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Affordable green buildings in 2050? No, I don’t mean buildings painted green. But you know that already.
Imagine if all new buildings are planned, constructed and operated to use no external sources of power, with each having its own onsite power generation incorporating renewable energy sources and very energy-efficient building materials, design and equipment. In addition, these buildings have zero net carbon dioxide emissions. To top it all, they can be constructed and operated at “fair market price.”
This is not just a whimsical dream. It may well be on its way to actualization. An article at CSRwire reports that the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has formed an industry-led alliance of top global companies to work at making economically viable and energy self-sufficient buildings with carbon neutral emissions a reality by the year 2050.
The project is envisioned to have three phases with a year for each phase, producing reports from hearings and conferences with stakeholders such as architects, building contractors and suppliers, building owners, sustainability experts, government representatives, regulators, utility officials and others.
Phase one will report on documentations of existing triumphs and setbacks in ecologically sound construction. Phase two will report on current and future opportunities in the field. The third phase will report on the unified industry strategy to fulfill the target by 2050 in China, India, Brazil, the United States and the European Union.
Although there already are “green buildings” in various parts of the globe, the cost of such construction is still beyond the reach of ordinary contractors. These existing models will, however, be part of the basis of the study and lessons from these projects will be built upon in order to come up with more cost-effective approaches.
The two companies leading the initiative are United Technologies Corporation, which supplies elevators, cooling/heating and on-site power systems to commercial buildings, and Lafarge Group, which supplies building materials such as cement, concrete, aggregates, gypsum and roofing.
Lafarge is no stranger to the concept. Company Chairman Bertrand Collomb said they have been into energy efficiency and sustainable construction for years now, both in materials and production process development.
UTC, on the other hand, mentioned “taking advantage of geographic and culturally acceptable building practices” in the project. This brings to mind the fact that each country and culture usually does have traditional building styles and methods appropriate to the climate and geography. Most traditional architecture is primarily energy-efficient - they either promote maximum ventilation in hot locales or conserve heat in cold climes.
Historically, traditional architecture is often abandoned in favor of modernization - meaning the use of air conditioners in hot locations and heaters in cold climates. These are considered status symbols. No wonder 40 percent of energy consumption in developed countries is attributed to buildings that need to be either cooled or heated. Sadly, even in developing countries that can ill afford it, the same trend in building construction - and even small to medium scale house construction - is being aped.
Let’s hope this new trend toward ecologically sound and sustainable construction restructures our collective future.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE SOURCE:
http://www.gbwatch.com/?p=47
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