Sustainable Architecture: Meaning, Importance and Examples Around The World
Is there need to go green?
When we talk of sustainable architecture, we refer to green buildings or architecture.
Its philosophy supports building using reusable and recyclable building materials to develop new structures with the intent of positive environmental impact. This manner of approach in architecture is of great benefit to the environment and the ecosystem because it reduces gas emissions and curbs waste.
Norman Foster, Renzo Piano, Peter Busby, Frank Lloyd Wright, William McDonough and the likes are some of the famous architects behind some amazing green designs around the globe. With Frank Lloyd Wright being famous among them, he’s considered the pioneer of green design and known not only for talking but also for working with nature rather than being against it.
Expression and architecture go together. This is visible in experimental art forms in buildings around the world, where architects “play” with materials for formal expression.
Materials, in turn, helps direct the architect or designer on how things can be joined together, which materials will perform when fused or mixed with other materials and most importantly how a project will look like. When excessive use of materials(elements) is used, it serves as an eye-opener for designers to examine their views on the world, which is where sustainable architecture comes into play.
How Can We Make Architecture More Sustainable?
Earth day is celebrated every 22nd of April and it includes a wide range of activities we can do to keep our planet safe. It's also a way that people can make a global impact positively- at a time.
How do architecture and earth day go hand in hand, you may ask?
Questions have been raised on our approach and effect on climate change, what impact the construction industry has in the extraction of raw materials and better ways the architectural community can improve the relationship between us and Earth.
Celebrating Earth Day serves as a conscious reminder of how fragile our planet is and how great it's important to protect it. In recent research, it was shown that 40% of global energy is devoted to buildings and 80% of global energy is caused by cement alone; with these findings alone, one can say the construction industry has a significant impact, with materials and construction products causing carbon dioxide emissions in activities like mining is responsible for 75% of the consumption of earth’s natural resources.
Most of these wastes are from demolition or remodelling. The majority of all these wastes can be reduced when some of the materials are recycled. For instance, in a country like Brazil, the steel industry is responsible for 35% of the carbon emission of the industrial sector while cement accounts for 19%.
When we put all this research to use, it will be visible that when we embrace and adopt the sustainable architecture, gas emissions are reduced and the total volume of waste is drastically reduced. We do not have to wait till April before we put it all into practice, we can start immediately.
Examples Of Green Architecture Round The World
Here, we round up several sustainable architectures around the world, together with their features.
1. The Edge (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Tagged as the smartest and greenest building in the world, the building’s form and orientation are based on the path of the sun. The building is self-sufficient when it comes to energy supply and produces about 102% of its own energy use. It boasts a total of 5,900 square metres of solar panels and rainwater is collected on the roof to flush toilets, irrigate the green terraces and garden areas in the building.
2. Marco Polo Tower (Hamburg, Germany)
Built-in 2009, this apartment has vacuum collectors on the roof. It uses a heat exchanger which turns heat into a cooling system for the apartments. It also has insulated air louvres which makes natural ventilation possible without outside pollution.
3. Eastgate Centre (Harare, Zimbabwe)
It opened in 1996 and its a leading example of biomimicry; it was inspired by the self-cooling mounds of African termites. The shopping complex has no air-conditioning or heating system, yet it stays regulated all year round.
4. Museum of Tomorrow (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
A science museum in the city of Rio de Janeiro, its design explores the relationship between the city and its natural environment. The building also incorporated natural energy and light sources. The museum possesses photovoltaic solar panels which are adjustable to optimize the sun ray’s angle throughout the day and to also generate solar energy to supply the building.
5. CopenHill (Copenhagen, Denmark)
It had various names from Amagerforbrændingen to Amager Bakke and CoppenHill; it is a waste-to-energy plant that possesses an urban recreation centre and an environmental educational hub. Whew, definitely my kind of place. It also has a ski slope, hiking trail and climbing wall. This facility integrates the latest technologies in waste management and energy production.
6. Australian Islamic Centre
A contemporary mosque that interconnects spaces arranged between two levels. It took over 10 years to complete; it's also an educational centre and offers a library. The facade is covered in golden structures which reflects light at various times of the day. The pool beside the prayer not not only captures the sun but also the movement of water upon the concrete architecture.
We’ve covered the concept of sustainable architecture, the roles materials play in the construction and various types of green architecture. Glad you gave it a good read. Got more examples of green architecture? Hit me in the comment section.
