Greening The Built Environment

This work aims to provide a possible specification of the problems involved in greening the built environment and an articulation of the solutions. It begins with a discussion of sustainability as a concept and its applicability to contemporary towns and cities. The following chapters take up particular aspects of the built environment and sustainability in greater depth and include the construction industry, transport, health, planning, community and equity issues, employment and the economy. The links between environmental damage, poverty and the economy are all themes in this book which also focuses on interconnections and on solutions to these three problems. The final chapter explains how the achievement of sustainable development is, in the authors' opinion, dependent on detailed solutions to everyday problems of modern society.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- 1 Introduction: a new paradigm for the built environment -- 2 Why regreen the built environment? -- 3 Ecological design, energy, and waste -- 4 Land conservation and preservation -- 5 Auto-alternative transportation: a catalyst for greenspace -- 6 Roadways -- 7 Parking surfaces -- 8 Buildings and rooftops -- 9 Corridors -- 10 Alternative sites -- 11 Implementing green infrastructure -- 12 Concluding remarks -- Index

To dissipate the knowledge on green concepts to the students, IGBC has developed a comprehensive and holistic book - ‘Introduction to Green Buildings & Built Environment’. The objective of this book is to encourage & inspire budding young professionals, to take path of sustainability and carry forward the baton for a greener future. This book is one-of-a-kind publication which aims to throw light on various sustainability principles and equip the students with importance & benefits of green concepts. The book covers green aspects related to Sustainable Sites, Water Management, Energy Management, Materials & Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. The Architectural & Engineering educational institutions across the country can adopt this book into their curriculum or elective courses to facilitate the students with exposure on various green concepts and latest trends & technologies (during design, construction & operations) of different building typologies. Contents: 1. Site Selection and Planning 2. Water Management 3. Energy Efficiency 4. Sustainable Building Materials 5. Indoor Environmental Quality Book Review: ‘I am delighted to note that IGBC has launched the Green Education Programme which would facilitate Academia-Industry linkage on green concepts. This book on Introduction to Green Buildings and Built Environment which is released as part of the Green Education initiative of IGBC, will enable students to be industry-ready. The book will also equip students to carry forward the National agenda on green and reach newer heights.’ Anil D. Sahasrabudhe Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) ‘As we march ahead in facilitating a greener India and Net Zero Mission goals, we need more qualified professionals who can facilitate green building projects in the country. Launch of the IGBC Green Education Programme and this book on ‘Introduction to Green Buildings and Built Environment’ are important steps in sowing the seeds of green and igniting the minds of the younger generations.’ V Suresh National Chairman, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)

"After twenty years of sustainable building policies, the issue of environmental impact of buildings and urban environments remains. Policy makers still have difficulties addressing the ambiguous, contested and dynamic goals encapsulated in the term 'sustainable development'. How to decide between using zinc or PVC gutters, when knowledge and valuation of environmental risks of both keep changing? How can we accommodate urban growth, now that compact cities turn out to be urban heat islands?" "Greening governance identifies how policy makers can deal with these contested questions. The book draws on policy network theories that consider stakeholder interaction, negotiation and learning as conditions for policy success. By understanding these conditions from an evolutionary viewpoint it provides a new perspective for governance. The concepts of generative variety, selective retention and regeneration will help policy makers to prioritize and select contested alternatives while also focusing on more long term and ambitious policy goals. The book is of interest to policy makers and scientists concerned with both the practical and theoretical issues of sustainable built environments." --Book Jacket.

Regreening the Built Environment examines the relationship between the built environment and nature and demonstrates how rethinking the role and design of infrastructure can environmentally, economically, and socially sustain the earth. In the past, infrastructure and green or park spaces have been regarded as two opposing factors and placed in conflict with one another through irresponsible patterns of development. This book attempts to change this paradigm and create a new notion that greenspace, parks, and infrastructure can indeed be one in the same. The case studies will demonstrate how existing "gray" infrastructure can be retrofitted with green infrastructure and low impact development techniques. It is quite plausible that a building can be designed that actually creates greenspace or generates energy; likewise, a roadway can be a park, an alley can be a wildlife corridor, and a parking surface can be a garden. In addition to examining sustainability in the near future, the book also explores such alternatives in the distant and very distant future, questioning the notion of sustainability in the event of an earth-altering, cataclysmic disaster. The strategies presented in this book aim to stimulate discussions within the design profession and will be of great interest to students and practitioners of environmental studies, architecture, and urban design.

“Green” buildings—buildings that use fewer resources to build and to sustain—are commonly thought to be too expensive to attract builders and buyers. But are they? The answer to this question has enormous consequences, since residential and commercial buildings together account for nearly 50% of American energy consumption—including at least 75% of electricity usage—according to recent government statistics. This eye-opening book reports the results of a large-scale study based on extensive financial and technical analyses of more than 150 green buildings in the U.S. and ten other countries. It provides detailed findings on the costs and financial benefits of building green. According to the study, green buildings cost roughly 2% more to build than conventional buildings—far less than previously assumed—and provide a wide range of financial, health and social benefits. In addition, green buildings reduce energy use by an average of 33%, resulting in significant cost savings. Greening Our Built World also evaluates the cost effectiveness of “green community development” and presents the results of the first-ever survey of green buildings constructed by faith-based organizations. Throughout the book, leading practitioners in green design—including architects, developers, and property owners—share their own experiences in building green. A compelling combination of rock-solid facts and specific examples, this book proves that green design is both cost-effective and earth-friendly.

Brings together leading thinking on issues of new professional practice and on the future of a sustainable built environment This book focuses on both construction and development issues, and examines how we can transition to a sustainable future by the year 2050—bringing together leading research and practice at building, neighbourhood, and city levels. It deftly analyses how emerging socio-economic, technological, and environmental trends will influence the built environment of the future. The book covers a broad spectrum of interests across the scales of buildings, communities and cities, including how professional practice will need to adapt to these trends. The broader context is provided by an analysis of emergent business models and the changing requirements for expert advice from clients. Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment to 2050: A Foresight Approach to Construction and Development features chapters covering: data and trends, including historical data and UK and international case studies; policies and practice related to the field; current state of scientific understanding; key challenges; key technological advances (including disruptive and systemic technological innovations); change issues and critical uncertainties; and future visions. It provides: A strong conceptual framework based on a ‘Foresight' approach Discussion of the key data and trends that underpin each chapter Coverage of both construction and property development Specially commissioned chapters by academics and practitioners A synthesis of the main findings in the book and key insights for the future to 2050 Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment to 2050: A Foresight Approach to Construction and Development is an important book for postgraduate students and researchers, construction, real estate and property development specialists, engineers, planners, architects, foresight and futures studies specialists, and anyone involved in sustainable buildings.

Industrial ecology provides a sound means of systematising the various ideas which come under the banner of sustainable construction and provides a model for the design, operation and ultimate disposal of buildings.