The Dawn of Green

Architecture
Designing with the Environment in perspective

Hector Chapa Sikazwe

December 2010

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 The dawn of Green Architecture

Designing with the environment

In Perspective

December, 2010

Hector Chapa Sikazwe

Keywords

Green architecture, sustainable design, Energy efficiency, building sustainability, Spaces,

Green construction, new urbanism, Social responsiblity

Table of Contents
Abstract................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Green Architecture and Environmental Psychology.................................................................. 6
2.2 Green Architecture and Embodied energy/Energy efficiency ................................................... 8
(i) Windows ............................................................................................................................. 13
(ii) Paint ................................................................................................................................ 13
(iii) Photovoltaic (PV) cells.................................................................................................... 13
2.3 Green Architecture and some Aspects to consider .................................................................. 14
2.3.1 Green Architecture and building envelope ...................................................................... 14
(i) Insulation and air sealing..................................................................................................... 15
(ii) Roofs and Solar photovoltaic technology ........................................................................ 15
(iii) Wall Design .................................................................................................................... 16
(iv) Windows, doors, and skylights ........................................................................................ 16
(v) Orientation ...................................................................................................................... 17
3.0 Green Architecture and Site/design Preparation ...................................................................... 17
4.0 Green architecture and the use of space .................................................................................. 19
5.0 Green Architecture and renewable energy .............................................................................. 20
6.0 Green Architecture and New Urbanism/Corporate social responsibility ................................. 21
7.0 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 23
8.0 References and Bibliography .................................................................................................. 24

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Abstract
Green architecture is a broad term that refers to the creation or restructuring of buildings so
they have a minimal impact on the environment. There are a number of different approaches
to green construction, with many of the ideas involving the responsible recycling of existing
resources along with the efficient use of environmentally friendly systems to provide water
and power services to buildings that are created using a sustainable design. As more people
have become concerned about the wise use of the planet's resources, the concept
of green architecture has gained in both acceptability and interest.

Architects are therefore faced with the daunting task to conceive designs that reflect the
unfolding debate surrounding this topic. Considering that Architects are still considered as
the shapers of the environment, their responsibilities transcend several areas of human
existence. People need new buildings when they outgrow their current needs. A contraction
of the economy of course means no growth which means no work. Such scenarios entail
innovation from Architects to design environments that are self-sustaining and intrinsically
self-propagating to produce the required economic and socially satisfying architectural
solutions. Architects shoulder the scientific sustainability of the environment and designs that
promote not only social responsibility coupled with corporate responsibility but also the DNA
frame for global carbon-free environmental existence.

This research paper is compiled by a professional Architect who has branched into
environmental research into the impact of design, processes, inputs, workflows and socially
responsible operations that addresses these concerns.

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1.0 Introduction

Sustainable architecture is the practice of designing buildings while taking into consideration
sustainable development and environmental growth. It aims to minimize environmental
impact of buildings through moderation in the utilization of energy and development space as
well as building materials. According to Sikazwe (2009), the terms “green architecture” or
“green buildings” are often used interchangeably with “sustainable architecture” to promote
this definition further. In a broader sense and taking into account the pressing economic and
political issues, sustainable architecture seeks to reduce the negative environmental impact of
the buildings by increasing efficiency and moderation in the utilization of building materials,
energy and development space. Similarly, green architecture denotes economical, energy-
saving, environmentally-friendly, sustainable development and explores the relationship
between architecture and ecology.

“Green building” has become an area of interest to both individuals and larger corporations.
This kind of building makes use of natural materials and recycled materials in a way that
discourages wastefulness and encourages sustainability. Alternative home building focuses
on the “now” in the sense that it works to use materials that are kind to the earth immediately.
It also focuses on the “future” in the sense that the materials are designed to be durable and to
limit future waste.

Architects have a responsibility to guide the development of the built environment into
sustainable dynamics that will survive the tirade of uncontrollable inputs that threaten the
very existence of the planet. Carbon emissions, soil erosion, landscape degradation, pollution
of natural waters and ignoble tampering of natural foods through creation of genetically
modified foods and the lowering of natural equilibriums are just a few issues that Architects,
the designers of environmental frameworks have to address. The compilation of solutions
presented in several design solutions around the globe are meant to produce compact
solutions that address the balance of the depleting natural forces. Green Building and
Sustainable Architecture are all the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings
and their sites use, recycle and harvest energy, materials and water. This philosophy reduces
the impact of construction and human and vehicular activities on human health and upon the
health of the environment in which we live.

