Sustainable architecture and society
The population, to a certain extent, does not know the impacts of architecture and construction on the environment and the quality of life, however, they have a global and local impact with concrete manifestations.
If we talk about global impacts, it has been calculated, according to experts; That 10% of the energy used in today's society is used in the construction and maintenance of the different typologies of buildings. It is also known that a great part of the natural resources (wood, water, mineral resources, etc.) is dedicated to this sector, which is reflected in that 40% of these materials are used for the construction, the construction, transport Of materials and maintenance of the buildings spends as much energy as the pollution it generates. Consequently, the way in which it is built and inhabited affects the state of the global environment, in aspects such as the destruction of forests, pollution of rivers, deterioration of the landscape, etc.
Environmental impacts are also manifested at the local level, such as the excessive consumption of space or inconveniences derived from the construction industry, such as dust, noise, traffic congestion, etc., and in the use phase, in aspects such as quality Life, health and safety of its inhabitants. These aspects include, among others, the creation of unhealthy atmospheres, the alienation of their occupants by the determination of their behavior due to an inadequate design, or the exposure of intense and continuous noises.
New sustainable design and construction techniques are being implemented in societies that are starting to opt for sustainability and the use of clean energy to meet their needs. The experience obtained with the implementation of environmental management systems in other fields such as the industry, are allowing us to move in this direction.
In the industrial sector, the effects of production are manifested in an evident and immediate way in the contamination of the environment, which forces its managers and the administration to apply measures that correct this situation. Over the years, three successive trends have been established:
The first, with the mark of irresponsibility, was concrete in reducing pollutants in their emissions, hiding them anyway, the usual ways were to dissolve them in water or mix them in gases such as oxygen and then emitted to the environment.
The second, predominant in the 70's and 80's, was characterized by the correction at the end of the productive process.
The third trend, initiated in the late 1980s and 1990s, focuses on preventing pollution from the origin of the production process, and on the internalization of environmental costs.
It must therefore be considered that the sustainability of a productive process is not only linked to the quality of the process but also to the product itself. It also considers the same costs related to the subsequent use of the product by the consumer, as well as those derived from the treatment, recycling or reuse of waste products generated, in other words: it covers the entire product life cycle.
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE
For a building, like any other product, the application of sustainability criteria will have to take into account the complete analysis of the life cycle of the building from the architectural idea until its foreseeable end.
The impacts of the building, built locally, affect the quality of life (and health) of both its occupants and the population living in its more or less immediate environment. The impacts of a global nature are a consequence of the intensity of use of the materials and the energy invested in the construction.
The measures that can take a building to favor a sustainable construction cover different aspects:
The choice of construction materials: The tendency to use certified materials, to which life-cycle analysis has been applied, from companies endorsed with eco-labels allows the use of materials that meet the sustainability criteria.
The implementation of waste management systems: The determination, in the design, construction, use and demolition phases, of the system of minimization or reduction, reuse, disposal and treatment of waste is fundamental for a sustainable building.
The implementation of measures aimed at energy efficiency of the building: The design and execution of the construction must consider energy efficiency, reducing losses and promoting the use of renewable energy. Architectural solutions should also consider the uses of the building in the direction of increasing its efficiency and yields.
Consideration of health, comfort and safety of residents: The design of the building
Adapted from: architecture and environment
If we talk about global impacts, it has been calculated, according to experts; That 10% of the energy used in today's society is used in the construction and maintenance of the different typologies of buildings. It is also known that a great part of the natural resources (wood, water, mineral resources, etc.) is dedicated to this sector, which is reflected in that 40% of these materials are used for the construction, the construction, transport Of materials and maintenance of the buildings spends as much energy as the pollution it generates. Consequently, the way in which it is built and inhabited affects the state of the global environment, in aspects such as the destruction of forests, pollution of rivers, deterioration of the landscape, etc.
Environmental impacts are also manifested at the local level, such as the excessive consumption of space or inconveniences derived from the construction industry, such as dust, noise, traffic congestion, etc., and in the use phase, in aspects such as quality Life, health and safety of its inhabitants. These aspects include, among others, the creation of unhealthy atmospheres, the alienation of their occupants by the determination of their behavior due to an inadequate design, or the exposure of intense and continuous noises.
New sustainable design and construction techniques are being implemented in societies that are starting to opt for sustainability and the use of clean energy to meet their needs. The experience obtained with the implementation of environmental management systems in other fields such as the industry, are allowing us to move in this direction.
In the industrial sector, the effects of production are manifested in an evident and immediate way in the contamination of the environment, which forces its managers and the administration to apply measures that correct this situation. Over the years, three successive trends have been established:
The first, with the mark of irresponsibility, was concrete in reducing pollutants in their emissions, hiding them anyway, the usual ways were to dissolve them in water or mix them in gases such as oxygen and then emitted to the environment.
The second, predominant in the 70's and 80's, was characterized by the correction at the end of the productive process.
The third trend, initiated in the late 1980s and 1990s, focuses on preventing pollution from the origin of the production process, and on the internalization of environmental costs.
It must therefore be considered that the sustainability of a productive process is not only linked to the quality of the process but also to the product itself. It also considers the same costs related to the subsequent use of the product by the consumer, as well as those derived from the treatment, recycling or reuse of waste products generated, in other words: it covers the entire product life cycle.
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE
For a building, like any other product, the application of sustainability criteria will have to take into account the complete analysis of the life cycle of the building from the architectural idea until its foreseeable end.
The impacts of the building, built locally, affect the quality of life (and health) of both its occupants and the population living in its more or less immediate environment. The impacts of a global nature are a consequence of the intensity of use of the materials and the energy invested in the construction.
The measures that can take a building to favor a sustainable construction cover different aspects:
The choice of construction materials: The tendency to use certified materials, to which life-cycle analysis has been applied, from companies endorsed with eco-labels allows the use of materials that meet the sustainability criteria.
The implementation of waste management systems: The determination, in the design, construction, use and demolition phases, of the system of minimization or reduction, reuse, disposal and treatment of waste is fundamental for a sustainable building.
The implementation of measures aimed at energy efficiency of the building: The design and execution of the construction must consider energy efficiency, reducing losses and promoting the use of renewable energy. Architectural solutions should also consider the uses of the building in the direction of increasing its efficiency and yields.
Consideration of health, comfort and safety of residents: The design of the building
Adapted from: architecture and environment
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario