient lux level.

In the zone

Despite the benefits of an intelligent automated lighting and blind system, it is still important for users to have a level of local control. Because people have different tolerances to light, a manual override - available from the desktop or from a wall panel - is necessary to provide a capability to make adjustments as required.

However, with the capacity for local control, there is also potential for individual users to collectively unbalance the carefully programmed settings for the building. To minimise the disruptive effect, presence detection sensors can be installed to detect when areas are unoccupied. When the area has been vacated for a specified length of time the control system can simply revert the settings for that zone back to the automatic defaults.

Careful allocation of building and floor zones is essential for achieving optimal outcomes from integrated lighting and blind automation systems. It is important to divide a floor of a building into different zones. Regardless of the fact that different areas experience different shading conditions at different times of the day and throughout the year, each zone can be controlled separately in order to minimise energy wastage and occupant discomfort.

Careful allocation of building and floor zones is essential for achieving optimal outcomes from integrated lighting and blind automation systems.

Real benefits

Given the contribution of automated blinds to heating efficiency, it is perhaps surprising that they are not a requirement for the design of a 'green building'. Rating tools for buildings often give indoor environmental quality and energy savings the same credence but do not give any incentive to include integrated blind systems.

In practice, automated blinds can deliver a verified improvement to the measured energy performance of a building. Such improvements are dependent on careful zoning, a holistic design approach, and sound integration of communication protocols between the chosen lighting and blind solutions.

An integrated future

Automated blinds and lighting control have synergistic roles in building energy management. Architects and developers need to understand that the two solutions complement each other and that the design and implementation of an integrated system will result in much easier on-site integration, and a better outcome for the building and its users.

The growing use of open-source communication protocols, such as RS485, LonWorks and KNX, is facilitating more sophisticated blind and lighting integration. However, this is not the only aspect of an 'integrated approach' which has an impact on performance. Other factors can play a significant role if the design of a building is not considered on a holistic basis. For example, if highly-polished louvres are used they may reflect visible light into a room. The position of daylight sensors inside must be chosen carefully to avoid false lux readings causing the lights to be dimmed or switched off, leaving workspaces with insufficient illumination.

Conclusion

With improvements in integration between lighting and shading, buildings will work with their occupants more dynamically in the future to allow hitherto unprecedented levels of controllability and comfort. Where comfort and efficiency have historically been regarded as incompatible goals, the careful inclusion of daylight harvesting technologies will serve to reduce overall energy usage while increasing indoor environmental quality in a more natural and sustainable manner.

How to Use Sustainable Building Materials

Using sustainable building materials is an important step in creating an energy-efficient, eco-friendly building. It will lower your energy costs and save raw materials. Sustainable building materials are renewable, used, refurbished, recycled, or recyclable.

Some sustainable building materials incorporate energy efficiency into their structure and design. Here are some of the types of sustainable building materials you can use, and how you can make use of these materials on your next building project.

Where to Find Sustainable Building Materials?

Here are some ideas for where to find sustainable building materials for your next home remodel.

1.       Recycled Building Materials: Look for building materials with more than half of their content recycled.

2.       Materials That Are Reusable: Building materials that can be reused or recycled after they have served their purpose are more sustainable.

3.       Materials that Are Made to Last: Products and materials that last a long time are more sustainable, since they do not have to be replaced as often.

4.       Antique, Second-Hand, or Refurbished: Used materials are a great way to enhance the sustainability of your building project. It reduces waste, and finds a home – sometimes quite literally – for building materials that would otherwise be thrown away.

5.       Raw Materials That are Locally-Sourced: Buying materials from local manufacturers saves fuel and supports your community.

What Kinds of Building Materials Are Sustainable?

1.       Lumber: Used lumber is much less wasteful than the raw version. If you do go for raw lumber, look for sustainable woods like mango or bamboo.

2.       Insulation: Insulation is important if you want to save energy. Sustainable options are available. Materials like denim, wool, cellulose, and even straw make energy-efficient choices.