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To be sustainable in all matters relating to the design; from initial consultation, through to site
visit and early designs, right through to liaison with builders and if necessary, plan
modification. The architect, the actual designer that anyone considering a green building
chooses must be able to demonstrate this, through their portfolio and their approach. It is both
the design and the construction that make a building technically sustainable and green in
nature. The architect normally should pay careful attention to both aspects of the entire
process. On a site visit, a green architect pays close attention to the environment that the
potential building site is located within. These issues that pertain to the individual sites
should guide the architect in a design, with the purpose of respecting the immediate ecology
of the area, and for a prospective new green building to be in harmony with this. In the case
of an existing building, or a building to be constructed on a so-called brown field site1, which
is usually in an urban area, where often industrial or residential properties are or have been
demolished; the architect should pay particular care to what already is on the site, and how it
has been used and treated. Green Architects are fully aware that building on brown fields
involves an analysis of the soil, groundwater and surface water through testing for hazardous
compounds, and ensures that appropriate measures are taken to reduce identified risks and
liabilities. Any development plans must be made compliant with current regulations. Special
licenses are required to reclaim brownfield sites and strict environmental regulations can be
prohibitive for developers

Green architects accomplish this through selection of recycled materials, use of more energy-
efficient systems, locating buildings and their walls, windows, roofs and other surfaces in
such a way as to minimize their energy consumption. This is accomplished with attention to
the initial or capital cost, life-cycle cost (cost to operate over the life of the building), and
required energy to maintain and eventually remove and recycle into future green facilities.
Sustainable Architecture and Green Building is also referred to as Sustainable Design (or
environmental construction), or Sustainable Architecture although sustainable facilities have
a keener focus on the use of materials that can be sustained by our culture indefinitely,
without depleting our natural resources.

Green Design/Green Building is one aspect of Sustainable Architecture/Sustainable Design

and comprises of most technologies that have “green” in composition. Green architects

1
In the UK a brownfield site is defined as "previously developed land" that has the potential for being
redeveloped. It is often (but not always) land that has been used for industrial and commercial purposes and is
now derelict and possibly contaminated. In the USA a brownfield site always refers to industrial land that has
been abandoned and that is also contaminated with low levels of hazardous waste and pollutants.

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approach improved Health Home Design and Indoor Air Quality2 (IAQ) and reduced
environmental impact as a subset of Green Architectural principles. A growing body of
scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more
seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other
research indicates that people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Therefore most
people‟s exposure to air pollutants is determined primarily by exposure indoors, particularly
in their home.

Sustainable design is such a major part of the concept of design that it is now often included
in the planning and design process by urban and city planners, in their strategy for either
designing a new city, or extending an existing one. Take a look through the article on city
planning and sustainable design and see how sustainable design is being implemented into
our towns and cities. The Sustainable Design category also covers eco-friendly ventilation,
energy efficient appliances, heating, and calculating how much you recycle

The ideal objective for Green Architects is to seek to attain aesthetic and ecological harmony
between buildings and adjoining environment without depleting the natural concepts that
define composite ecological balance. The desire of green Architects is to create architecture
that appears to have naturally grown from the rocks, trees, bushes and mountains of their
setting. There seems to be a growing realization that what humans, as a species, build,
operate and move, affects the micro and macro climate of our world and as such, architectural
designs need to become predominantly “green” in Nature.

1.1 Green Architecture and Environmental Psychology

Architects are in recent years become more involved in the drive for environmental
protection of the universe through green-conceptually designed structures and out-door
spaces that are now defining the campaign for reducing carbon emissions that deplete the
ozone layer. Although in specific current trends in the design of the built environment,
architecture as a practice has not embraced the behavioural sciences to the extent hoped for,

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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of air in
the indoor environment within a building. A more technical definition of IAQ is related to how
well indoor air satisfies the three basic requirements for human occupancy: thermal acceptability,
maintenance of normal concentrations of respiratory gases, dilution and removal of contaminants
to levels below health or odour discomfort thresholds.

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though within the education of architects in most western Universities typically include some
exposure to human behaviour.

The idea that design affects users and can make a difference in their lives is central to every
major design profession and Architects are currently seen as the future driver of
environmental conservation. Environmental psychology is becoming a prominent
composition of design and engineering syllabuses in Architecture. Environmental psychology
investigates people‟s interactions with the environment, their perceptions, attitudes and
actions. It investigates the psychological processes that enable civilisations to understand the
meaning which environmental situations have for people acting individually or in groups, and
how people create and use places, thus making design an important tool in the science. The
environment can be the city, the neighbourhood, the home, the office, the factory, the school,
the hospital, the retail or recreational environment, or simply just the street that architects
design to produce the best environmentally friendly solution possible.

