A History of Green Buildings & Why They Matter

One of the things I really love about social media is the ability for us all to create content and share that at the speed of light. At the same time, I'm tired of seeing crap content circulated for the sake of gaining followers/ personal branding purposes. We all have passions and are knowledgable about SO many topics, and I want to see more of us creating value and sharing resources, which is why I decided I'm going to share a bunch of stuff/research in the fields that I've been focusing on for the past 5 years, mainly environmental sustainability/ economics, food politics & policy, social entrepreneurship, etc. I hope you enjoy! And I look forward to learning from you all as well, a prime example being @adventureevryday 's posts on his friend's social mission to change the world via blockchain technology by supporting refugees :) Check it out here!

https://steemit.com/blockchain/@adventureevryday/taqanu-a-blockchain-solution-for-financial-inclusion-for-refugees

Personal Background

I have a degree in Environmental Ethics & Policy and Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management. When I first started my internship at the International Living Future Institute, I had no idea just how important green building is. In my mind, prior to learning about the capabilities and impact of sustainable architecture, my concept of green buildings was limited to that of scrappy looking mud huts with overflowing gardens, teeming with organic veggies and a bunch of hippies in overalls and tiedye tee-shirts. Yes, I knew that we needed more sustainable buildings but I had no idea that there are institutions like ILFI and architects that dedicate their lives to studying the industry and figuring out how to implement these techniques on a wide, commercial and industrial scale.

I learned from my mentor and world-renowned green architect Eric Corey Freed, that buildings consume 40% of the world’s total energy and account for 39% of emissions from fossil fuels, more than both Industry (29%) and Transportation (33%). We focus so much of our attention on electric cars, solar, and wind but we have been constructing buildings the same way for hundreds of years. Something needs to change!

What is a Green Building?

Green buildings are designed to minimize negative externalities and impacts on the community and environment. They reduce construction and demolition waste, include renewable energy technologies, are easier to maintain than traditional homes, incorporate energy and water-efficient technologies, and have a higher resale value. Green buildings come in all shapes and sizes and can even be commercial buildings.

Why Green Buildings Matter

Buildings consume 40% of the world’s energy. If you include building construction, that number jumps up to 48%. Building use also represents 70% of total human consumption (which includes energy, water, and materials). Almost half of all CO2 emissions come from buildings. Research has shown that designers are interested in more sustainable measures but they are not implementing those designs. Buildings are responsible for such a large part of the impact to the environment, more than any other industry, and not investing in them will end up costing us more in the long run.

The Cost of Green Buildings

I used to think that green buildings were more expensive than traditional buildings. But the more research I did, the more clear it became that it is actually much easier to lose money by not implementing green technology and green features. People are usually skeptical of green buildings because of the high initial costs. By focusing on the upfront costs, people tend to forget about the lifecycle cost of the building and the materials used. If you compare similar materials, the costs end up being fairly similar. For instance, bamboo is installed the same way traditional wood floors are installed, and there are even many green products and materials that cost less than traditional materials that are harmful to the environment.

The goals is to focus cost savings on the maintenance portion of building a house. The costs of heating, cooling, and maintenance are much greater than the initial costs of construction. The maintenance costs are also known as the costs of owning a home. The benefit of green buildings is that they encourage the use of durable and unfinished materials, which helps save on costs in the long run. It’s important to calculate your return on your investment to understand just how much you are saving in the long run.

A History of Green Buildings

It turns out that the first green buildings date back to Anasazi stone dwellings from A.D 1. They oriented their houses to face the light, utilizing passive solar building techniques. They captured rainwater and utilized local, natural materials (stone, mud, and wood). And they built these apartment-style dwellings within close proximity to other dwellings to maximize community interaction.

Fast forward to the 1970s and we can see that many of the features we admire in “modern” green buildings are actually grounded in these very same ancient building methods. Willis Faber at Dumas Headquarters, and Norman Foster are considered the grandfathers of modern green building. In 1977 they constructed a building with a grass roof, naturally sunlit rooms, and mirrored windows to reduce overheating. Just like the Anasazi stone dwellings, this building was designed to maximize social interaction, (it is located in the center of town) and it applied passive cooling techniques to allow for less energy consumption.

Green Buildings and Sustainability

Green buildings fit under the umbrella of sustainability because they are in line with the way R. Buckminster Fuller, a well-known architect, defined sustainability. He said that sustainability is the “conscious design of our total environment, in order to help make the Earth’s finite resources meet the needs of all humanity without disrupting the ecological processes of the planet.” This concept of sustainability is also connected to the Native American Iroquois who say, “In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation…”