GREEN BUILDING CONCEPT AND SMART CITIES INITIATIVES IN VIEW OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

            A green building is an environmentally sustainable building, designed, constructed and operated to minimise the total environmental impacts. The general perception as regards the  green building is that they cost more but the fact, in reality, is that many green strategies and technologies actually cost the same and some even cost less than traditional ones.

            The basic idea behind the green building is to carve out fine techniques and skills to bring down the effct on the environment and human health to a lesser degree and by promoting the optimal use of renewable resources, e.g., using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic equipment, and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater wastage. It, in fact, lays emphasis on the energy efficiency and conservation, water and air quality by a careful designing. Green building concept is popularly known as “Sustainable Architecture”, and “Ecological Design” because of basing upon the idea of sustainable development.

            Green buildings have only been building up by individuals and companies for the past thirty years. During the energy crisis of the 1970’s, green building moved from research and development to reality. Green measures can help in improving the ecological environment and helps in reducing energy uses by at least 30-35%, carbon emission by 35% and wastages by 70% and use of water by more than 40%. On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a building that is in harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the site. There are several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify green building materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.