3.       Roofing: For sustainable roofing materials, look for something that will last a long time, such as metal roofing. Even better, use metal roofing made from recycled metal. Other options are recycled rubber (which can be molded into various shapes, including traditional shingles), cedar shingles, or lightweight concrete.

4.       Windows and Doors: These can often be found used. Just make sure they are energy-efficient and properly sealed with weather stripping. If you are using new windows, double or triple-pane glass is a more eco-friendly option than single-pane.

5.       Poured or Rammed Earth: This ancient building material – soil – is very sustainable. So are pressed earth blocks made from soil. These are building material options that take the place of the traditional lumber frame, drywall and siding.

Glass Cube House – Canadian Lakehouse

Inside and out, this contemporary glass cube house by Canadian architects GH3 is not your typical lake house. Set on Stoney Lake, Ontario, this cube structure boasts a glass-enclosed upper area featuring a stunning two-storey living room and open concept interiors (kitchen, dining room and an upper bedroom loft). All featuring glass walls, this is the perfect place to take in these breathtaking views and a sure favorite of the photographer who calls this place "home" and "studio." While many urban homes feature attached garages, this lakefront locale fittingly calls for a built-in boathouse! Below the glassed-in upper level, the lower level offers instant access to the lake.

Saint-Gobain India and the Habitat Strategy

“Habitat” means buildings, spaces or environments where people live, work or spend their time.
The Saint-Gobain Group offers Habitat Solutions to deliver spaces which are Energy Efficient, Comfortable and Environmentally friendly. With this objective in focus, Saint-Gobain Glass, Saint-Gobain Gyproc and Saint-Gobain Weber are the three companies under Saint-Gobain India which have commenced activities within the India Habitat group. The companies under the India Habitat group offer Green Building solutions (also known as green construction or sustainable building) by promoting the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. This approach ensures health and comfort of the building occupants through the use of sustainable building materials. All products under this initiative adhere to improving efficiency for energy and natural resources, offer high insulating properties, low embodied energy, reduce environmental impact, improve the indoor environmental quality and are a means of water efficiency construction. They are also part of the Sustainable Development initiative. …And together they offer “Sustainable solutions for every Habitat”

Checklist – Environmentally Sustainable Building Design Requirements

1. Energy

Goal: To ensure that the building is designed to minimise the consumption of energy. 

Solar Design

The building design should:

1.1 Maximise heat gain from the sun in winter and minimise heat gain from the sun in summer.

1.2 Use materials with high thermal mass such as concrete floors, masonry walls, stone, ceramic surfaces etc to assist with the overall thermal efficiency of the building.

1.3 Consider outdoor patios and decks with wind protection, winter solar access and summer shade.

1.4 Provide ventilation to the roof space. 

Insulation

1.5 Provide roof and ceiling insulation with a minimum “R” rating of 2.5.

1.6 Provide wall insulation with a minimum “R” rating of 1.5.

1.7 Provide door and window seals to minimise high wind entry.

1.8 Consider floor insulation for suspended floors and on-ground slabs.

1.9 Consider specialised glazing and window treatments to control heat loss and heat gain (eg double glazing, louvres etc). 

Hot Water

1.10 Provide hot water systems having a minimum 4-Star rating and incorporating solar heating where practical.

1.11 Locate hot water storage systems as close as possible to “wet areas” (ie bathrooms, kitchens, laundries).

1.12 Cluster wet areas to minimise pipe runs.

1.13 Insulate hot water tanks and pipes 

Lighting

1.14 Ensure maximum natural light access without creating major heat gain or heat loss pathways.

1.15 Consider skylights in appropriate areas.

1.16 Design lighting fixtures to suit the purpose of specific areas (eg bright lighting may be required in kitchens or work stations, while task or effect lighting may be appropriate for leisure areas).

