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Green architecture has many benefits. You may be surprised to know that this type of building has been practiced for years. Green architecture is building in ways that have the least possible negative impact on the environment. Less environmentally harmful components, recycled materials, and simply using materials more efficiently are three ways in which builders maintain environmental standards in green architecture. Another way that green architecture is interesting is that it uses space and energy more efficiently. There are many kinds of building materials that can be used in green architecture. An easy option is purchasing recycled materials from green building companies. Building materials for a green home can be made out of virtually anything, from recycled rubber tires to metal soda cans! If you are a do it yourself type, another option is to used salvaged materials like wood and stone, which you can find yourself at cost that can be extremely low, or even free! The option of using recycled and salvaged goods for building is just one of the many ways you can try your hand at with green architecture. Easy, efficient heating and cooling are both benefits of green architecture, as well. The skyrocketing of gas and oil prices is something that few of us have been able to ignore. Perhaps as a result of this, coupled with the desire to curb global warming issues, green architecture has risen dramatically in popularity. Regardless of the climate you live in, there are ways to heat and cool your home efficiently while maintaining green standards. Hot water and electricity can be had with the addition of solar panels. If you live in a warm area, biomass technologies can tap into the natural coolness of the Earth in order to keep your home climate controlled. Building environmentally sound and energy efficient homes is easy with these and other technologies, which can be used alone or combined. Different types of windows and placement is a wonderful way to maximize energy efficiency in green architecture. In climates where the necessity for light and heat are greatest, windows can be placed facing southward. Doubled paned windows can be used in conjunction with the correct placement to retain absorbed heat. Vegetation such as tall trees, or solar shades can keep unwanted heat from entering windows on warmer days. Even though the popularity of green building has recently spiked, these practices have been around for centuries. As far back as the thirteenth century, people were using materials they had handy to build greenhouses which harnessed solar energy to grow plants. Windmills were invented in the Middle East around the ninth century, and were used thereafter worldwide for an efficient source of energy. It can be argued that green architecture enjoyed a first golden age which occurred over two thousand years ago with Native Americans. Energy efficient dwellings were created by these peoples using wood, adobe and earth, as well as other materials on hand. The wide variety of housing designs and building materials make green architecture possible for everyone, regardless of lifestyle or location.
Article Source: http://www.articlegush.com
Find more information about green design, see www.AIA.org/walkthewalk.
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