Green buildings are buildings that minimize impact on the environment through resource (energy, water, etc.) conservation and contributes to the health of its occupants. They are comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and have healthful environments.

Contents 1 Objectives of building green 2 Methods to make a building green 3 Costs of building green 4 Green building standards

Objectives of building greenEdit

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources.
• Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity.
• Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

Methods to make a building greenEdit

Green buildings use a system of strategies such as passive solar energy, water recycling, local and natural

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construction materials, and renewable energy. These building management systems are a kind of computerized network of all walls, floors, windows, etc., installed inside the building. These systems automate all the building components and try to dramatically decrease the need of all forms of energy used by the building, in order to grant a cost reduction and an augmentation of the comfort of the occupants.

Buildings with such management systems are normally called intelligent buildings.

Costs of building greenEdit

Green buildings cost more to build and take more time to get completed than ordinary buildings. However, due efficient design, less energy and less water may be used and thus save the occupants of higher operating costs. Most green buildings cost a premium of <2%, but yield 10 times as much over the entire life of the building. Studies have shown over a 20 year life period, some green buildings have yielded $53 to $71 per square foot back on investment.

Green building standardsEdit

Due to increased interest in green buildings, several organizations have come up with standards and rating systems to assess the level of environment protection. in Canada the USA, the most popular is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). It award credits for features that support green design in categories such as location and maintenance of building site, conservation of water, energy, and building materials, and occupant comfort and health. Other building standards include Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in the UK and Comprehensive Assessment System for Built environment efficieny (CASBEE) (Japan).