This includes collecting, separating and recycling waste by both tenants and operators. In addition, building owners can also reduce waste on a larger scale by recycling construction debris to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. Green buildings, as many know, have a less negative impact on the environment than standard buildings. Its construction minimizes on-site leveling, saves natural resources through the use of alternative construction materials, and recycles construction waste instead of sending it truck after truck to landfills.
Most interior spaces in a green building have natural lighting and outdoor views, while high-efficiency HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems and materials low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), such as paint, floors and furniture, create superior indoor air quality. A key catalyst for turning green buildings into the mainstream was the development of reliable standards and evaluation criteria around the world. Regardless of the system that guides its implementation, the concept of green buildings remains universal. Thanks to its green design and energy-efficient technologies, it uses 55% less energy than a standard building of similar size.
The WGBC is now working to help establish green building councils, a prerequisite for WGBC membership in China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Covering them with green screens (metal trusses planted with vines or climbing flowers) will greatly reduce the heat island effect and minimize solar heat gain indoors. Implementing green building measures that ultimately lead to these performance benefits also translates into economic benefits for multiple stakeholders. The PNC Firstside Center was already under construction as a standard building when the owner, PNC Financial Services Group, decided to go green.
The expansion of the south campus of the Toyota Motor Sales headquarters in Torrance, California, “was a fundamental project for the green building movement, because it destroyed many myths,” says S. As a holistic approach to planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, green buildings successfully maximize the natural efficiency of a construction site and integrate them with renewable and low-carbon technologies to meet the building's energy needs and create a healthy built environment. Green buildings help reduce negative impacts on the natural environment by using less water, energy and other natural resources; by using renewable energy sources and green materials; and by reducing emissions and other waste. Since their introduction, green buildings have helped achieve significant progress in reducing energy consumption and the environmental impact of the construction sector.
The LEED-CI program for commercial interiors provides guidelines for converting any standard workplace into a green building, generally following the same ten rules that apply to new buildings, such as the selection of alternative building materials. The Green Building Council, a coalition of more than 6,000 real estate professionals, government and other non-profit organizations, and schools, began its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) qualification program. Different countries may have different standards for carrying and implementing the concept of green building, but there are several key factors that need to be taken into account. Green buildings incorporate environmentally friendly and resource-efficient measures throughout the life cycle of the building.
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