Buildings in Harmony with Nature - Essay Example

Buildings in Harmony with Nature The question of whether the development of buildings should bein harmony with nature is a key concept that needs to be assessed in a bid to evaluate how buildings of the future shall be developed. Nature is the only reason for human existence. In fact, it is the only reason for existence of life. As such, our buildings should all be developed with one intention in mind, which is to ensure that these buildings do no harm to nature. Additionally, embracing the concept of sustainability at any level of our lives is of importance for human survival. This paper will assess the need for building houses and structures that do not disrupt or interfere with nature. Buildings in Harmony with Nature Introduction Buildings created in harmony with nature have a few advantages over the buildings which are built with no regards to nature. One of the key arguments that can be used to indicate how such a statement can be true sustainability is in saving resources is the buildings which require minimum energy intakes. Modernist and minimalist architecture employ the use of natural light to light up these buildings. As such, little energy is required to bring light into such buildings. This is true for other features of nature in addition to energy such as water. As such, embracing sustainability in developing architecture is very crucial at a time like this, when the world population is growing at a very first rate. History The concept of buildings that are in harmony with nature is not a new idea. It has been in our world for a few generations now. Arguably, one of the first architects to coin the phrase "organic architecture" was Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the best designers of minimalist structures. In his belief, Wright argued that nature will exist forever, but humans might not, if they do not preserve it. He also created a concept in which humans would live in total harmony with nature. Wright was one of the first architects to build some of the most unorthodox structures to prove how devoted he was to making human settlements and nature compatible. One such structure is Fallingwater which was built near a waterfall and has been designed by Wright in 1935. The concept of green houses, or green construction is a concept that is currently being adopted by governments as law. The effect that human existence has had on the nature in relation to urbanization is disastrous. Buildings should be in harmony with nature. Although this is not a law yet, people who seek to develop houses and new urban centers need to consider the role played by nature to our survival and the survival of other species. As such, it is the responsibility of every architect to ensure that whatever structure they develop, it does not impact nature in a negative way. Urbanization and Industrialization Vaingurt (2013) argues that urbanization and industrialization have been some of the key reasons why human survival has been consistent whereas other species have died. Industrialization brought about numerous advantages to humans including the development of machines to make work easier, electronics to facilitate research as well as food security. As such, urbanization and industrialization have had a positive impact on human survival. However, urbanization and industrialization have also had some negative effects. Primarily, urbanization has led to mass deforestation in most countries. For humans to settle in one place, many trees have been cut. In addition, industrialization has led to massive pollution on the environment. For instance, industrialization has led to the accumulation of green house gases in the atmosphere, which have resulted in a higher level of global warming. The question is, would these structures have been built in a different way that did not cause any disadvantages to nature? Exploring this topic is the key purpose of this paper. Although buildings in the past did not consider the effect that they would have on nature, thanks to science and technology, today, we know how our former structures influenced nature. As such, it is the responsibility of all developers, architects and engineers to create technologies or buildings that respect nature and allow humans to co-exist with nature, without one surviving while the other dies. Additionally, some architects have been able to design buildings that coexist with nature. Why shouldn’t all new buildings respect nature? Sustainability in architecture has several advantages to nature and humans as well. Sustainable buildings are built to high standards in relation to the environment. These structures are built with one main intention: to conserve the environment. According to Vaingurt (2013) green structures play a vital role in preservation of energy, water, controlling pollution and preservation of human health. Sustainable buildings to nature are meant to conserve the environment. However, to humans, they improve their health in that nature facilitates meditation, which is instrumental for a quick health recovery. Placing people near nature is good for their health. As such, sustainable buildings work to ensure that nature serves its purpose in improving the human immunity system. Benefits One might ask what benefits building structures that are in harmony with nature might have. Here is a list of some of the main advantages derived from creating buildings that are in harmony with nature is the conservation of the environment. Sustainability building has been purposely developed with the main intention of securing a future for nature. if we do not change the way we build houses or skyscrapers, in a very short time we might not have any part of the environment left, other than the houses that we established. As such, building houses and buildings that are in harmony with nature would have a number of positive attributes for the environment, promotion ecology and biodiversity. According to Hosey (2015), in the United States alone, buildings account for half of the energy consumption and three quarters of emissions. As such, sustainable building is the first step that the human species need to embrace with the hope of securing a much better future for oncoming generations. Various government and nongovernment organizations have been developed to ensure that sustainability in buildings has been ensured for the oncoming future generations. One such organization is U.S. Green Building Council. The organization is devoted to ensuring that a law is passed that requires all new structures to be eco-friendly, and if possible, promote sustainability. Hosey (2015) offers a number of quick tips on how buildings can all be harmonious with nature. In his argument, he argues that awards given to architects should ensure that the designs being awarded meet a certain minimum in regards to adherence to sustainability. The author also proposes that architectural magazines need to feature purely sustainable buildings in their reviews. Hosey (2015) explores the concept of the architectural 2030 challenge. His arguments are all centered towards meeting this challenge which involves turning all architectural designs will be sustainable by 2030. Additionally, the author also proposes that before licensure, architectural firms need to show a certain level of compliance to sustainability for them to function appropriately. Neiser (2014) offers some more brilliant facts about sustainability as compared to Hosey (2015). In her argument Neiser (2014) argues that buildings account for 40% of energy consumption, 38% of emissions and pollution, 20% of solid waste and 12% of portable water. As such, it is evident that mot buildings are not built in a way that is in harmony with nature, but this can be changed. Sustainable or green building is a concept held by most people who believe that one day; it will be very possible for people to coexist with nature without having to harm it. The use of technologies in buildings that