Environmentally-Friendly Elements Used in the Construction of a Multi-Storey Commercial Building - Essay Example

? Green building Introduction In this day and age, there is an increased tendency towards environmentally friendly buildings. Construction of sustainable buildings is becoming a necessity. The environmental and economic cost accrued from buildings is increasingly becoming too heavy a burden to bear. This arises from the cost of material and energy, water consumption and quantity of wood attributed to buildings. As such, environmentally friendly construction is the most co-effective avenue for building. When engaging in green building, it is imperative for the architect(s) to adhere to client expectation to the best extent humanly possible. These ensure client satisfaction and deign excellence. The chief task of this paper is to recommend environmentally friendly elements to be employed in the use of the construction of a multi-storey building. Green building is both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Recommendation Wood is among the core materials used in the construction of buildings. In context to multi-storey buildings, the ratio of steel, glass and concrete, is significantly more. However, in green building, this ratio must change. In this endeavor, timber-concrete composite is favorable for this building. It comprises of timber beams being interconnected to slabs of concrete that are then cast on timber members (GLAVINICH, 2008). This introduces cost saving measures and efficient control of building materials. The picture below was taken from a case study of Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney, east London. It demonstrates the strength associated with timber concrete composite. In context to the roof, clay roofing tiles are the best environmentally friendly option to pursue. Clay is a hundred percent recyclable as such the core rationale for its inclusion as a preferred building material. The durability of clay will lead to significant savings. This will be in terms of cost of repair. An additional factor for clay is that an increasing number of clay manufacturing companies are offering post consumer recycled clay tiles. Thus, the roofing system will always be up to date. The ten storey building is expected to consume a significant quantity of energy. As such, in achieving the sustainability of the building, energy efficiency is imperative. When the appropriate energy efficient solution is found, the rising costs of energy are controlled. The design and construction of the building should capture energy efficiency. Thus, solar energy is reliable since it is incident and available for a larger part of the year (YUDELSON, 2008). In the past, systems for harnessing solar energy were not efficient in the creation of electrical energy. However, technological advancements have made it possible to source reasonable output from the solar panels. However, solar energy is expected to work in unison with the conventional power source. The picture below is a depiction of a Sandtoft product. The rationale for using Sandtoft rests on the premise that since they produce both clay roofs and solar panels, it would be more economical to buy from Sandtoft. The picture is from a case study conducted in Leeds where the owner reported significant energy savings since dealing with Sandtoft. Painting has been discovered to be among the most toxic chemicals in buildings (RIDER et al., 2011). Therefore, environmentally friendly paint must be used. The paint to be used on the building should be of low or no VOC paint. Natural pigmented paints should be the only paint to be used. As such, Ecosure Matt by Deluxe Trade is the best alternative. A case study conducted on Rimrose Hope CE Primary School explicates on both the sustainability and performance of this natural paint. The normal insulation systems are a product of toxic materials. An environmentally friendly insulation system comprises of blue jean denim (MULVANEY, 2011). It entirely uses recyclable materials. It has almost zero waste materials. Widows and doors form a core element in the energy profile of a building. When these products are built using composite materials, the attributed performance of these products, as well as durability and maintenance aspects, become economical. There exists the option of reusing existing material; this is the most resourceful option. However, caution should be observed especially with regards to window seals and gaskets (ZEIHER, 1996). In the case where the windows use finger jointed materials, it is necessary to paint them purely for aesthetic reasons. In the event where painting will be conducted in controlled conditions, then it is best that the windows are factory primed. The figure below depicts the quality of recycled windows. The sick building syndrome has been responsible for under performance of employees. Aside from offices, it has also plagued homes. This can be avoided by healthy and environmentally friendly ventilation systems. One such system is the natural ventilation system. This system relies on the natural movements of air to sustain the flowing of fresh air all through the entirety of the building. In this way, both temperature and humidity levels are maintained at optimum levels. This free flow of air is aided by the presence of a significant number of windows. This ventilation system aids, in part, occupants having a feeling of control over their environment (SNODGRASS & MCINTYRE, 2010). Thus, controlling bad odor and the temperature is made plausible. Additionally, the air velocity is regulated and, thus, the air is not too stuffy. The impact of the heat or direct glare of the sun is lessened. Ceiling lights should be positioned in such a way that the occupants are not hit directly by the ceiling lights. Furniture should be spaced out to allow free flow of air throughout the building. Modern wall systems are used to reduce noise from the outside world since insulators act as barriers preventing noise from moving to adjacent rooms (YUDELSON, 2007). Additionally, it leads to a reduction of energy costs. In addition to these advantages, wall systems are environmentally friendly. Wall systems reduce heat lost and at the same time emissions to the environment. This is sourced from the fact that it reduces the use of heaters and air conditioners, thus directly leading to saving of electricity. The Dow Building solution is the best source of wall systems. A case study of the Concordia Pharmacy explicates on the value of the Dow Building Solution option. Clay soil is one among the most expansive soils. As such, if proper care is not taken, the foundation, and subsequently the whole building, will be jeopardized. Clay soil expands rapidly when wet and contacts rapidly when dry. Thus, the correct foundation and drainage should be implemented. Given that the foundation is of clay soil, clear gravel should be wrapped in a filter fabric throughout the entire trench line; that is from pipe up to grade (TOBIAS & VAVAROUTSOS, 2009). This prevents the water in the soil from running uphill, a common phenomenon when dealing with clay soil. The best solution for external walling is sourced from Insulated Render Systems. These systems are characterized by one of the highest industry approvals, thus the rationale for proposing their use in this scenario. The potential for energy saving is significant. The continuous beam structure for frame structures is proposed for this building. This is hinged on the fact that it is inexpensive and can withstand all elements. The case study was conducted on Plymouth which entailed retrofitting. Conclusion Green building is a concept that is increasingly being adopted by owners and designers of buildings. The key areas of modification are the roofing structure, energy systems, wall systems, basements and foundations and the nature of paint used. These endeavors will reduce the respective global foot prints of these buildings. The case studies and pictures highlighted in this paper are used to strengthen the choice of system to be used. In addition to this, the systems and products proposed are meant to offer the best sustainability and maintenance options available in the market. (1291) References RIDER, T. R., GLASS, S., MCNAUGHTON, J., & LEVINE, K., 2011. Understanding green building materials. New York, W.W. Norton & Co. GLAVINICH, T. E., 2008. Contractor's guide to green building construction: management, project delivery, documentation, and risk reduction. Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley. MULVANEY, D., 2011. Green technology: an A-to-Z guide. Los Angeles, Sage Publications SNODGRASS, E. C., & MCINTYRE, L., 2010. The green roof manual: a professional guide to design, installation, and maintenance. Portland, Timber Press. TOBIAS, L., & VAVAROUTSOS, G., 2009. Retrofitting office buildings to be green and energy-efficient: optimizing building performance, tenant satisfaction, and financial return. Washington, D.C., Urban Land Institute. YUDELSON, J., 2008. The green building revolution. Washington, Island Press. YUDELSON, J., 2007. Green building A to Z: understanding the language of green building. Gabriola, B.C., New Society Publishers. ZEIHER, L. C., 1996. The ecology of architecture: a complete guide to creating the environmentally conscious building. New York, Whitney Library of Design.     Read More