CPGreen - Shades of Green

A Light green building is one that sets targets within project and its organisational boundaries: savings for owners, comfort for users, operational fit, optimisation of site usage. In thinking about energy, for instance, the project team may decide that, through its new building, the tenant organisation will seek to consume 20% less than it did before. It may improve occupant comfort by eliminating the very problems of discomfort that plague its existing environment.

Medium takes a long term, macro view, beyond site and building cost. It seeks to conserve resources over the building's life, responding to national or regional benchmarks. A new building may, for instance, aim to consume 20% less energy
than an equivalent building in the same country. Performance is viewed over time, a spreadsheet
of predicted operational expenditures, retrofits, replacements, etc.

The Dark performer is all this and more. It is a
global player, as concerned with climate change
and biodiversity as it is with operational cost savings and occupant comfort. It seeks to minimise impact in the broadest sense, for instance, applying green criteria to selection of materials and products that are mined or manufactured in another part of the world. In terms of energy a dark green building seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions, not just kWh.

Back to the top

A partnership is forged between four key stakeholders — client, architect, engineer and occupant.

Client
The quality of the brief — acting as summary of needs and preferences — determines, in part, the quality of the solution. Review ecological cost and impact alongside questions of fiscal cost and returns. Differentiate what is necessary from what is desired. Scrutinise, for instance, the size of rooms, the need to air-condition, the possibility of multi-use in place of single-use or single occupancy spaces.

Architect
Passive design is the first line of defense, early in the design process and always at the discretion
of the architect, Form, orientation and site layout affect resource consumption, by shaping cooling
and heating loads the building's M&E systems
must eventually cope with. These decisions also determine how these systems are laid out, which in turn affects their efficiency.

Engineer
Air-conditioning, ventilation, heating and lighting systems are the primary consumers of energy, and therefore have a critical bearing on performance.
An engineer decides how these systems are sized, selected and put together for optimal effect. A green engineer sets targets for consumption, charting the way forward. He/she will also seek opportunities for green technologies, those that handle water and waste collection and recycling.

Occupant
To succeed a green building requires occupant participation. Solutions fail when incorrect assumptions are made about what occupants
want or are prepared to tolerate. A green building addresses how its users will manage resources
day-to-day. If they cannot, for instance, identify waste, they cannot contain it.

Back to the top

Energy
The problem here is energy extracted from the burning of fossil fuels such coal and oil. These emit greenhouse gases that contribute directly to global warming and climate change. Energy is also
the prime operational cost through the life of the building. Reduced consumption equals significant cost savings.

Materials
Some materials are 'harder' on the Earth's environment than others, for instance timber from destructive forestry practises. Other materials are unfriendly because they produce toxic waste in
the manufacturing process. Where practical, the
use of recycled and recylable materials should be considered. Environmental impact will be reduced by eliminating dependence on metals and plastics which have high embodied energy.

Occupant
Green buildings are pleasant, healthy places
for people. People are more productive in an environment that is free of toxins, where the level
of light and temperature support their activity.
A building that offers comfort and ease of use will
be better valued and is less likely to be discarded
or retrofitted.

Water
Onsite retention of rainwater and the collection of discharged waste water for recycling and re-use
are two ways to reduce reliance on water from the national grid. This can be combined with water efficient appliances (taps and flushing devices) that minimise wastage.

Global Ecology
All items listed above affect global ecology indirectly. There are others that do so directly. Air conditioning systems, for instance, may emit ozone-depleting gases. Developments in areas with natural habitats or endengered wildlife can potentially damage and destroy these if no environmental impact assessment (EIA) is undertaken.

Back to the top

Jump to

Three Shades of Green

Four Partners

Five Parameters

Print this page
with Adobe Reader