Currently, environmental psychologists work in collaboration with cognitive, occupational

and social psychologists, as well as other disciplines and professions such as architects,
educationalists, environmental scientists, engineers, landscape architects and planners and the
resultant environment thereby is seen to be safer, greener and more user friendly.

In the United Kingdom, there is better and more sustained collaboration between architecture
and environmental psychology that Universities and design institutions have recognised as
being the most pro-active model of environmental conservation. This seems particularly
common in other European Union and economically developing countries and precisely
prevalent in smaller countries where the trivialities of professional turf wars are not as easily
tolerated as in other parts of the World. Architectural studies in environmental psychology
provide an advanced knowledge and understanding of the methods, theory and practice of
environment behaviour research as related to sustainability and quality of life issues. It
includes factors such as environmental values and attitudes, consumer behaviour, attitude
change and environmental education.

Notably, the direct link between environmental psychology and Architectural design has
begun to develop in the form of design guidelines or programming documents, particularly
for the design of specialized facilities. Major examples in Europe include low cost housing,
housing for alternative living arrangements (e.g., co-housing), various medical facilities,
facilities for people with special needs (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, the physically disabled,
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victims of abuse, recovering drug abusers) and environments such a day-care and schools
focused on healthy development among children. Research in the European Union based
countries continues to mushroom on the role of different living arrangements for older
people, ranging from micro features such as doorway design to macro issues like availability
of the correct matrix of services that encourage environmental viability.

2.2 Green Architecture and Embodied energy/Energy efficiency

Green architecture has a positive impact on energy use throughout the life of the building,
and can also save significant energy during design and construction. It takes energy to make a
building, more energy than previously thought. Every material used to construct a building
has energy locked into it. This embodied energy is the energy it takes to extract, fabricate and
transport materials to the building site. Embodied energy also accounts for the energy added
during construction and finishing. This is a sustainable architecture term that means the
amount of energy required to make something. The embodied energy of a material refers to
the energy used to extract it, process and refine it before use in product manufacture. Green
Architects know that energy efficiency begins with the embodied energy that is contained in a
material. Therefore, energy conservation becomes a concern that Architects have to consider
at the point of conceptual design and articulation of design ideas in the realm of ethical green
architectural design.

For instance, research shows that it takes 127 times more energy to manufacture aluminium
than it does wood. That steel needs 24 times more energy than using any other material like
wood. The good news is that building materials manufacturers and Architects have realized
that the green architecture train is leaving the station and they are both scrambling to get on
aboard. More and more cost effective, energy efficient and environmentally friendly building
products are coming into the marketplace. Green architects have real choices now. Using
local materials when possible is another, practical way of conserving energy. This practice
doesn't just save transportation costs; it can have positive effects on the local economy as
well. The green architect incorporates both passive and active features into the building and
site design that will save energy over the life of the building.

A correlation exists between the number and type of processing steps and the embodied
energy of materials. For example, the fewer and simpler the extraction, processing and
refining steps involved in a material's production, the lower its embodied energy. The

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embodied energy of a material is often reflected in its price. In some cases, the most
technically appropriate material will lower energy costs over the life cycle of a product.

For example, composite materials involving carbon fibres or ceramic compounds may have a
relatively high embodied energy, but when they are used appropriately, they can save energy
in a product's use-phase due to their advanced physical properties, e.g., strength, stiffness,
heat or wear resistance. For instance, aluminium has a very high degree of embodied energy
because it is an arduous process to mine it, transport it, then purify, melt and shape it into raw
usable sheets or ingots, then to transport and then reshaped it or spend additional energy re-
melting it to mould into other shapes for specific uses. There is also energy expended to
transport aluminium around the country and around the world.

Architects have to consider the entire process it takes to use a material in a composite
structure and the aggregate energy finally expended in the final product reflects how much an
Architect considered the environmental impact a design has. It was thought until recently that
the embodied energy content of a building was small compared to the energy used in
operating the building over its life. Most effort was therefore put into reducing operating
energy by improving the energy efficiency of the building envelope.

Research from the University Of Bath, UK has shown that this is not always the case.
Embodied energy can be the equivalent of many years of operational energy as well. The
single most important factor in reducing the impact of embodied energy is to design long life,
durable and adaptable buildings. Green Architects take pride in not only picking materials
that have low embodied energy but materials that have low carbon emission in the process
production. In some cases, the most technically appropriate material will lower energy costs
over the life cycle of a product. For example, composite materials involving carbon fibres or
ceramic compounds may have a relatively high embodied energy, but when they are used
appropriately, they can save energy in a product's use-phase due to their advanced physical
properties, e.g., strength, stiffness, heat or wear resistance. The basic concept is that the less
operating energy is expended in a building‟s materials used, the more energy efficient a
structure is. Examples from the University of Bath below give an indication of the impact of
particular materials on the environment:

