The accelerated rate of human development and indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources are forcing dramatic changes on our Planet. A warning sign that our delicate global ecosystem is very near the ‘tipping’ scale is characterized by Global warming. Therefore, it devolves upon the human race to find solutions so that man and nature can harmonize their needs to ensure a sustainable future. One such solution would be to build ‘Green’ houses.
What does a ‘Green’ house building entail? It encompasses cost effective and eco-friendly use of resources to build houses, institutions, markets, malls, and other similar structures.
The methods used in ‘Green’ House building are diverse. One method is to use superior architectural layouts so that maximal use can be made of natural resources such as wind and sunlight, thus reducing use of pollution forming air conditioners saving on your electricity bill. Another method is to use solar heaters and photovoltaic cells to save electricity. Conservation, an important facet of ‘green’ design is helped by using locally available natural materials. Rationalizing one’s needs also helps the green initiative; for example, building a house only as large as you actually need. Conservation of water is a ‘green’ principle, which can be achieved through installing smaller cisterns, using recycled water for your garden and rainwater harvesting.
Building ‘green’ houses have many rewards attached. Experts have estimated that a well-planned ‘green’ building consumes upto 30% less energy than a normal building. Because ‘green’ buildings use more natural air and sunlight, they are likely to be healthier to live in and thus improve human productivity with the added advantage of lower incidental medical bills.
There is a general misconception that ‘green’ house building is significantly costlier than building normal houses. That is just not true. A well-conceived ‘green’ house project might cost in the range of 0.5% to 6.5% over a normal building in the initial costing. However, over the long term, those costs get recovered.
For ‘green’ buildings to be sustainable it is recommended that one considers incorporation of the ‘green’ features in the initial design itself. Suggested measures include pooling or sharing of resources such as a common swimming pool or investing on a rainwater harvesting plant for the community at large.
‘Green’ is here to stay. In fact more and more people will be opting to live in ‘green’ buildings in the future. Building ‘green’ houses will help in ensuring a bright future to our children and also help in protecting the Earth.