Green Design:
A Moral Response to Global Warming and Environmental Degradation
Outline
Climate crisis
Population growth
Energy usage in buildings and cities
Thesis: Given the current environmental crises of global climate change, biodiversity and habitat loss, and natural resource depletion, sustainable building design and smart urban planning, when compared to traditional ways of urban and suburban growth, is the only responsible and ethical way to expand as a population.
Potential of green building design
What Qualifies a Building as “Green?”
Alex Wilson’s understanding
LEED Standards
Availability of options
Key Components of Green Building Design Explored
Passive solar
Suitability of landscape
Composition
Recyclables
Origin of product
People friendly?
Mowing
Watering
Native plantings
Resources for Potential Green Home Builders and Remodelers
Introduction
It is becoming increasingly difficult for dissenters to assert that global climate change is not currently upon us. The scientific data that has been amassed, along with anecdotal evidence, make it clear that we are in fact staring down a crisis, and that it is crucial that action be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our ecological footprint on the planet. The climate crisis, however, is not the only crisis the world community faces today. Rapid population growth and large populations of malnourished and underfed people serve to exacerbate and underscore the climate situation. Present populations already do not have all of their needs met, and population growth trends predict a significantly increased population in the future. More people means a larger overall footprint, and this does not even consider the necessity of increasing quality of life for some segments of the present population.
Beyond global climate change concerns, human beings have a moral - and for most religions a spiritual mandate - to care for our earth. Reductions in biodiversity and destruction of some of the most beautiful locations on the planet have made it clear we are failing at this task (Wilson, 2001). With increasing populations and limited space, more and more people will be forced to join urban populations. This may be a good thing for biodiversity and habitat fragmentation (as it condenses people into a single space rather than allowing them to further divide key habitat areas), but it may also contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, worsening global warming. This is because currently a little under half of the world population lives in urban areas (Silverman, 2007), but urban areas contribute about 75% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. (Siegel, 2007) Some cities, such as New York City, have outlined strategic plans and taken steps to begin changing their footprint. In the case of New York City, these steps include converting the city’s taxi fleet to hybrid automobiles, opening more playgrounds and parks, and creative financing of solar energy (Silverman, 2007).
All these things will certainly help New York City reduce their emissions, but there is another crucial piece which will help the Big Apple even more: green building design and green retrofitting. Buildings are New York City’s number one source of emissions, and so offer a great opportunity for improvement (Silverman, 2007). New York City is obviously not the only city that could stand to benefit; building owners all over the planet have great potential and opportunity to both save money and save the environment, from homeowners to corporate plazas. In the United States, 40% of all energy consumption is by buildings. Additionally, buildings produced 39% of the United States’ total carbon dioxide emissions, and 52% of the total sulfur dioxide emissions. This adds up to a whopping $305 billion dollars spent on energy each year in the United States (Wilson, 2006). Greening up buildings has the potential to significantly cut energy consumption in the United States as well as greenhouse gas emissions and our energy bills.
Given the current environmental crises of global climate change, biodiversity and habitat loss, and natural resource depletion, sustainable building design and smart urban planning, when compared to traditional ways of urban and suburban growth, is the only responsible and ethical way to expand as a population. Dealing with climate change is no longer a choice; both mitigation and adaption strategies will have to be employed to minimize worst case scenarios. The only question that remains is how to address the problem, and as NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg put it, “There is no one answer. And there are no easy answers,” (Bloomberg, 2007). The low hanging fruit is not going to cut it this time. But green building design has the potential to be one key answer to a sometimes overwhelming problem.
What Qualifies a Building as “Green?”
Just as there is “no one answer” to fix global warming, there is not one single thing that defines a green, or sustainable, building design. Many different components go into the design and construction of any building, and each of these components falls on a spectrum of more or less environmentally friendly. Insulation, for example, is a common feature on most homes in the United States, and helps improve a home’s R-value, or heating and cooling efficiency. To a certain extent, this already makes an insulated building more environmentally friendly. But many green home designs would take into consideration how the insulation was made, the materials it was made from, how long the material will last, and how it must be disposed of once it is no longer useful. (Roaf, et al, 2001)
Using a spectrum concept, a home is more green the more environmentally friendly it is, and less green the less environmentally friendly it is. A lot of factors are considered when determining a building’s environmental friendliness, and in my opinion one of the hardest parts of designing a green building is making sure that all the possible factors that could be considered are considered and carefully thought through. Additionally, some factors may be competing. For example, one product may be more durable and made of recycled materials, but is not recyclable and so will eventually end up in a landfill.
