Posts Tagged sustainable development
Sustainable Development in Design and Architecture
Sustainable design, also known as “environmental design” is a philosophy that promotes the design of physical objects and services that meet the definition of social, economic and ecological sustainability. Sustainable architecture, therefore, is a sub-philosophy of sustainable design that deals specifically with architecture and all that goes into it from emergency lighting in commercial buildings to sun rooms in private residences. Seeking to minimize the negative environmental effects of architecture by using environmentally friendly building materials, limiting development space and dramatically increasing energy efficiency, sustainable architecture espouses the same goal as the more general philosophy of sustainable design: the preservation of the environment and everything therein for the proper use and enjoyment future generations.
Constructing a building that maintains emergency efficiency over the course of its lifetime is the primary goal of sustainable architecture. Energy efficiency begins with having a well-insulated building that meets the energy efficiency standards of sustainable design, but a building’s heating and cooling methods play an essential role in realizing the efficacy of its insulation design. Some designers prefer to use photovoltaic solar panels, known as “active” solar design, to provide high level, sustainable electricity. When using these panels, a buildings roof is commonly angled towards the sun to allow the panels to collect maximum energy and may even be designed to follow the sun’s movement. “Passive” solar design, on the other hand, focuses on constructing buildings using strong insulation combined with materials that possess a high thermal mass that allows them retain heat with greater efficiency.
Tags: architect, architecture, building materials, buildings, design, energy efficiency, environment, environmental design, solar, solar panel, sustainable, sustainable architecture, sustainable building, sustainable building materials, sustainable design, sustainable developmentRelated posts