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 Energy Carbon Density
Material
MJ/kg kg CO2/kg kg /m3

Aggregate 0.1 0.005 2240

Concrete (1:1.5:3 eg in-situ floor slabs, structure) 1.11 0.159 2400

Concrete (eg in-situ floor slabs) with 25% PFA RC40 0.97 0.132

Concrete (eg in-situ floor slabs) with 50% GGBS RC40 0.88 0.101

Bricks (facing) 8.2 0.52 1700

Bricks (common) 3.0 0.22 1700

Concrete block (150mm medium weight) 0.71 0.08 1900

Aerated block 3.50 0.30 750

Rammed earth 0.45 0.023 1460

Limestone block 0.85 2180

Marble 2.00 0.112 2500

Cement mortar (1:3) 1.40 0.213

Steel (virgin) 35.30 2.75 7800

Steel (recycled) 9.50 0.43 7800

Steel (typical virgin/recycled) 24.40 1.77 7800

Timber (general) 8.50 0.46 480 – 720

Glue laminated timber 12.00 0.65

Sawn hardwood 7.40 0.47 700 – 800

Cellular glass insulation 27.00

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Cellulose insulation (loose fill) 0.94 – 3.3 43

Cork insulation 26.00* 160

Glass fibre insulation (quilt) 28.00 1.35 12

Flax insulation 39.50 1.70 30*

Rockwool (slab) 16.80 1.05 24

Polystyrene insulation 88.60 2.50 15 – 30*

Polyurethane insulation 72.10 3.00 30

Woodwool board insulation 20.00 0.98

Wool (recycled) insulation 20.9 25*

Straw bale 0.24 0.01 100 – 110*

Mineral fibre roofing tile 37 2.70 1850*

Slate (UK – imported) 0.1 – 1.0 0.006 – 0.056 1600

Clay tile 6.50 0.46 1900

Concrete tile 2.0 0.215 2100

Aluminium (general & incl 33% recycled) 155 8.24 2700

Bitumen (general) 47 0.48

Hardboard 16.00 0.86 600 – 1000

MDF 11.00 0.59 680 – 760*

OSB 9.50 0.51 640*

Plywood 15.00 0.81 540 - 700

Plasterboard 6.75 0.38 800

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Gypsum plaster 1.80 0.12 1120

Glass 15.00 0.85 2500

PVC flooring 65.64 2.29 1200

PVC composite tiles 13.70 1600*

Linoleum 25.00 1.21 1200

Terrazzo tiles 1.40 0.12

Ceramic tiles 9.00 0.59 2000

Nylon carpet 67.90 - 149 3.55 – 7.31

Wool carpet 106.00 5.48

Wallpaper 36.40 1.93

Wood stain / varnish 50.00

Concrete paving 1.24 0.127 2000*

Asphalt paving 2.41 0.14 2100

Vitrified clay pipe (DN 500) 7.86 0.53

Iron (general & average) 25 1.91 7870

PVC pipe 67.5 2.5

Copper (average incl. 46% recycled) 48 3.01 8600

Lead (incl 61% recycled) 25 1.33 11340

Ceramic sanitary ware 29.00 1.48

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 (i) Windows

Energy Carbon
Material
MJ/m2 kg CO2/m2

Aluminium 2x glazed, argon filled, window 5470 279

PVC 2x glazed, argon filled, window 2310 118

Aluminium clad timber, 2x glazed, argon filled, window 1200 61

Timber 2x glazed, argon filled, window 360 18

(ii) Paint

Energy Carbon
Material
MJ/m2 kg CO2/m2

Paint (2 coats) 20.4 1.06

(iii) Photovoltaic (PV) cells

Energy Carbon
Material 2
MJ/m kg CO2/m2

Monocrystalline (average) 4750 242

Polycrystalline (average) 4070 208

Thin film (average) 1305 67

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2.3 Green Architecture and some Aspects to consider

There are specific aspects of green architecture that are considered core to the mushrooming
fields of study in green technology. Whereas research has centred on the actual technologies
used in design, the use of specific aspects that are now considered to be paramount in the
novel green movement amongst Architects have become green design anthems in forums.
The following aspects are now seen as inevitable areas of concentration when green issues
are used to determine the future of the built green environment:

2.3.1 Green Architecture and building envelope

There are specific issues that Architects have to address with accuracy when producing an
environmentally positive green structure. The dogma in “green Architecture” is to consider
the conservation of energy within a building. This is conclusively the prominently direct
aspect of “green Architecture” that qualifies a building to be referred to as a green building.
Architects achieve this complex concept by employing what is architecturally known as
“building envelope”. The building envelope is the interface between the interior of the
building and the outdoor environment, including the walls, roof, and foundation. By acting as
a thermal barrier, the building envelope plays an important role in regulating interior
temperatures and helps determine the amount of energy required to maintain thermal comfort.