There are a variety of definitions available about the factors that comprise a green building, but there is general agreement about some of the main themes. A paraphrased listing of some key factors that define a green building as compiled by Alex Wilson in his book Your Green Home: A Guide to Planning a Healthy, Environmentally Friendly New Home is below (Wilson, 2006):
Although this is a fairly thorough list, there are constantly new scientific and technological advances that may further enlighten us and expand or modify such a listing. Though there is a lot that we do know, there is an infinite amount more to learn and plenty that we may have miscalculated or misunderstood, as is the nature of science.
One group working at promoting green building design is the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Thus far, they have set the industry standards for definitions and guidelines for green buildings. Their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings have focused on larger commercial, industrial, schools, and other public use buildings, but they are working on developing a certification system for residential dwellings as well. There are four categories of LEED certification, and in order from least to most green they are bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. The USGBC grants certifications based on a points system, where certain design features, product types, and other considerations are awarded points. The higher number of points achieved by a green building, the higher the certification awarded (LEED).
Key Components of Green Building Design Explored
There are so many factors that can be considered when looking to build a new home or remodeling, and I can not address anywhere near everything in this paper. Hopefully the following discussion will inform readers about the different subjects that must be addressed and encourage readers to think outside of the box when designing a home—but it is in no way comprehensive. Look for helpful questionnaires or listings of things to consider when designing a green home. One good questionnaire can be food in Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House by Carol Venolia and Kelly Lerner (2006).
Site selection
Green building designs are unique even from the beginning. Site selection and situation of the building on the site is crucial. The first decision someone looking to build has to make is where to build. Ideally, a green home is built on an infill site, or a site already disturbed by development (Wilson, 2006). This minimizes disturbance of species habitat, and doesn’t create new eco-system disruption. Another aspect to consider is the building’s orientation to the sun. In order to maximize passive solar heating potential, the building should be situated so that sunlight can enter windows easily, particularly when the sun is low in the winter (Roaf, et al, 2001). Some builders may also want to consider how the building blends into the landscape, and if the building stands out and seems very prominent or if it seems to fit with the scenery.
This category tends to be one of the most obvious to those without much experience in green design; it obviously matters what kind of products you are using to construct your building. What may be more surprising is how many different things need to be considered when making decisions about materials. The first element to consider is the composition of the material. Is this product made of something that hurts the earth to extract or acquire? Does the manufacturing process generate a lot of waste (Roaf, et al, 2001)? Will the material last a long time or need to be replaced very soon? Along with the question of lifespan of the product, disposal should be considered. If a product is fairly environmentally friendly but is not recyclable in any way, it may not be the best product available (Wilson, 2006). Additionally, a lot of fossil fuels are used in the transport of goods, and setting a radius within which products must be produced for the project is a good way to cut back on carbon emissions.
Another issue that some people find critically important is the effect on the health of building occupants. This is a subject that really is a part of all of the above concerns, but has some additional considerations as well. Does this product emit toxic fumes (Wilson, 2006)? Does it allow for good ventilation? Will it create dust that may cause asthma or lung disease? Products should be carefully examined and builders should make themselves knowledgeable about the potential to harm human health with each product (Wilson, 2006).
Energy efficiency is a hot topic right now, as people all over the United States look for ways to cut their electricity bills and reduce the risk of extended black outs. Energy creation gets a lot of attention as exciting new technology is often toted as great advancements, but perhaps more importantly are the many ways energy can be conserved. It is much more financially efficient and effective to reduce energy consumption before trying to generate cleaner energy. Some of the ways this can be done is through careful attention to the building’s envelope (walls, roof, and floor). Insulation, thicker walls, triple or quadruple paned windows, and materials with a high R-value can all help reduce heating and cooling costs (Wilson, 2006). As mentioned above, passive solar heating and careful positioning of windows can be very useful, along with careful positioning of seasonal shade plants (Venolia and Lerner, 2006). High-efficiency appliances are readily available and are quick solutions (though some would argue costly), and in a similar vein being vigilant about turning off lights, televisions, computers, and other devices when they are not being used can go a long way toward reducing energy consumption (Wilson, 2006). Beyond these basic steps, investing in innovative technology, such as solar water heaters or a ground source heat pump greatly reduces energy consumption (Wilson, 2006).
Creation of energy is an exciting topic that gets a lot of attention. While some people believe that nuclear power is the way to go, others feel that the construction of plants, which consumes a lot of energy and resources, and the waste are too burdensome to make this a viable option (Clayton, 2007). Other options are wind or solar power, but they have yet to gain widespread support within the United States.
