Sustainable Building

Sustainable Design is form of design that meets the needs of the present without compromising or jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and requirements. It is a development strategy that takes into account the impact aspects of design have on the environment and consequently tries to minimise environmental damage.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?

The building industry has a huge worldwide potential to help protect the environment and increase life comfort and well being through the use of sustainable materials and sustainable designs. The construction industry is the UK’s largest user of natural resources produces 120 million tonnes of waste per year, accounting for more than one-third of the UK’s annual waste. 25 million tonnes of this construction, demolition and excavation waste is disposed to landfill each year. It is estimated that £1.5 billion is wasted in unused materials. 

The Challenges of Urbanism on Sustainable Design:
URBANISM: '...the process that drives people to live in cities...'

         1. The culture or way of life of city dwellers.
         2. Urbanization.
         3. (Social Science / Human Geography)
               a. the character of city life
               b. the study of this

How can we design urban open spaces and grouping of buildings in such a way that only a minimum of energy is needed to light, ventilate, shade/cool, heat and service them?

Architecture and Sustainability Factors

Architecture presents a unique challenge in the field of sustainability. Construction projects typically consume large amounts of materials, produce tons of waste, and often involve weighing the preservation of buildings that have historical significance against the desire for the development of newer, more modern designs.

Sustainable construction is defined as “the creation and responsible management of a healthy built environment based on resource efficient and ecological principles”. Sustainably designed buildings aim to lessen their impact on our environment through energy and resource efficiency.

It includes the following principles:

• Minimising non-renewable resource consumption
• Enhancing the natural environment
• Eliminating or minimising the use of toxic materials

“Sustainable building” can be defined as those buildings that have minimum adverse impacts on the built and natural environment, in terms of the building themselves, their immediate surroundings and the broader regional and global setting. Thus, the rational use of natural resources and appropriate management of the building stock will contribute to saving scarce resources reducing energy consumption and improving environmental quality.

Sources: isover.com; The World of HBP; Architecture Student