Minimizing heat transfer through the building envelope is crucial for reducing the need for
space heating and cooling. In cold climates, the building envelope can reduce the amount of
energy required for heating; in hot climates, the building envelope can reduce the amount of
energy required for cooling. A substantial part of “weatherization” includes improvements to
the building envelope, and most government weatherization3 programs often cite energy and
energy bill savings as a primary rationale for these initiatives. Architects embrace the fact
that one of the most important areas is the overall building envelope. By increasing the
amount of insulation, designers agree that this is the most convenient and easy way to
improve energy efficiency in a building. It‟s not enough to simply build to code requirements.

3
“Weatherization” in America or “weather-proofing” in the UK is the practice of protecting a building and its
interior from the elements, particularly from sunlight, precipitation, and wind, and of modifying a building
to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.

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 (i) Insulation and air sealing

As science dictates, heat naturally flows from a warmer to a cooler space; insulation therefore
provides resistance to heat flow, thereby reducing the amount of energy needed to keep a
building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A variety of insulation options exist,
including blanket, concrete block, insulating concrete forms, spray foam, rigid foam, and
natural fibre insulation that are used by most alert and articulate Architects. Regular revision
of the scientific coefficients that determine insulation effectiveness is strictly the prerogative
of the insulation engineers who work closely with Architects. Green Architects understand
that adding insulation strategically improves the efficiency and environmental green
effectiveness of a building. However, all this work of design can only be considered or
become effective when the building is properly sealed as well. With building and design
experience, sealing cracks and leaks have been known to prevent air flow and is a
fundamental aspect for effective building envelope insulation. Leaks can generally be sealed
with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping.

(ii) Roofs and Solar photovoltaic technology4

The design of specific roof shapes and materials used can reduce the amount of air
conditioning required in hot climates by increasing the amount of solar heat that is reflected,
rather than absorbed, by the roof. Proper insulation is also important in attics and building
cavities adjacent to the roof. As the debate of using solar panels has intensified in the last
decade, roof shapes have become a fundamentally vital consideration that has affected
Architects as they consider heating and cooling of buildings. In addition, roofs also offer
several opportunities for installing on-site generation systems. Recently, the use of Solar
photovoltaic systems are being installed as a rooftop array on top of the building or a
building-integrated photovoltaic system can be integrated into the building as roofing tiles or
shingles. The photovoltaic sector is currently one of the fastest-growing industries
worldwide. On the surface, Europe contributes significantly to this development. Closer
examination, however, reveals that considerable photovoltaic market deployment takes place
only in a few EU Member States though may symposiums are held all over the European
Union members.

4
Photovoltaic is the field of technology and research related to the devices which directly convert sunlight
into electricity. The solar cell is the elementary building block of the photovoltaic technology

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 (iii) Wall Design

Incidentally, Architects have long known that as roofs, the amount of energy lost or retained
through walls is influenced by both design and materials. Specific design considerations
affect the placement of windows and doors, the size and location of which can be optimized
to reduce energy losses. Green Architects spend tedious, meticulous and well calculated time
before making decisions regarding the choice of appropriate material and the process can be
more complicated than most think because the energy properties of the entire wall are
affected by the design. Importantly, material selection and wall insulation can both affect the
building‟s thermal properties. Physics simply recognises that a building‟s thermal mass or its
ability to store heat is determined in part by the building materials used rather than its
exposure to the elements of the weather. Thermal mass buildings absorb energy more slowly
and then hold it longer, effectively reducing indoor temperature fluctuations and reducing
overall heating and cooling requirements. This thermal exchange if designed appropriately
can regulate energy use one way or the other depending on the requirements and building use.
Thermal mass materials include traditional materials, such as stone and adobe, and cutting
edge products, such as those that incorporate phase change materials 5 (PCMs). PCMs are
solid at room temperature and liquefy as they absorb heat; the absorption and release of
energy through PCMs helps to moderate building temperature throughout the day.

(iv) Windows, doors, and skylights

Collectively known as fenestration, windows, exterior doors, and skylights influence both the
lighting and the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) requirements of a
building. Climate control and comfort in modern buildings is a major design issue. HVAC
help to control the climate, and keep occupants comfortable by regulating the temperature
and air flow. HVAC systems are also important to occupants' health, because a well regulated
and maintained system will keep a home or building free from mould and other harmful
organisms. In some environments, such as museums, HVAC systems are vitally important for
the preservation of historic artefacts. In addition to design considerations the placement of
windows and skylights affects the amount of available natural light whilst materials and
installation can affect the amount of energy transmitted through the window, door, or

5
Phase change materials (PCMs), currently under research and development, can smooth daily fluctuations in
room temperature by lowering the peak temperatures resulting from extreme external daily temperature changes.
PCMs reduce home heating or cooling loads, thereby producing energy savings for the consumer, and ultimately
reducing the need for new utility power plants.