result in much less waste and lower energy consumption is another proposition that Neiser (2014) gives that would help make buildings appear more harmonious with nature. Sustainability is not only based on building new structures alone, but rather it is crucial that architects assess if any new renovations to old buildings can be used to create more sustainable buildings. Additionally, sustainability also involves the demolition and reconstruction of some of the buildings that are in no way harmonious with nature. Likewise, sustainability should not be embraced by the architectural society alone, but rather can be embedded in almost all processes of our lives, including agriculture, production, extraction and other similar human activities. Creating energy-saving solutions, such as the LED bulbs used in contemporary minimalist designs, is a key way to save energy and hence live more harmoniously with nature. Additionally, most environmentally friendly structures also use renewable energy sources. As such, sustainability in buildings extends beyond the design. In his Master’s of Architectural Studies thesis, Littman (2009) presents a concept known as regenerative architecture. Regenerative architecture is a concept that goes beyond sustainability. His proposition about regenerative architecture indicates a certain level of genius. Sustainability promotes the conservation of the environment, whereas unsustainable buildings lead to the degeneration of the external environment. Regenerative architecture is more like sustainability, but it goes a step further since it promotes the regeneration of the environment. This method employs the use of nature to create buildings that are "alive". The use of nature to build structures that have life in them is the main argument that Littman proposes in his thesis. Another key advantage of sustainability building is the fact that such buildings have minimal effects on the environment. For instance, in Japan, sustainability building has been practiced for decades. Due to its location, Japan is prone to various disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunamis and other similar natural calamities that affect energy production in the country. As such, the country has embraced sustainability in their architecture in most parts of the country. According to the Annual Report on the Environment (2013), one of the most interesting places in Japan is Yokohama City. Although Yokohama City is not fully sustainable, and has some of the tallest buildings in the country, its immediate suburbs appear like the rural areas. People in Japan have developed ways to live harmoniously with nature. Rural areas in Japan such as Nishiawakura Village have more than 95% forest coverage. How are people able to live in such an area and not destroy forests? Sustainability buildings need not be sky scrapers alone. Even residential houses can all be built on the sound principles of sustainability. The Building and Construction Authority (2012) presented the Code for Environmental Sustainability of Buildings, which was a new regulation that will control how buildings are managed within a given country. Arguably, one of the key features about the plan is the fact that it is centered on several concepts and requirements for building. For instance, one of the policies that has been passed by the Building and Construction Authority is that all buildings that occupy more than 2000m2 of floor space need to be environmentally sustainable and adhere to green building initiatives. Additionally, the code stipulates the minimum requirements for energy use in such buildings, the stipulation of the type of lights that will be used as well as codes on some of the air quality in such buildings. It is the responsibility of all leaders to ensure that they are doing the best they can to develop sustainable structures that promote a better future and the wellbeing of nature. Additionally, one of the countries that is at the forefront of the sustainability construction projects worldwide currently is Slovenia. Although a small nation, Slovenia has one of the highest living standards in the world. Located in Europe, the country hosts some of the best sustainable buildings ever established. According their national sustainability website, Slovenia.si (2015), the county has embarked on multiple projects that promote sustainability while at the same time reducing the wastage exhibited by some of their structures developed earlier that used western architecture. According to the website, the European way of life is very wasteful to a point that the world would need three times as much as its current resources if the entire world was to live the average European life. Similarly, the website also argues that the American way is even more wasteful, in that if the entire world population lived like the average American, we would need five planets to survive. Killick (2015) argues that most people concentrate on the buildings’ sustainability after they have been established and ignore the construction process. Evidently, the material used in construction is a key consideration that needs to be made pertaining to environmental sustainability. The use of low-pollutant material is a key strategy that needs to be embraced by builders all over the world. The use of timber for instance, should be put on a minimal, being used solely for the decorative purposes. Material used in the construction of green buildings, or buildings that coexist in harmony with nature, needs to be renewable if possible, or inexhaustible. Additionally, it should also contribute to lowering the energy consumption of the building, as the whole point of sustainable buildings is to save on energy consumption while nurturing nature around the building. Conclusion Buildings should be in harmony with nature. This argument is undisputable. Although it has not yet been passed as a law, it should. Creating structures that are sustainable is not as expensive as it may seem. In actual fact, sustainable buildings are cheaper to maintain in the long-run as compared to the old buildings that did not facilitate the growth and improvement of the environment. As such, most people might argue that sustainability in buildings is not going to be a law, but some cities are currently developed using green building technology and emphasize on the need for any building set up there to adhere to building structures that coexist in harmony with nature. one such city being built is Masdar in the United Arab Emirates. The eco-city program has also been employed throughout Japan. List ofReferences ANNUAL REPORT ON THE ENVIRONMENT, 2013, Building communities in harmony with the environment. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.env.go.jp/en/wpaper/2013/pdf/11.pdf VAINGURT, J, 2013, Wonderlands of the avant-garde technology and the arts in Russia of the 1920s. Evanston, IllL: Northwestern University Press. HOSEY, L, Why architects must lead on sustainable design. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/03/19/why-architects-must-lead-sustainable-design LITTMAN, J. 2009, Regenerative Architecture: A Pathway beyond Sustainability. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1389&context=theses BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY, October 2012, Code For Environmental Sustainability Of Buildings 3rd Edition. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.bca.gov.sg/Envsuslegislation/others/Env_Sus_Code2013.pdf NEISER L, July 07, 2014, The Importance of Sustainable Design. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.mlive.com/business-resource-center/2014/07/the_importance_of_sustainable.html KILLICK, D, May 20, 2015, Developments that enhance the environment. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/68680181/developments-that-enhance-the-environment SLOVENIA.SI. 2015, Living in harmony with nature. Accessed June 12, 2015 from http://www.slovenia.si/slovenia/country/environment/living-in-harmony-with-nature/ Read More