1.17 Provide separate switches for special purpose lights.

1.18 Incorporate energy efficient lamps and fittings (eg fluorescent lighting).

1.19 Locate switches at exits to rooms/lobbies etc to encourage switching off.

1.20 Incorporate dimmers, motion detectors and automatic turnoff switches where appropriate. 

Ventilation Systems

1.21 Consider the use of natural ventilation systems through:

a.       location of external openings for intake and exhaust;

b.      use of windows which are lockable in a partly open position;

c.       minimisation of internal obtrusions;

d.      use of convection air flows;

e.      use of external vegetation to cool incoming air. 

1.22 Where air conditioning is proposed, consider reverse cycle air conditioning.

1.23 Ensure design incorporates zoning (or the ability to close off certain areas), so that only those areas which need to be, are heated or cooled.

1.24 Ensure ducting is insulated to at least R1.5 and that any refrigerant lines are insulated with at least 20 mm of foam insulation.

1.25 Ensure there is no likelihood of airborne odour or pollutants being transmitted between specific work or recreation areas.

2. Water

Goal: To ensure that the development maximises water conservation.

2.1 Provide a rain water tank to harvest roof runoff for re-use. The tank must be fitted with a first flush diversion and overflow connected to the stormwater system. Consider using tank water for irrigation, toilet flushing and washing. Incorporate a mains top up facility where appropriate.

2.2 Provide AAA-rated water efficient taps and shower fittings.

2.3 Specify a AAA-rating for any washing machines or dishwashers.

2.4 Provide dual-flush toilets to all WC's.

2.5 Consider the reuse of sewage or grey water in accordance with Council guidelines. 

3. Landscaping

Goal: Landscaping should enhance the operation and use of the building, while promoting biodiversity and providing habitat for native species.

3.1 Plant species should:

a.       be tolerant of local climate, natural water availability and soil type.

b.      not create unwanted shadows as they mature, particularly in respect to windows and any solar panels.

c.       not require pesticide or fertiliser application.

d.      provide food and habitat for native wildlife.

e.      include groundcovers and mulching to conserve soil moisture.

f.        be species which do not adversely effect the structure of the building.

3.2 Plant species with similar water requirements should be grouped together (hydrozoning).

3.3 Where possible topsoil removed during construction should be reused on-site.

3.4 Design landscaping to screen against cold winter winds, channel summer breezes and provide summer shading.

3.5 Minimise impervious surfaces by selecting porous paving materials and minimising the extent of paved areas.

3.6 Impervious areas should be graded towards pervious areas &/or separated with turf, gravel or vegetation to increase infiltration. 

4. Construction Materials

Goal: To ensure the development promotes the sustainable and efficient use of resources.

4.1 Consider the use of salvaged materials from demolition sites where this does not compromise the appearance of the building.

4.2 Building materials should be low-maintenance. Where possible, select building materials that will require little maintenance (painting, retreatment, waterproofing etc), or whose maintenance will have minimal environmental effects.

4.3 Design and select materials for ease of deconstruction, reuse and recycling, either upon major refit or demolition.

4.4 All timber used during construction and fit out should be from plantation or sustainably managed re-growth forests.

4.5 Select materials and finishes with a low environmental impact during manufacture, application and use.

4.6 Non chemical based termite treatments must be incorporated in the building design.

5. Finishing Materials

Goal: To minimise the health and environmental impacts associated with the use of finishing materials.

5.1 Ensure VOC levels, heavy metal content and the presence of carcinogenic and other toxic substances are considered during the procurement of paint products.

   5.2 Ensure correct storage, clean-up and disposal procedures are undertaken to minimse environmental impacts.

6. Waste

Goal: To ensure that the development's design, construction and operation maximise the use of recycled materials and minimise waste generation.

6.1 Ensure that the development complies with the provisions of Council's Waste Minimisation and Management Development Control Plan.

6.2 Provide composting and mulching facilities to enable the reuse of all green garden waste on site. 

7. Noise

Goal: To ensure that the acoustic design of the building is appropriate for all intended uses.

7.1 All proposed uses of the building (and their acoustic impact) should be considered during the design phase.

7.2 Where appropriate, acoustic enclosures may be required around any external equipment.

7.3 If the building may be used for noisy activities increased attenuation of openings, ceilings, walls and other architectural components must be included in the building design.