Humanity has advanced in stunning ways in the last 100 years from a technology perspective. The advancements, however, have come with drawbacks. Green building is an approach that seeks to address some of those drawbacks.
The industrial and now technological revolution has made our lives much more comfortable. These advances have turned us into a massive consumption society. With consumption comes waste, which is no impacting us as well.
On an indirect level, we have known about the costs of wastes for some time. While greenhouse gases are all the rage these days, we already have address our waste issues. From the ozone depletion issue to smog in our cities, the impact of our consumption has been apparent.
Such problems, however, pale in comparison to what we are seeing today. Instead of impacting small geographic areas, our entire planet seems to be at risk. The future looks threatening given global change.
As you know, there is a great debate about climate change. Many people think it is over whether climate change exists. This is incorrect. The question is the cause of the heating of the planet. As the ice caps melt, the question is whether we are the cause.
The consensus seems to be yes. So, what do we do? Well, there are no easy fixes. Many businesses, however, are beginning to consider approaches that are more environmentally friendly. Green building is one of them.
Mention the term green and one tends to get images of people hugging trees and such. In truth, this is not the case. It simply refers to a more efficient way to build and use structures from simple residences to skyscrapers like the Hearst Towers in New York City.
Efficiency is about low energy control. Many green buildings filter their air through plant life. They recycle their water. They use recycled materials for building elements from newspapers for insulation to steel from demolished structures.
Green building also incorporates a design element. The structure is designed to take advantage of things such as solar energy for heating, and wind drafts for cooling. Many green designs replace air conditioning with windows that open, even on skyscrapers.
Green building is ultimately about maturity. As we come to realize our impact on the planet, we must take action to minimize the negative effects. Green building is one method for doing so.
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