Water is integral to the life of a property. Sewage, and other water from household use would ideally remain onsite and be treated utilizing “living machines,” or reused. Living machines are human-made wetland systems that purify water, and a well-built wetland will purify water as well as a wastewater treatment plant. Rainwater, which generally is fairly pure, can be collected off of roofs, in tanks, or channeled into rain gardens. It can then be used for irrigation or other purposes, or simply allowed to slowly recharge ground water (Venolia and Lerner, 2006). Graywater, or used water from a building that has not been flushed from a toilet (Wilson, 2006), can be collected for use watering lawns, washing laundry, and flushing toilets. This reduces the amount of energy used to filter water, as well as minimizes demand for filtered water in tasks that do not require filtered water. Some other water management options include composting toilets, incinerating toilets, or nitrogen removal systems (Roaf, et al, 2001) Additionally, paved surfaces should be minimized to allow for the ground water to be recharged.
Land Management
Not only is it important to construct a building using green products, but it is also important to incorporate the exterior landscape around the building. Turf lawn, for example contributes to carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental degradation significantly. Reducing the square footage of mowed area and instead supplementing with native species supplies habitat for small critters, minimizes the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and reduces mowing (a major contributor of carbon dioxide emissions) (Wilson, 2006). In comparison, native prairies require far less watering, chemical treatment, and maintenance because they are accustomed to the climate of a particular location. If turf lawn is necessary due to planned usage, be sure to select grasses that are appropriate for the setting, such as shade tolerant or drought resistant grasses (Wilson, 2006).
When all of these factors are combined into one building design, the results are phenomenal. With so many resources at our disposal to fight one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases that cause global warming, we would be morally remiss to not begin investigating and investing in these changes. The threat of global warming is too real and immediate. As contributors to this crisis and as beings capable of understanding what we have done to put the earth and ourselves in this situation, it is our moral obligation to set right what we have wronged. As Kermit the Frog has always told us, “It’s not easy being green.” But with rapidly developing technology, green building materials, techniques, and processes are more readily available than ever before. This leaves us with few excuses to shirk our moral responsibility.
Resources for Green Home Builders and Remodelers
Alex, Joseph. “Environmental Building Design and Construction Portal.” Retrieved October 1, 2007 from Your Home Planet website. <http://www.yourhomeplanet.com/>.
Chiras, Daniel D. The Natural House: A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-efficient, Natural Homes. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2000.
Hayes, Alan (1997). It’s So Natural House Book: How to Conserve Energy and Save Money In and Around Your Home. Sydney, Australia: HarperCollins Publishers.
LEED Rating Systems. Retrieved November 4, 2007 from the United States Green Building Council website. <http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx? CMSPageID=222>.
Orr, David (2004). The Nature of Design: Ecology, Culture, and Human Intention. USA: Oxford University Press.
Roaf, Sue, Manuel Fuentes, and Stephanie Thomas (2001). Ecohouse: A Design Guide. Oxford, Auckland, Boston, Johannesburg, Melbourne, New Delhi: Architectural Press.
Venolia, Carol, and Kelly Lerner (2006). Natural Remodeling For the Not-So-Green House: Bringing Your Home Into Harmony With Nature. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Wilson, Alex (2006). “Your Green Home: A Guide to Planning a Healthy, Environmentally Friendly New Home.” Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Bloomberg, Michael R. (April 22, 2007). Mayor Bloomberg Delivers PLAN-Y-C: A Greener, Greater New York.News from the Blue Room. Retrieved November 4, 2007 from the New York City governmental website. <http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2007a%2Fpr12007.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=>.
Clayton, Mark (2007, March 7). How Green Is Nuclear Power? Christian Science Monitor website. <http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0307/p01s04-sten.html> (accessed October 31, 2007).
LEED Rating Systems. Retrieved November 4, 2007 from the United States Green Building Council website. <http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx? CMSPageID=222>.
Roaf, Sue, Manuel Fuentes, and Stephanie Thomas (2001). Ecohouse: A Design Guide. Oxford, Auckland, Boston, Johannesburg, Melbourne, New Delhi: Architectural Press.
Siegel, A. (2007). Post Clinton-Gore Admin Duo and Global Warming. Truth and Progress: Shades of Blue and Green website. <http://www.truthandprogress.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=663> (accessed November 30, 2007).
Silverman, Isabelle. Lecture. 12th Annual Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Liaison Office Student Seminar. November 1, 2007.
UN Habitat Deputy Director for New York Liaison Office. Lecture. 12th Annual Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Liaison Office Student Seminar. November 3, 2007.
Venolia, Carol, and Kelly Lerner (2006). Natural Remodeling For the Not-So-Green House: Bringing Your Home Into Harmony With Nature. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Wilson, E.O. (2001). The Future of Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Wilson, Alex (2006). Your Green Home: A Guide to Planning a Healthy, Environmentally Friendly New Home. Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada: New Society Publishers.