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skylight, as well as the amount of air leakage around the window components. There are
currently thousands of new materials, coatings, and designs that are now used to contribute to
the improved energy efficiency of high-performing windows, doors, and buildings. For
example, higher-quality windows on the market today can be six times more energy efficient
than lower-quality windows. Some technology advances in the use of windows include:
multiple glazing, the use of two or more panes of glass or other films for insulation, which
can be further improved by filling the space between the panes with a low-conductivity gas,
such as argon, and low-emissivity (low-e) coatings, which reduce the flow of infrared energy
from the building to the environment. Research is currently continuing in this technology.

(v) Orientation

Architects take orientation as a very important aspect of design to take advantage of natural
sunlight to both illuminate and help regulate temperature in building structures. This is has
become a basic requirement when designing a structure that that is considered to be a green
building. The basic requirement is to maximize sunlight and air circulation, and the builder
and architect normally should take this into consideration when mapping out buildings.

3.0 Green Architecture and Site/design Preparation

From ancient times, site preparation and design considerations rarely included green
considerations until late in the 20th Century when designers started revering the effects of the
elements of the weather on finished design solutions. Green Architects started desiring green
building practices that deliberately reduced negative environmental impacts, while using the
features of the site to enhance human comfort and health. Preserving site resources and
conserving energy and materials in construction and building operations were implemented
and expected to provide important benefits. Environmental design and green planning were
then considered to greatly reduce construction, utility, and maintenance costs thereby
enhancing energy conservation.

Green Architects have recognised that site preparation and design must include controlling
rainwater drainage to prevent erosion and mould development. Proper site preparation has
various aspects that help to improve a finished building‟s green quality like making it
possible to direct rainwater towards gardens or plantings and thereby conserving water by not
having to water your garden. Careful site preparation can reduce the impact of the structure

17
on the immediate surroundings. The interdependence on practical and deliberate site design
to have the resultant structures interacting with each with the environment on the radar helps
in strengthening the dynamics of structures to produce environmentally efficient effects.
Some site green issues need to be implemented as research and evaluation of physical and
cultural characteristics of the site will normally influence construction plans, and resource
efficient technology, systems, and materials. Relevant site characteristics may include:

(a) Topographical features that influence drainage and air movement

(b) Groundwater and surface runoff characteristics
(c) Soil texture and characteristics (bearing, compatibility and infiltration rates)
(d) Air movement patterns
(e) Neighbouring developments and proposed future developments
(f) Parcel shape and access
(g) Solar attitude and microclimate factors, e.g. snow and wind load
(h) Sensitive areas such as wetlands, animal migration or mating areas, and endangered
species of plants or animals
(i) Neighbouring cultural and architectural characteristics
(j) On-site raw materials such as wood, stone, sand and clay available for construction
(k) Existing trees and native vegetation

There are some important basic site preparation and structural considerations that need to be
considered when designing:

(a) Location relative to transportation, sewer, water, power, fire and other existing
infrastructure
(b) Natural site characteristics that may enhance or restrict design, e.g. solar access,
stream corridor, on-site raw materials, cluster of trees, topographic rise, microclimate,
soil texture, renewable energy sources, etc.
(c) Efficient use of space for floor plan layout, e.g. shape and size
(d) Environmentally and socially considerate parking and road network, e.g. efficient
access, reduce impervious materials, community oriented
(e) Green product material selection
(f) Efficient and comfortable floor plan, energy and water efficiency, and indoor air
quality
(g) Construction waste management plan

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The building design phase integrates the site, floor plan, building orientation, landscaping,
materials, mechanical systems, architectural characteristics, and construction practice
guidelines into the optimal green structure. From a technical perspective, Architects that have
a green attitude towards the built environment will normally possess a moral thrust in their
desire to design for a sustainable environment. Architects who style themselves as green, will
have the standard degrees in architectural design and practise, and may have taken additional
qualifications to demonstrate their green or environmental knowledge. However, the most
important sign of an Architects competence in green matters is their skill and experience. It is
one thing working with the environment and the planets ecology, but listening to a client‟s
needs and translating them into a workable design plan is the crucial matter.

