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Activity 2

This document discusses green building and sustainable design. It explains that green building aims to balance environmental, social and economic benefits by reducing energy use, water consumption, and pollution over the lifetime of a building. The document instructs students to research sustainable design techniques and construction methods. These include rainwater collection systems, green landscaping, improving building envelopes to reduce energy use, installing tankless water heaters, using solar thermal panels, recycling construction waste, employing natural ventilation strategies, and using local materials like adobe bricks. Students are asked to propose original green building ideas and improvements that could make their own living spaces more sustainable.

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47 views4 pages

Activity 2

This document discusses green building and sustainable design. It explains that green building aims to balance environmental, social and economic benefits by reducing energy use, water consumption, and pollution over the lifetime of a building. The document instructs students to research sustainable design techniques and construction methods. These include rainwater collection systems, green landscaping, improving building envelopes to reduce energy use, installing tankless water heaters, using solar thermal panels, recycling construction waste, employing natural ventilation strategies, and using local materials like adobe bricks. Students are asked to propose original green building ideas and improvements that could make their own living spaces more sustainable.

Uploaded by

cql
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Activity 2.3.

2 Green Building and Sustainable


Design
Introduction
Green building design and sustainable architecture are reshaping the practices and
products of modern construction and are providing solutions that balance
environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Climate change concerns and a sense of stewardship for the earth are motivating
the use of green building products and sustainable techniques. Energy use in
buildings is increasing and could continue to rise. By using new sustainable
methods, materials, and mechanical components, architects and engineers are able
to create structures that can curb that trend. A sustainable building design reduces
pressure on the environment by decreasing energy use, reducing the consumption
of water, and conserving and preserving natural resources as well as reducing
pollution during the life cycle of a building.

In addition to incorporating sustainable features, designers should also address


occupant needs and comfort when planning a building. Desirable work space and
living environments allow users to be more productive and comfortable. Careful
consideration must be given to natural light and interior temperatures as well as
materials that emit low levels of toxins.

In this activity you will learn about green and sustainable practices in preparation for
the design of your Affordable House. During the design process, continually consider
incorporating sustainable features into your home design.

Equipment
· Engineering notebook
· Computer with Internet access

Procedure
In groups of two to three, you will learn more about green and sustainable practices
and then respond to the questions. For each statement below, describe a
reasonable action. Use the US Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org) and the
US Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) sites to begin your search, but
seek out reliable information on each topic from at least one other website source.
Be sure to cite each additional reference.

1. Rainfall falls on most parcels of property throughout the world. Describe


one method that could be used to collect this natural resource.
Website:
____https://rainharvestingsupplies.com/blog/rainwater-harvesting-wet-system-with-a-pionee
r-water-storage-tank/

The solution provided is using “WET” system, which involves placing water collecting
pipes connected from the gutter underground and connecting them to a water tank
that can be placed anywhere on the property and correct the water from any gutter
pipes.

2. Describe a landscape design technique that benefits the environment.


Website:
_____https://www.bhg.com/gardening/landscaping-projects/landscape-basics/green-lan
dscaping/
Green landscaping is a gardening method that is used to save money, energy,
reduce pollution and create a healthy recreational space.

3. Energy use is high in commercial buildings. What might a building


designer do to reduce energy consumption in a building?
Website:
_____https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/building-envelope _
building envelopes support the structure, offer natural climate control, and provide an aesthetic
finish to the building, making use of the latest building technologies to save energy

4. Describe a design feature for a residential structure that would likely result
in reduced water use.
Website: http//___https://www.thespruce.com/tankless-water-heaters-1824903
__________
The tankless water heater works by directly heating water on demand unlike traditional hot
water heaters using a storage tank, the tankless units have no storage tanks and thereby have
no standby heat loss.
5. Describe an innovative construction method or technique that benefits the
environment.
Website:
https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/solar-energy/solar-thermal/solar-thermal-panels

Solar thermal technologies turn sunlight into heat instead of power ,the main purposes of this
technology are space and water heating, and they’re a very popular solution for swimming pool
heating

6. During the construction cycle of the building, materials and components


are delivered to the site. List a strategy that you will use to recycle the waste
produced during the construction phase.
Website:
http//_____https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/reuse-and-recycle-construction-
materials __
Reusing existing components/ leftover cut materials and using them to build new
structures .

7. Describe a feature you could incorporate in a home design that would


improve indoor environmental quality.
Website: http//___https://www.moffittcorp.com/stack-effect-natural-ventilation/
______
By using stack effect ventilation and taking advantage of the differences in air density inside,
outside, and throughout the building, a space can be made cooler.

8. Building sites offer natural resources that can be utilized for the life of the
building. Describe a method to use a site’s natural resources in the construction
of the structure.
Website:
http//______https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-adobe-sustainable-energy-efficient-
177943 __________

Soil can be mashed together using water and dried up to make adobe bricks, which can
bemused to construct most parts of the building and save lots of materials.

Going Beyond
9. (Optional) Select a company name and design a logo that you might use if
you opened your own architectural design firm that illustrates a commitment to
green and sustainable design.

Conclusion Questions
1. Describe an original green and sustainable idea that you have. Choose
one that is not currently in use as far as you know.
You can make gym equipments that produce energy when you work out, like a
stationary bike or rowing machine or pull down machine

2. Describe an improvement that you believe could be made to the building


where you live to make it greener. Explain why it is an improvement.
Using motion sensor lights might help a lot because we often forget to turn off the
lights, they end up being on overnight or all day when no one is home,me which
is a lot of energy wasted.

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