This is often the type of response I get when I explain that this is what I am interested in - what I want to do with my life. As a step to help get the word out concerning the wonders and amazing developments in eco-friendly building, I have decided to start writing articles on the subject. I will discuss products, building systems, and methods of construction that have a minimal negative effect on our environment. I hope to be able to interact with my readers through feedback and comments so that we can learn together.
With that said, let's look together at what Green Building is. Wikipedia is an awesome source for finding general and specific information on just about anything imaginable. I turn to them to give a brief description of what is meant by Green Building. The site describes that:
"Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and their use of energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle."
The term Green Building, or Sustainable Construction, implies a vast array of practices and methods to reduce and hopefully ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings (residential, commercial and industrial) on the environment. With the rising frequency of awareness concerned with helping and saving the planet upon which we live it is becoming more and more popular to find alternate ways of living in order to reduce our effect on the environment. In Boy Scouting boys are taught that when they go camping they are to leave little or no impact to the camp site - to leave it in better condition than they found it. It is my goal that I can live my life leaving as little an environmental footprint as possible. I know that we all can have this as an actual attainable goal in our lives, while still enjoying everything that we wish to have.
In subsequent articles I will discuss the need for sustainable design and methods as well as cost differences and I will soon be able to provide you with information concerning building products, methods and systems that are included within the realm of green building. I hope you have enjoyed this simple explanation and introduction, and I look forward to input and comments!
