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Sustainable buildings, or green buildings are the result of a design philosophy that seeks to increase the use of resources such as water, energy, and building materials, more efficiently, while at the same time reducing the construction effects on the environment and human health during the building process, through an making informed siting decision, creating a viable design, construction, the operations of the buildings, the maintenance of the same, and perhaps the subsequent removal.

While green buildings have diverse interpretations, the common idea is that they are designed and operated in such a way that they will reduce the general effect of the constructed environment on the natural environment as well as human health by: -

-         Protecting the health of the occupants and improving the productivity of the workers in the buildings

-         Using resources such as water and energy in an efficient manner, which further has economical benefits as the utility bills will substantially reduce

-         Reducing the production of waste, environmental degradation as well as pollution.

A similar idea, although done on a smaller scale and uses all-natural materials which are locally available is natural building. The green architecture, as well as the building practices focus on reducing the impact the buildings cause on the environment. Basically, buildings account for the largest percentage of water consumption, energy consumption, atmosphere and air alterations, and of course land use. Sadly though, the impact of the green buildings on the environment is normally underestimated while the superficial costs of green buildings are overestimated.

Green building standards

Green building standards therefore seek to make buildings more eco-friendly, sustainable, and habitable. Sustainability education enlightens building owners as well as interior and exterior designers on how green building standards can be implemented in the designs to create the environmentally-friendly and energy efficient buildings the world currently needs. Sadly, not all nations have adopted the green building standards, perhaps because of the excessive availability of building materials as well as availability of cheap energy. However, with the growing popularity of ‘greening-up’, green building is becoming more of a mainstream building practice.

The five major principles that green architects have to adhere to as stipulated in the green building standards include: -

1. Sustainability – every building must utilize only sustainable technology and of course resources
2. Inclusiveness – sustainability education encourages community involvement in the act of building as well as designing these green buildings
3. Equity – the designs have to respect the community as well as the different cultures co-existing in harmony in the community. All the building design plans should be implemented with a focus on the socio-economic levels in mind.
4. Development and progress – the building designs have to show proof of quantifiable and tangible results of the building’s effect on the community, environment, and the economy.
5. Connectedness – all the designs of the green building have to show respect to the connection that exits between man and nature and appreciate man’s stewardship over nature.