Why We Need Green Architecture

Green architecture has been a subject of much discussion. Are Green buildings necessary? Is it cost effective? Does it really have a future? To answer these questions let us look at some basic facts. The earths ecological condition is becoming increasingly precarious. The consumption rate of natural resources is simply unsustainable. Oil, the prime driver of the world economy is getting dearer leading to exponential price hikes. Such high oil prices characterized by the $4 a gallon gas clearly point to the need for serious introspection in the way we use the Earths natural resources. Oil prices impinge into every aspect of economic life. They translate into higher prices of all commodities, as transportation becomes costlier. High oil prices adversely impact the housing industry also. Cement, steel, wood, glass, plastics and all other materials used for building houses all have become costlier as a result of the cascading effects of oil price hike. Therefore there is a need to build smarter and the only way to do so is to utilize green architecture.
Now that the role of Green buildings is established it helps to know how Green architecture works. It looks at all aspects of building a house, from using the lay of the land, the use of indigenous materials, the use of natural lighting and natural air. Electricity consumption is reduced by use of energy efficient appliances and solar grids. Use of CFLs and White LEDs are examples of using low per consuming electrical goods. Use of smaller cisterns and water harvesting techniques is another aspect of green architecture, which leads to conservation of water. Environmental degradation is reduced by using locally available material instead of materials imported from far off places.
While Green architecture may initially be more expensive than normally designed houses by about 6%, in the long run the savings accruing from electricity and water more than compensate for the early costs. Green architectural concepts are gaining ground, and acceptability the world over and the day is not far when governments will make it compulsory for everyone to build green houses. To encourage Green architecture, governments are already declaring incentives such as tax benefits. Green architectural norms have to align to Green standard norms being formulated by various governments. It has been estimated that the overall impact of green architecture will help reduce pollution, conserve energy and natural resources. Green architecture is here to stay and we definitely need it.

More related to architecture, visit www.aia.org/walkthewalk.

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