Sustainable Building For A Cleaner Environment

This book contains selected papers presented during the bi-annual World Renewable Energy Network’s Med Green Forum aimed at the international community as well as Mediterranean countries. This forum highlights the importance of growing renewable energy applications in two main sectors: Electricity Generation and the Sustainable Building Sector. In-depth chapters highlight the most current research and technological breakthroughs, covering a broad range of renewable energy technologies and applications in all sectors – for electricity production, heating and cooling, agricultural applications, water desalination, industrial applications and for the transport sectors.

The Fully Updated, Indispensible Study of Sustainable Design Principles Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the first textbook to merge principles, theory, and practice into an integrated workflow. This book introduces the technologies and processes of sustainable design and shows how to incorporate sustainable concepts at every design stage. This comprehensive primer takes an active learning approach that keeps students engaged. This book dispenses essential information from practicing industry specialists to provide a comprehensive introduction to the future of design. This new second edition includes: Expansive knowledge—from history and philosophy to technology and practice Fully updated international codes, like the CAL code, and current legislations Up-to-date global practices, such as the tools used for Life-Cycle Assessment Thorough coverage of critical issues such as climate change, resiliency, health, and net zero energy building Extensive design problems, research exercise, study questions, team projects, and discussion questions that get students truly involved with the material Sustainable design is a responsible, forward-thinking method for building the best structure possible in the most efficient way. Conventional resources are depleting and building professionals are thinking farther ahead. This means that sustainable design will eventually be the new standard and everyone in the field must be familiar with the concepts to stay relevant. Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building is the ideal primer, with complete coverage of the most up to date information.

Written for architects, developers, general contractors, landscapers, and home owners, this book demonstrates how a holistic approach to design can result in a building even better than the sum of its parts. Topics include site and habitat restoration, transportation integration, edible landscapes, energy-efficient design, materials selection, indoor air quality, and cost implications, plus an extensive bibliography and source lists.

The combined challenges of health, comfort, climate change and energy security cross the boundaries of traditional building disciplines. This authoritative collection, focusing mostly on energy and ventilation, provides the current and next generation of building engineering professionals with what they need to work closely with many disciplines to meet these challenges.A Handbook of Sustainable Building Engineering covers: how to design, engineer and monitor a building in a manner that minimises the emissions of greenhouse gases; how to adapt the environment, fabric and services of existing and new buildings to climate change; how to improve the environment in and around buildings to provide better health, comfort, security and productivity; and provides crucial expertise on monitoring the performance of buildings once they are occupied. The authors explain the principles behind built environment engineering, and offer practical guidance through international case studies.

Local Forest Managementis built around careful and illuminating case studies of the effects of devolution policies on the management of forests in several Asian countries. The studies demonstrate that devolution policies – contrary to the claims o

Leadership and sustainability have separately been the subject of numerous studies in a built environment context over the years, but they have yet to be addressed together. The real impact of legislation and guidelines designed to promote sustainability within the construction industry is closely linked to the leadership behind it, as this book explores in a variety of ways. Featuring research from 5 different continents, the international scope of this book allows a comparison of experiences in different types of economies and cultures. The interdisciplinarity of this subject is also reflected in the backgrounds of the contributors, with a significant number of perspectives derived from business and management research. The issues examined in this book are essential reading for all researchers, decision-makers and graduate students in the built environment.

Sustainable building from the ground up - the pros and cons of the latest green and natural materials and technologies From foundation to finish, a wealth of information is available on sustainable construction methods-entire volumes have been published on individual green and natural building techniques. But with so many different ideas to choose from, there is no single resource that allows an owner or builder to quickly and objectively compare the merits of each system for their particular project. Making Better Buildings cuts through the hype and provides the unvarnished facts about the upsides and downsides of the most widely discussed materials and technologies. Drawing on the real-world experiences of designer/builders, this comparative guide systematically and comprehensively examines each approach in terms of: Cost, sourcing, labor intensity, and ease of construction Energy efficiency, embodied energy, and environmental impacts Availability/accessibility Viable applications and future potential. Each chapter is rounded out by a chart which summarizes the material in a quick and accessible manner. Whether you are an owner preparing to build a green or natural home, or a conventional contractor determined to integrate sustainable alternatives into your existing construction practices, this up-to-the minute resource will help you make the best decisions for your project, while meeting your energy, efficiency, budgetary, and site-specific needs.

GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS THE ULTIMATE USER’S MANUAL TO GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS To properly select and specify green building materials, successful architects need authoritative, real-world advice on how to select and use nontoxic, recycled, and recyclable products, and how to integrate these products into the design process in order to capitalize on the many practical and economic advantages of “going green.” Green Building Materials, Third Edition is the most reliable, up-to-date resource to meet today’s green building challenges—from reducing waste and improving energy efficiency to promoting proper code compliance and safeguarding against liability claims. Written by two nationally known experts on green building methods and materials, Green Building Materials, Third Edition offers in-depth, practical information on the product selection, product specification, and construction process. This new Third Edition is an excellent hands-on guide to today’s newest range of green building materials: what they are, where to find them, how to use them effectively, and how to address LEED requirements. Organized by CSI MasterFormat® category for fast access to specific information, it features: A new chapter on eco-labels, green standards, and product certification A new appendix providing reference information for sustainability standards and standards development organizations New sample specifications, including green power requirements, vegetated green roof systems, rainwater harvesting, and water reuse systems Revised and updated review of trends affecting the future of green building materials Updated approach and reference information for the product selection process Green Building Materials, Third Edition is an essential tool for designing environmentally friendly buildings—ones made from materials that preserve the Earth’s natural legacy for future generations.