4.0 Green architecture and the use of space

Conventionally, the smaller a building and its dynamics, the less energy is consumed. This
concept is superficial if the small building is being used equally uses excessive energy
implements. Small spaced buildings as well as large buildings generally use a tremendous
amount of energy to heat and cool and the difference in energy consumption is only
differentiated by the design and green considerations that are vital. Rogers (1997) observed
that large structures also consume far more building materials which may have their own
environmental consequences than smaller buildings. In a move to do away with such
wastefulness, small structures are now being preferred allowing smaller structures to
conserve energy and avoid unnecessary depletion of natural resources in the design and
superficial design of large buildings. From the memorable days of the great Architects like
Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe who drove the “international”6 style of architecture in the 1920s,
to the use of open spaces to trap and conserve energy by the use of the green house effects,
small structures became prominent in design. Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe is famously known
for the quotation that “Less is more” as it became apparent in his era that design did not
necessarily require large buildings to attain functionality and quality appropriateness.

6
An influential modernist style in architecture that developed in Europe and the United States in the 1920s
and 1930s, characterized chiefly by regular, unadorned geometric forms, open interiors, and the use of glass,
steel, and reinforced concrete.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/international-style#ixzz1BCWymmqo

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5.0 Green Architecture and renewable energy

There has been a lot of misunderstanding of what is considered as Renewable material7 and
renewable resource and several discussions and ideas have been put forward by different
professionals in the design and build of green buildings. Renewable materials can be useful in
the green energy technology because renewable materials will not be depleted if managed
properly and normally have reduced net emissions of CO2 across their life cycle compared to
materials from fossil fuels that result in biodegradable waste. On the other hand, renewable
resource is any substance of economic value that can be replaced or replenished in the same
amount or less time as it takes to draw the supply down. Some renewable resources have
essentially an endless supply, such as solar energy, wind energy and geothermal pressure,
while other resources are considered renewable even though some time or effort must go into
their renewal, such as wood, oxygen, leather and fish.

Most precious metals are considered renewable as well; even though they are not naturally
replaced, they can be recycled because they are not destroyed during their extraction and use.
Invariable research has been taking place in these types of resources and as expected,
renewable resources have become a focal point of the environmental movement, both
politically and economically. Energy obtained from renewable resources puts much less
strain on the limited supply of fossil fuels (non-renewable resources). The problem with using
renewable resources on a large scale is a cost problem and in most cases, more research is
needed to make their use cost-effective. Architects have played a major role in driving this
research and UK universities like Newcastle University8, Salford University9 and Bath
University10 all have departments that have taken up the challenge gallantly.

In terms of renewable energy, a natural resource such as wood is a good example of a

resource that can be used but must be replenished over time in order to make sure the supply
is plentiful for future generations. This is one reason why many timber companies make it a
point to plant new trees after the harvest of a line of trees has taken place. The idea is that by
replacing the trees recently removed to make timber for construction and other wood
products, that same land will be able to yield a similar amount of product after a period of

7
Renewable materials are substances derived from a living tree, plant, animal or ecosystem which has the
ability to regenerate itself. A renewable material can be produced again and again. For example, when we use
plantation wood to make paper we can plant more trees to replace it.
8
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/apl/research/centres/landscape/publications.htm
9
http://www.research.salford.ac.uk/
10
http://www.bath.ac.uk/ace/

20
twenty to thirty years. Over time, the emphasis on the use of sustainable and renewable
resources to augment or even replace the use of non-renewable resources has become a
priority for green Architects and some are taking it up as a moral obligation considering that
designers are privileged to be the propagators of the built environment. With resources such
as fossil fuels limited in quantity, the cultivation of biofuels from plants has gained a great
deal of attention. Over time, it is hoped that corn and similar resources can be used to
produce sufficient fuel to replace the use of gasoline and other products currently produced
using fossil fuels.

Alternative energy11 has become almost a utopian aim for some countries in the European
Union. For instance, in Germany, the government has offered massive incentives to citizens
to invest in photovoltaic panels: buy them at a reduced rate, and then sell power back to the
grid at a profit. The program is so successful that Germany is now forecasting that as much as
one-third of its power could come from alternative energy within a decade or two. And it's
not all about what the government is doing. In response to the solar push in the Fatherland, a
host of solar energy companies have sprouted there.

