Green Sustainable Building Practices: Creating Healthy, Eco-Friendly Spaces
Oct 31, 2023 12:00PM ● By Brian Johnson
In the world of construction, a new paradigm is emerging—one that goes beyond the commonly understood “green” building practices. It’s about embracing eco-friendly, non-toxic and environmentally safe building methods and principles. The goal? To plan, construct and renovate homes and communities that not only enhance the lives of the occupants but also minimize harm to builders and reduce environmental impact. These principles can be categorized into five key areas.
Long-Term Planning: Site & Community Design
The foundation of sustainable building begins with meticulous long-term planning. In this phase, several crucial factors come into play.
Health Hazard Elimination: Ensuring that the chosen site is free from both natural and human-made health hazards is paramount. This step sets the stage for a safe living environment.
Occupant Health and Well-Being
Indoor Climate Control: Regulation of indoor air humidity, sound and ion balance is achieved through the use of appropriate materials and finishes. Achieving a balance between thermal insulation and storage capacity, coupled with climatically appropriate temperatures, results in comfort and efficiency.
Environmental Protection, Social Responsibility and Energy Efficiency
In a world increasingly aware of environmental concerns, adopting socially responsible and energy-efficient practices is imperative.
The Importance of Indoor Air and Water Quality
A critical but often overlooked aspect of sustainable building is the quality of indoor air and water.
Electromagnetic Radiation Environmental Factors
In the digital age, electromagnetic radiation is a critical consideration.
Natural Light: Prioritizing natural light and using colors in harmony with nature not only promotes sustainability, but also creates aesthetically pleasing spaces.
In conclusion, these eco-friendly practices are fundamental to sustainable building. They focus on creating healthier, more efficient and environmentally responsible living spaces. Importantly, they can be made understandable to homeowners, general contractors and architects alike, paving the way for a more sustainable and harmonious future.
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Long-Term Planning: Site & Community Design
The foundation of sustainable building begins with meticulous long-term planning. In this phase, several crucial factors come into play.
Health Hazard Elimination: Ensuring that the chosen site is free from both natural and human-made health hazards is paramount. This step sets the stage for a safe living environment.
Occupant Protection: Dwellings are strategically placed to shield occupants from sources of air, soil, water, noise and electromagnetic pollution. This consideration extends to well-planned communities, which offer access to fresh air, sunshine and nature. A focus on diverse age groups within the community ensures inclusivity and accessibility.
Occupant Health and Well-Being
The well-being of occupants is at the heart of sustainable building. To create living spaces that promote health and comfort, attention is given to various aspects.
Energy Strategies: Implementing thermal radiation strategies, including passive solar, where feasible, reduces energy consumption. Acoustic protection from noise and vibration adds to the overall quality of living spaces, while ergonomic design principles ensure that homes are both functional and comfortable.
Environmental Protection, Social Responsibility and Energy Efficiency
In a world increasingly aware of environmental concerns, adopting socially responsible and energy-efficient practices is imperative.
Sustainable Materials: Choosing materials and methods that promote human health from the extraction phase to disposal is crucial. Avoiding materials that deplete irreplaceable natural resources or are harvested unsustainably is a responsible choice.
Energy Consciousness: Minimizing energy consumption throughout a building’s life cycle is possible through energy-efficient design, the incorporation of energy and water-saving technologies and the utilization of renewable energy sources. It also involves considering embodied energy and environmental life cycle costs when selecting construction materials.
The Importance of Indoor Air and Water Quality
A critical but often overlooked aspect of sustainable building is the quality of indoor air and water.
Moisture Control: Ensuring low moisture content during construction processes is vital to prevent issues related to mold and dampness.
Ventilation: Providing ample ventilation is essential for maintaining a healthy indoor environment.
Non-Toxic Materials: The use of non-toxic materials with pleasant natural scents contributes to the overall well-being of occupants.
Water Quality: Ensuring high water quality through purification technologies further enhances the environmental friendliness of the building.
Electromagnetic Radiation Environmental Factors
In the digital age, electromagnetic radiation is a critical consideration.
Natural Light: Prioritizing natural light and using colors in harmony with nature not only promotes sustainability, but also creates aesthetically pleasing spaces.
Radiation Minimization: Minimizing interference with cosmic and terrestrial radiation is essential for occupant well-being.
Wireless Considerations: Adopting strategies to reduce exposure to harmful electromagnetic radiation from building electrification and wireless devices is a modern necessity. Avoiding materials with elevated radioactivity levels adds another layer of safety.
In conclusion, these eco-friendly practices are fundamental to sustainable building. They focus on creating healthier, more efficient and environmentally responsible living spaces. Importantly, they can be made understandable to homeowners, general contractors and architects alike, paving the way for a more sustainable and harmonious future.
Brian Johnson is CEO of Senergy360, where he is a building biologist and general contractor working to bring optimized living solutions and approaches to modern living, creating safe, sustainable living environments. Connect at 951-634-3588 or Senergy360.com. See ad, page 7.
Senergy360
Brian Johnson is a Building Biologist accredited by the Building Biology Institute with over 20 years of experience as a General Contractor. There are 25 BBI core philos... Read More »
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