The Green Buzz

A paradigm shift in architecture and designing to avoid our crippling dependence on fossil fuels and utilization of green technologies in buildings is desperately required.

‘Green buildings’ emerges as a buzz word throughout the world during the ongoing era of heat waves, global warming and climatic changes. Havoc seems to have been created over the decades by the non-renewable resources, as energy shortage, acid rain, global warming, pollution, and wars to control resources; such turmoil prevails around the globe by the dint of energy wastage and unsustainable lifestyles.

The scenario prevails most predominantly amongst the developing countries like Pakistan. Previously the buildings were built without thought to their negative impact on the environment. The building sector in general accounted for over 40 % of carbon dioxide emissions, which is the principal global warming gas. Buildings were liable to over 50 % of energy use and, nearly 90% of the electricity consumption.

However, now the buildings are being planned with a conservative approach to reverse the negative impacts. Green buildings are all about environment-friendly and resource efficient construction and sustainable operations. They are site specific and appropriately designed buildings, using efficient water and energy technologies, renewable, recycled and recyclable building materials, and minimize the negative impact on the natural environment.

According to a rough estimate, an average sized green building can lead to the annual emission reductions of around 1,200 pounds of nitrogen oxides, 150 pounds of particulate matter, 1,300 pounds of sulfur dioxide and, 585,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Incorporating green building materials and methods can ensure that sustainable buildings can build that would be healthy, non-toxic and long-lasting. Solar, wind and other renewable energy sources are our future and, instead of continuing to derive energy from non-renewable sources, we need to course correction immediately to transition to these renewable energy sources.

The current energy crisis in Pakistan is surely intolerable and calls for an urgent need to introduce and promote green ways of harnessing renewable energy, refraining from non-renewable energy sources and ultimately waging a war against temperature extremes and climate change. The implementation of comprehensive short and long-term strategies for not only overcoming the current energy crisis but also leveraging Pakistan’s abundant natural resources remains the need of the hour.

A paradigm shift in architecture and designing in order to combat our crippling dependence on fossil fuels especially in the face of skyrocketing oil and gas prices, thus shifting towards the utilization of green technologies in buildings is desperately required.

The concept of zero-energy and zero-waste buildings should be applied to modern projects in the country. Energy efficient and environment-responsive design, natural light channeling and automated ventilating systems as well as utilization of alternative energy sources should be introduced as an integral part of green buildings. Environmental friendly construction materials, proper waste management and human working environment should be kept in consideration.

Green buildings can save up to 60% of electricity in view of the current electricity shortages in the country. They can also save potable water usage by 40%. In green buildings, electricity savings are achieved through a number of initiatives. Photovoltaic (PV) panels, which convert sunlight into electricity, can provide for over 20% of the building’s electricity demand. It a building has large uncovered areas such as in large bungalows, industries, and community halls; where more PV panels can be installed, it could meet over 50% of the electricity demand. Energy savers and sensors together can save electricity demand by nearly 20%. Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity. They can provide 10% of the building’s electricity demand. Insulation or light-colour painting or roofs and the use of plantations and trees can save about 10% of electricity. Thus, nearly 60% of electricity can be saved, if the green measures are adopted. Waste reduction rates in green buildings are typically 50 to 75%.

Four attributes are associated with green building design: Ventilation, temperature and lighting control; and day-lighting. While there would be about two % increase in construction costs of green buildings, the operation and maintenance costs would be reduced by 20%. Minimal increase in upfront costs of about two % to support green design would, on average, result in life-cycle costs – which is more than ten times the initial investment.

Luckily, there is a simple way of overcoming electricity crisis. All that is required is a change in the mindset, a rational strategic policy framework and a green building code. The government of Pakistan needs to develop green buildings code for initiating a new area of green buildings. Energy conservation measures and new lighting technology should be adopted. The campaign could be run by the relevant ministries for converting the government owned buildings to green buildings which would set the benchmarks for the private sector and motivate the general public to adopt the idea. Special technical as well as financial assistance should be extended to run this campaign.

Promoting education in this field would ensure a future generation of professionals that would design these types of eco-friendly buildings as a natural and internalized ethic, and which, subsequently, would substantially reduce building energy use without sacrificing comfort.

We are a nation of 170 million people; at an average if each one of us saves one Watt we can save 170 Mega Watts, if we replace existing incandescent, Fluorescent and Energy Savers with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), we can save 80% of light load resulting in a saving of 3,500 Mega Watts which is the total current shortfall. Hence the need of the hour is to develop an optimistic approach which holds “ONE WATT SAVED IS ONE WATT PRODUCED”.