6.0 Green Architecture and New Urbanism/Corporate social responsibility

The benefits of green design, financially and socially, are too great to be considered a trend
that will pass. As architectural and interior design trends fall in and out of favour, Architects
will still need to account for environmental and social factors. The buildings may look
different in the future, but they will still be designed for the underlying environmental and
social factors that help shape the built environment. As green architects consider
environmental green design, a new supportive wave of redesigning the urban cities and their
networks called new urbanism12 design has arisen to support sustainable development. New
urbanism is succinctly repairing the damage done to cities through environmental
degradation, misguided infrastructure projects and designs that have isolated the poor. Green
Architects have equally embraced new designs that aim to transform the deteriorating public
housing into liveable mixed-income neighbourhoods by replacing blighting freeways with

11
Alternative energy is the name given to any type of energy used to replace a different source of energy, often
because of the negative consequences of its use. Types of alternative energy throughout history have included
coal, petroleum and alcohol. In the 21st century, these alternative sources have included bioenergy
and biofuels such as palm oil, ethanol, and other low carbon alternatives
12
New urbanism, a philosophy in city and community planning, is an idea that grew out of a response to the
negative effects of suburban sprawl. It promotes sustainable, liveable, healthy communities that provide their
residents with a way of life that has nearly been suburbanized into extinction.

21
neighbourhood-friendly boulevards. By focusing on green design and sustainable
development, New Urbanism promotes efficient use of infrastructure and preservation of
habitats and farmland. With green building Architects, green Architecture is establishing new
standards for green design at the neighbourhood scale. Transportation for instance has been
seen to play a pivotal role in sustainability and truly efficient transportation like walking,
bicycling, and transit use is only possible where there is compact, urban form that allows
harmony with little negative impact on the urban structures. New Urbanism makes shared
space the organizing element of a community. Architecture physically defines streets as
places of shared use. Within the general sphere of green architectural philosophy, care for the
public realm adds character, builds value, promotes security, and helps residents feel proud of
their community. Plazas, squares, sidewalks, cafes, and porches provide rich settings for
interaction and public life. Through grids of streets, transportation choices, and the siting of
buildings along the sidewalks of compact blocks, New Urbanism in conjunction with
sustainable green and environmental design brings destinations within reach and allows for
frequent encounters between citizens, in sharp contrast to sprawl.

A key measure of connectivity is how accessible communities are to people with a range of
physical abilities and financial resources. This new approach where the disabled and
physically impaired are considered in environmental design as part of green design falls
within the corporate social responsibility of the green movement.

Predominantly, Architects once gloried in the large homes they planned or designed for the
very rich and shamelessly competed over whose designs were more luxurious, glitzy, worthy
of notice in the media and within the flamboyant arena of Forbes magazine celebrities. They
once had their sights on cities, neighbourhoods and buildings for those who belonged to what
was considered the privileged class: Yuppies, bon vivants and high-tech tycoons. Most
magazines read by the rich are filled with photos of homes that celebrate design and great
designs that money can buy. How rare and awkward it is when an architect boasts of reducing
construction costs, or creating beauty in a public housing project. With the dawn of green
architecture, designers have started engaging in social responsibility and express pride to do
so; urban designers and architects are once again concerned first and foremost with taking the
distress out of poor neighbourhoods. This way or that, in the discourses of design and
architecture, in education and practice, there is more and more talk of the big society, the
public, democratizing planning, cooperation, low-rent projects, environment and the rest of

22
the issues swirling around under what is called "involvement" and "responsibility."
Architectural exhibits are no longer merely demonstrations of ego and power but also include
projects that are not even photogenic, but which contribute to humanity. This is a quiet
revolution that has gripped the architectural community and designers have become socially
responsible in the designs they produce with environmental sustainability in mind.

7.0 Conclusion
In summary, Architectural green building design issues typically include the following
considerations that most green scientists will consider when providing the best sustainable
designs:

(a) Green products and materials

(b) Passive solar and energy efficiency principles
(c) Water efficiency and quality
(d) Landscaping
(e) Indoor air quality
(f) Solid and hazardous waste management
(g) Building codes and standards
(h) Affordability and financing
(i) Site preparation and maintenance guidelines

Social responsibility has brought about the need for designs and considerations that assist in
providing sustainable solutions for the environment. It is a revolution that has evoked
academic and social research to provide solutions for designers and green architects with
moral and non-egocentric solutions for developers and green minds. Architects have assumed
a leading role in promoting the need for environmentally sustainable design solutions for
building project briefs. Universities in the UK have equally embarked on providing academic
classes that specifically concentrate on low carbon emission designs and environmentally
green viable design solutions.

This paper has shown the need for green architects and urban designers for leading the quiet
revolution into design solutions that address global warming and carbon emissions issues.
The more proactive role green architects play in shaping the environment, the more reduction
of carbon emissions‟ will be achieved.

23
8.0 References and Bibliography

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Capra, Fritjof. (1996) The Web of Life: A New Synthesis of Mind and Matter, London:
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Talbot R. and Magnoli G. (2000). Social Inclusion and the Sustainable City, in The Ethics of
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Talbot, R., (1997). „Towards the ecological society: a toolkit for community learning‟, in
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