When it comes to sustainable building design, we usually think of goals in three main areas: environment, people, and costs. The environmental goal is to reduce the consumption of natural resources such as water, energy, and raw materials, and to prevent environmental damage caused by the construction process. The human-centered goal is to provide a comfortable, easy, safe, and efficient environment for those living and working in the building. Cost drivers aim to optimize the construction and operation of the building to reduce costs.
Sustainability is the product of the development of technology and environmental awareness in the last few years. Buildings are ecosystems; like all living ecosystems, buildings use resources and produce waste. However, to achieve sustainability in building design, we can reduce waste and resource consumption rates thanks to the latest developments in sustainable building design, energy efficiency technology, construction and facility management software.
Space Optimization
Sustainable building design starts with site selection, including location, orientation, landscaping, and parking areas. These parameters affect the local ecosystem and energy consumption within the building. First of all, space optimization and building design should be complementary.
Creating a project with physical security in mind is a critical issue when optimizing space design. Certain factors such as perimeter lighting, location of relevant access roads, car parks and vehicle barriers need to be taken into account.
Energy Efficiency
Sustainability is often closely linked to climate change and energy dependency. Global energy demand is expected to increase by 47% by 2050. Although experts expect a shift away from gas and coal use, it is a known fact that fossil fuels will continue to provide 60% of global energy consumption by 2040.
It is therefore essential that sustainable design incorporates efficient energy sources that do not harm the environment, such as solar and wind energy. These energy sources are not only efficient, they also significantly reduce energy loads and encourage more people to use renewable energy to power new buildings.
When designing a sustainable building from scratch, it is necessary to consider long-term energy efficiency, as well as improving the energy efficiency of old buildings and reducing energy consumption.
Water Conservation
New buildings change the hydrological and ecological function of the land, so sustainability in the built environment is of utmost importance. Sustainable buildings should focus on minimizing the negative impacts of ecology and hydrology on unbuilt land.
From design to on-site construction, water conservation is a priority. With different parts of the world facing freshwater scarcity, sustainable building design should seek to minimize the construction of ground layers that affect freshwater stock.
Accordingly, new buildings should promote water efficiency and reduce and recycle waste streams wherever possible. It is important to use as little energy as possible when trying to bring potable water to homes.
Material Optimization
As the world population grows rapidly, natural resource consumption is also increasing. Integrated and intelligent use of materials is crucial when consumables are limited. Sustainable building design should seek to reduce resource use and minimize toxicity to reduce environmental impact. Achieving sustainability through material optimization in the built environment is particularly beneficial when it comes to protecting financial resources and the environment.
Improving Indoor Quality
The indoor quality of a building significantly affects the health, comfort and productivity of its occupants. Sustainable buildings ultimately maximize natural light, facilitate natural ventilation, control humidity levels, optimize comfortable acoustic levels, and avoid materials with high VOC emissions.
Operational Optimization
Architects and designers must specify materials and systems that reduce maintenance requirements, require less energy and water, and produce less waste. Planning for operations and maintenance during the design phase will improve the work environment, increase efficiency, and prevent problems.