What Is Green Construction?

The demand for energy efficient structures made with recyclable materials has given growth to a new worldwide industry known as “green construction”. Designers and contractors have to follow certain guidelines on how a structure is built that meets certain standards to be able to call itself a “green Construction” project. Here is a brief overview of some of the guidelines that have to be met for it to be considered a green construction project.

Energy Efficient Design

The design of the structure should be done to reduce the reliance on non-renewable sources like coal and natural gas to warm and heat the building. One of the best ways to achieve this is by building or adding a sunroom or atrium to the building. The sun warms the sunroom or atrium and energy efficient mechanical devices move the warm air to other parts of the building instead of using a furnace, boiler, or HVAC system to heat those parts of the building.

Renewable Energy Sources

The design should also incorporate using renewable sources like solar, geothermal, and wind power to supply energy to the building.

Energy Efficient Appliances

Certified energy efficient HVAC systems and appliances should be incorporated into the design. These systems reduce the amount of energy that is used to do common everyday tasks like heating and cooling a structure and running a commercial kitchen to feed people working in a commercial establishment.

Energy Management Systems

An energy management system (EMS) that monitors the energy usage in a building should be installed. The EMS can turn devices on and off according to demand. For instance, an EMS can turn lights off and on automatically when people enter and leave a room.

Recycled Building Materials

Using recycled and reclaimed materials from structures that have been torn down is part of the green code for building construction. This helps the environment in two ways: it reduces the amount of material going into landfills during demolition projects and stops the overharvesting of non-renewable materials for construction projects.

Interested in green construction? Contact Schonsheck, Inc. today for all your general contracting needs.