Green Building and Sustainable construction - Essay Example

Some of the methods used to address the environmental sustainability of a structure involve recycle and reuse of materials, ensuring the building uses renewable energy source or employs energy and water saving methods. Besides the accessibility of the building, can make be used to gauge whether the building is environmental friendly? Buildings, which are far away from transport network, can be considered less environmental friendly. Sustainable construction involves use of environmental friendly materials for construction.

Use of wood from trees, which have been certified by the United States Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is one way of promoting sustainable construction. FSC ensures the trees which are used for construction purpose are replaced and the existing biodiversity is not affected by cutting down of a particular tree. Sustainable construction also involves the use of renewable materials which can be recycled or reused. While promoting sustainable construction additional materials, which may not be renewable in nature, are used.

The purpose of using such materials is to improve the overall performance of the building. A good example is use of plastic to insulate buildings; here plastic is used because of its availability and energy saving nature. Use of locally available materials is an economical way of saving on cost and reducing pollution of the environment. Transporting materials from another place would require use of means e.g. trains; heavy trucks which would definitely pollute the environment. When a building use available energy effectively, it is economically and environmentally sustainable.

Measures to ensure such state is achieved included use of insulate which prevents loss of heat, use of glass windows on most part of the building to promote natural light penetration thus save on lighting and heating. Ensuring the lighting and appliances within the building are