What is Green Building?

As the name suggests, a green building is a building project that serves to enhance the natural environment and the climate around the site of the project with its construction design or operations. Such buildings are said to not only enhance the quality of life but also preserve natural environmental resources. To understand what is green building,

it is crucial to recognize the features which make a building ‘green’. They are:

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  Waste reduction and promotion of recycling and reusing practices

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  Using solar energy or other renewable sources of energy

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  Resourceful use of water, energy, and various other resources

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  Use of sustainable materials that help in curbing pollution

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  Indoor construction design which helps maintain the air quality

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  Adaptive design which aligns with a changing environment.

Having a knowledge of what is a green building, helps us understand its benefits even better. There are various benefits pertaining to a green building which include environmental benefits, economic benefits, as well as social benefits.

The environmental benefits include:

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  Preservation of natural resources by a significant reduction in the emission of greenhouse gasses

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  Curbs wastage of energy and water through efficient use of such resources

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  Enhances the quality of air and serves to safeguard the ecosystem and biodiversity

Similarly, green buildings reap economic benefits by cutting down construction costs and increasing value. In addition to this, it also accounts for social benefits like enhancing the quality of life and productivity of people living in or around such buildings.

Now that we know what is green building

and its benefits, we understand that we can actually contribute positively to the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. A green building can be both residential and commercial. All that matters is that the natural habitat stays intact and the earth becomes more sustainable.