After decades of irresponsibility, ecological responsibility is slowly but surely growing among individuals and businesses alike. Many people are unaware of the environmental impact of the production of classic building materials such as concrete and steel. To reduce this, greener technologies and sustainable building materials are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry.
What is sustainable construction and how can we move to a more sustainable development method? Let's see.
What is sustainable construction?
Sustainable building is the practice of creating a healthy environment based on ecological principles. According to Professor Charles J. Kibert, sustainable building focuses on the following six principles:
- conservation,
- reuse,
- recycling/renewal,
- nature conservation,
- non-toxic substances and
- high quality.
Sustainable construction aims to reduce the impact of industry on the environment by applying sustainable development practices, increasing energy efficiency and taking advantage of green technologies.
Although most sectors are taking steps to towards becoming more sustainable, the construction industry is unique in that the large quantities of materials used and the energy consumed to produce and move them can have a significant impact on the adoption of sustainable practices.
The basics of sustainable construction
Construction techniques, resource use and building practices have evolved significantly over the past decades.
Its focus in recent decades, there has been a clear need for increased sustainability and energy efficiency. Sustainable construction is based on two pillars: the materials used and the methods used in construction.
A Methods
Sustainable construction is about using the latest and most efficient materials, but also about using construction methods that promote renewable and sustainable aspirations. These may include:
- Construction of high energy efficiency and passive buildings.
- Conversion and modernisation of outdated buildings.
- Review and reorganise construction processes.
- The exact materials cutting to reduce the amount of waste.
- Control waste management, separate and recycle waste.
- Use of sustainable and recycled materials.
Sustainable building materials will be discussed in our next article.
