Find Out How Green Construction Can Help Save The Planet

The term green construction is often used to describe building construction designed with the least impact to the environment in mind. Sometimes aesthetics are involved with the design of a green building – how well the finished structure looks or matches its surrounding environment - but the main consideration is on the energy expenditure required to build and maintain these structures.

According to recent energy studies, the consumption of natural resources required to build and maintain the buildings in the United States today are staggering.

As much as 68 percent of all the electricity consumed in the US today goes for the construction and maintenance of the country’s buildings. Some relatively easy green construction techniques to incorporate during construction and renovation include installing ceiling fans and windows that open to capture the breeze. Planting trees in strategic locations will also help reduce the need for excessive electricity usage when cooling buildings.

Other electricity-reducing green construction measures include situating a building so the southern exposure is fitted with enough windows to capture the sunlight throughout the course of the day so the need for indoor lighting is minimized.

Sunlight coming through southern windows also provides warmth during cooler months so the use of electricity, natural gas, fossil fuels, and wood to heat the building’s interior are minimized.

The enormous amount of fuel now being consumed to heat the country’s buildings accounts for a whopping 38 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the US. The design techniques used for green construction incorporate measures to keep buildings warm without the need to burn so much fuel to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Most of today’s buildings call for the use of water only one time before it is discarded. Green construction offsets the 12 percent of water usage attributed to the country’s buildings by recycling as much water as possible.

Heating and cooling systems based on recycled water offset the consumption of both water and fuel. Recycling greywater to irrigate lawns puts most of the water used in a typical home back to use again. Greywater is the water that is drained from appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines and it’s the water drained from sinks, bathtubs, and lavatories.

Green construction harnesses the power of the rain, too. Many green buildings have systems that catch the rainwater, which is then used to water lawns and gardens and for washing outdoor furniture, vehicles, even the dogs.

The combined energy consumption of the buildings of the US account for 39 percent of all energy used in the country. Natural resources are being quickly depleted by the enormous amounts of energy used to construct and maintain buildings alone.

Employing green construction practices whenever possible may seem like small measures against a very large problem but, as the popularity of the green construction industry grows, so will the beneficial impact on our environment.

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