Sustainable Construction Trends for a Better Tomorrow

It is widely accepted fact that the construction sector is a major contributor to the climate change, as it is responsible for almost half of the global greenhouse gases and consumes around 40 percent of the materials entering the global economy. As worldwide population grows, we need more buildings to accommodate them and resultantly, the construction industry is supposed to increase its carbon dioxide emissions unless it changes its practice. Green buildings provide the guidelines for balancing the needs of business with the environment.

Green building is an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to construction, operation, renovation and demolition. And this trend must be followed across the country as we have seen it across the major cities. Let' s have a look at few sustainable construction trends that may have already been making their way to our cities.

LEED Certification

The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program is an internationally recognized green building certification system. This program provides building owners and operators with a concise framework to identify and implement practical and measureable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. This certification also verify that the building is designed and constructed according to the following metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, and improved indoor environment quality.

Sustainable Construction Materials

There is a wider range of sustainable construction materials available in the market – making it easier for environment friendly individuals to construct sustainable buildings. One of the most important materials of sturdy construction is steel and for sustainable construction, we can get steel from recycled materials. Using the recycled materials in house construction is by no means a new concept. Several older things are making a comeback such as timber, wooden beams and recycled steel. Natural and eco-friendly paints are also a great choice – reducing the indoor fumes.

Cool Roofs

Cool roofs are easier and efficient way of keeping a building cool – eventually, reducing the need for air-conditioning. They work by reflecting sunlight thus absorbing less heat than a standard concrete roof – as they are made of highly reflective paint, tiles or shingles. They are especially useful in hotter countries and help you save on electricity bills. Moreover, they can also be an eco-friendly alternative for the entire neighborhood. They are not so expensive even.