Green Building 101
Definitions of important terms
Green Building is becoming increasingly popular as both environmental awareness and energy costs rise. But to participate in the Green Building movement, you need to know what the movement is about, and what it takes to “build green.” Here’s a primer on some of the basic terms and concepts in Green Building.
Green Building, also known as “environmental building,” is the practice of building homes that are more environmentally friendly, more efficient and healthier. Some examples are using recycled building materials to decrease environmental destruction, improved energy efficiency to save in heating and cooling costs, and improved indoor air quality to lessen allergic reactions or exposure to harmful chemicals. Green building can benefit in building costs, operating costs, improving health, and minimizes negative environmental impact.
Green Remodeling is a similar term related to the remodeling of existing structures rather thean new housing or building construction. In Green Remodeling, the use of environmentally friendly materials is of added importance, since in many remodeling projects, people are occupying the building while it is being renovated.
Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Reuse is using an object or material again, either for its original purpose or for a similar purpose, without significantly altering the physical form of the object or material. Reuse is not recycling, because recycling alters the physical form of an object or material. Reuse generally consumes less energy and resources than recycling. Waste is defined as material for which no use or reuse is intended. Thus, reuse prevents objects and materials from becoming waste.
Recycling is using waste as material to manufacture a new product. Recycling involves altering the physical form of an object or material and making a new object from the altered material. Recycling consumes less energy and resources than making new replacement items with unrecycled or new material.
Energy efficiency is all awareness initiatives and measures aimed at saving energy. This includes the management of energy consumption as well as improving the efficiency of powered devices and the development of renewable energies.
VOC stands for volatile organic compound, a group of pollutants which can include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. These compounds are emitted from many solvent-based building products. According to the EPA, as with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics. Currently, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in homes.