Green architecture is an eco-conscious approach that advocates for the preservation of nature in designing, constructing, and operating buildings. In green architecture, the architect adopts a design philosophy that considers the environmental impact of all aspects of the project.A green building or community is one that takes into account the efficiency and sustainability of energy resources, the preservation of water and air resources, waste reduction, and the adaptability of materials to a changing environment.
Green architecture does not only aim to limit or eliminate the negative impact that construction activity has on the environment, but to have a positive effect on the people and nature through environmentally conscious designs, practices, building materials, and the use of the latest technologies.
Construction harms the environment in several ways: high energy consumption, generation of waste, high direct CO2 emissions compounded by deforestation, and water and air pollution. From architectural design to operations, a construction project contributes to climate change, disrupts wildlife, and consumes a lot of resources.
Green walls and vertical gardens along with green roofs are all hallmarks of green buildings that help minimize heating and cooling costs, prevent storm-water runoff, filter out pollutants, and accordingly reduce energy use and cost. Solar power, in addition to hydropower and wind power, is very often used as renewable energy resources for heat and electricity so that any residential or commercial building is able not only to fulfill its own needs but to generate and store electricity.
Several countries have initiated green building investment projects around the world to meet the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. As of 2015, several countries have already incorporated Green buildings in their master plans.
Singapore is one of the earliest countries in Asia to incentivize and initiate green architecture projects. In 2009, the Singapore Green Building Council was established to encourage green architecture and to encourage private-public partnerships. “Singapore is the only country that makes it mandatory for any building of 5,000 square meters to achieve minimum standards as per the code for environmental sustainability,” says Mayank Kaushal, an architect, senior sustainability consultant, and researcher with Future Cities Laboratory.
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Green building practices are gaining more acceptance in the construction and real estate industries as a viable solution to becomicng environmentally sustainable. Yet green architecture was founded more than 50 years ago, and its uptake hasn’t been progressing as one would expect.
Adopting sustainable development and green architecture practices remains challenging for several reasons. Compared to conventional methods, the capital and additional costs needed constitute the major challenge to even consider going green especially for developing countries. The materials and equipment used in the construction of green buildings are expensive as are the technologies needed for energy efficiency and generation. But more recent research shows that: “investments can be recouped through operational cost savings and, with the right design features, create a more productive workplace.”
However, the cost is not the sole challenge, other major obstacles include the lack of expertise and skilled manpower, the lack of awareness and environmental education, minimal adoption incentives, and the lack of laws and policies. More importantly, the lack of dedicated research and development is a major issue.
The green architecture was founded in 1969 by Ian McHarg who theorized a holistic approach to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated. His most important contribution are detailed in his book “Design with Nature” where he outlined the process of living harmonically with nature by applying a “landscape suitability analysis”. His principles of regional ecological planning explain the importance of assessing the health of a region, its ecological constraints, and accordingly where and how construction should take place to live in harmony with nature.
