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Green Architecture - Building with Green Architecture

Building ‘Green’ houses and using green designs to conserve our natural resources and save money is a common topic of conversation now a days. Ever wondered why? To have a clear appreciation we must ask the question how much do our average buildings consume? As a ballpark figure, in the US, normal commercial buildings account for about 18 percent of the total energy consumption and 33 percent of the total electricity consumption. In a year commercial buildings produce roughly 18 percent of the total carbon-dioxide emissions in the US. These alarming figures can be suitably trimmed by incorporating green designs.
The entire process of arriving at a green design involves a holistic approach. The designers take into consideration the ‘lay of the land’, availability of local building material, suitable adoption of traditional green designs being used by indigenous people of that area, or from an area with similar weather characteristics, new breakthroughs in ‘green’ technologies and the best incentives the government can offer to produce a green building or a green township.
In designing green houses how do the architects use the terrain? They study the surrounding areas and determine the flow of wind so as to design windows and ventilation shafts, which negate the need for air conditioners. Terrain mapping also includes considerations of astronomy wherein the average annual day/ night hours are calculated so that the best optimum mix of solar technologies can be utilized. It does not stop at that – technology is further harnessed to control the electric supply depending upon the intensity of sunlight available. They check the consistency and composition of soil, the depth of the water table and then calculate the best way to utilize nearby water resources and develop water-harvesting processes best suited for the site. Saving water by using smaller cisterns and recycling the water used in bathing for watering the gardens are some of the steps involved in Green Designs. Roofs are so scientifically designed that they are able to route the rainwater to soakage pits, which helps in the recharge of ground water.
Some of the Green design concepts in vogue are Compressed Earth Blocks, Cob Houses, Earth Shelters, Straw Bale, Rammed Earth and Adobe construction. Each of these concepts has their range of applicability and pluses and minuses depending upon the likely are of use. The vital detail is that such designs are no longer the in the realms of conceptual art but are being used by mainstream architects. Additionally, almost every state in the US offers attractive tax benefits to go green helping save precious money. Green designs are truly the future of architecture.

This Article Was Written By: Elise Fendmeyer

Find more about green architecture, try Aia.org.

Article Source: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/diy

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