3 Sustainable Buildings design

3Sustainable Buildings design

D-r Aleksandar Petrovski, Lepa P. Hristovska, Atanas Petrovski

"the symphony of climate... has not been understood...The sun differs along the curvature of the meridian...In this play many conditions are created which await adequate solutions. It is at this point that an authentic regionalism has its rightful place".

Le Corbusier

Sustainable architecture means design and construction of buildings that use less energy and material resources, create less emissions and waste thus having a positive impact on the environment. Sustainable building design also provides the occupants a comfortable architecture that is functional, efficient and meets their needs.

The sustainable design focuses on multitude of building related aspects, some of which are:

Understanding Place - Sustainable design begins with an thorough understanding of the place, climate and site analysis, needed to determine design practices which can be implemented in the design such as solar orientation of the building, preserving and enhancing the natural environment, integrating the nature in the design etc.

Understanding Natural Processes - Meaning understanding the local natural context while improving it and contributing to its thrive. Green and regenerative buildings are conceived on the analogies of the process in nature where there is no waste. The byproduct of one process is used or reused for other purposes. Such is an example of composting, using rainwater, gray water for ponds irrigation etc.

Understanding Environmental Impact - Sustainable design means having an integral evaluation of the impact the building's design has onto the environment, such as energy performance, embodied energy, toxicity of the materials etc.

Integrative Design Processes - Due to the various engineering systems in the building, collaboration is needed between, engineers, consultants and other experts, throughout the design process.

Understanding People - Sustainable design requires strong social analysis and sensitivity towards the habits and needs of the buildings` users, the cultural and social context.

In the core of the sustainable buildings deign six fundamental principles can be distinguished, such as:

1. Maximizethe site potential

Taking advantage of the sun, wind, topography etc. Microclimate and architectural design have an essential effect on the energy performance of buildings. Multitude of aspects need to be evaluated such as: buildings` orientation, glazing, use of passive design systems etc. Also the landscaping of the site must be integrated with buildings` design.

2. Sustainable materials

It is crucial to use sustainable, reusable/recyclable materials and low embodied carbon materials which minimize life-cycle environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion, and toxicity. Also, these materials contribute to improved interior comfort, human health and lower maintenance cost.

3. Efficientenergy use

With ever-increasing demand of energy it is essential to design buildings with increased efficiency and to maximize the use of renewable energy sources. It can be achieved by high performance building envelope, efficient passive and active systems in the building for heating, cooling, lighting, appliances etc.

4. Efficient water and waste management

Buildings have an impact on the water resources as well. Sustainable buildings should use water efficiently, and reuse or recycle water for on-site use, when feasible. This can be achieved by various systems to reduce, reuse, and treat water; capturing and managing rainwater, greater, waste management and composting etc.

5. Indoor EnvironmentalQuality(IAQ)

The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building has a very high impact on occupant health, comfort, and productivity. Sustainable buildings are designed in such a way that they maximize daylighting, have adequate natural ventilation and moisture control, comfortable acoustic performance, materials with low-Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions.

6. Operation and Maintenance Monitoring and optimizing the buildings` operating and it maintenance contribute to its more efficient performance, high quality environments, durability, lower cost etc.