Green Means

Using a Whole Building Approach

By Shannon Scott

            Building becomes a whole lot greener when all those involved on a building project put their heads together, early in the planning process and throughout construction.  This whole building approach creates maximally healthy and efficient homes and commercial buildings. 

            The whole building, or integrated, approach begins with a team of people who have a vested interest in a project – stakeholders.  A team might include owners, designers, plumbers, operations people, inhabitants, employees, and others.  These people create a clear, sustainable design and construction vision that protects triple bottom line objectives –people, planet, and profits. 

            This integrated team approach regards a project’s totality, all components as a unified system, synergistically.  Synergy describes how multiple systems work together to create a more highly functional system – the whole feels better and operates more efficiently than the simple sum of its parts. 

            A project team closely examines life cycle costs, environmental impacts, and societal effects for all materials, construction methods, systems, and design choices.  This includes where products originate, how and from what they are made, if they’re human safe, and can be reasonably transported to the project site.  Bringing products from abroad often ignores sustainability and life cycle costs.

            For example, during a building’s pre-planning, or ideas phase, the developer, business interest, or home owner assembles an integrated project team.  The team examines data and, let’s say, considers that commercial buildings account for approximately 20% of all U.S. energy use.  Half of this energy goes to heating and lighting.  (In residences a larger percentage of energy heats water.)  Since heating and lighting result in the bulk of energy costs, and since much electricity generated in the U.S. still comes from fossil fuels, reducing a building’s demand will have a positive domino effect across economic and environmental spectrums. 

            Given these energy facts, the project team considers local and regional climatic conditions along with environmentally sound and cost efficient HVAC and lighting options.  A primary goal is to maximize the building’s efficiency as a whole, synergistically.  The team considers that for heating and lighting, Mother Nature offers buildings in Nevada full advantage.

            Project participants select a building site with southern exposure, correctly orienting the building on the site, and designing the core and shell with passive solar design features.  Passive solar designs utilize the sun and natural surroundings to help heat, cool, and illuminate a structure. 

            The team ensures that the building suits its site, with plenty of south facing glass, a tight building shell, quality windows, and adequate insulation.  HVAC and lighting systems’ capacities can be greatly reduced compared to traditionally built counterparts where professionals work in isolation of others and that give no regard to site, surroundings, or local climatic conditions.  Reducing heating and lighting capacities cuts upfront expenses and long term operating costs.

            Installing many operable windows means mechanical air filtration systems may be minimized or unwarranted altogether.  Windows that open allow in fresh air, improving indoor air quality and human health.  Windows, in general, provide light, which gives inhabitants a connection with the outdoors.  People feel better.  Workers become more productive and cooling costs are reduced. 

            This in only a snapshot of how site and building orientation can save money and the ecosystem.  Project teams consider many more factors, including, but not limited to the following performance criteria that when combined provide comfortable, cost effective, and sustainable places to live and work. 

Sustainable Site and Location

            It’s best to develop on previously disturbed land, or within established developments, and still try to allow for open space and views of nature.  Save valuable land and open space, build up rather than out.  A good site minimizes environmental impacts, conserves energy, and reduces water use, and reduces water use, heat islands, and storm water runoff.  Ideally, a home or commercial building will be located near public services like libraries, parks, and restaurants to reduce driving needs and promote walking – thus better human health and connection with community.

Water Efficiency

            Reduce water demand whenever and wherever possible via low water use fixtures and landscaping and the reuse of storm or grey water. 

Energy and Atmosphere

            Conserve energy via efficient designs that often include passive solar, on-site green energy generation, efficient appliances, and top notch construction quality.  It is equally critical to mitigate climate change potential by selecting environmentally responsible materials and systems.

Materials and Resources

            Use sustainably grown, harvested, and produced materials.  Reduce waste by recycling and reuse.  Salvaged materials are great when/if you can find them, but remember to never use salvaged windows as do not meet good National Fenestration Council standards for energy efficiency as their seals are often jeopardized.

Indoor Environmental Quality

            Human safe environments consist of air free of pollutants, allow for natural daylight, and quality acoustics.  We all want to breathe safe, clean air and feel good in spaces we inhabit.