INTRODUCTION

Greetings,

For this project, I made a research about Green Buildings and the new constructive and alternative methods. In the introduction video I am going to offer some ideas about this topic. Moreover, I have also put together a list of essential vocabulary for this topic, and I have posted a short annotated bibliography to help you in your research. I also wrote a research article that explains my ideas.

This issue is important because it talks about current problems about the loss natural resources. Through this work, one could learn more about how to avoid this loss and try to use alternatives constructive methods in construction.

Again, thank you for your time! I hope you find this interesting and useful.

GREEN BUILDING AS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO AVOID THE LOSS OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Technology has advanced our society in many ways, and the same occurs for construction. Those who work in these fields are always trying to figure out new constructive methods. The concern about energy crisis, water pollution and other troubles related to environment, make people seek for solutions for this issues. For this reason, sustainable programs have been developed around the world in different fields of study to try to minimize pollution progress. 

As most of people know, big buildings have a strong impact in the environment, such as the quantity of energy and water, which they need to work well. Green buildings were developed to have the same efficiency of normal buildings, but the biggest difference is that they do not negatively affect the environment so strong, and that’s why it is the best option for new construction projects. However, green buildings can avoid these negative effects, and, thus, we should focus on sustainable construction in the future.         

VOCABULARY

CRADLE-TO-CRADLE [kreyd-l]
Definition: It is a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems. It models human industry on nature's processes viewing materials as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms.

SUSTAINABLE (adj) [suh-stey-nuh-buhl]
Forms: Sustainability (n)
Definition:Capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage.

DEFORESTATION (n) [dee-fawr-ist, -for-]
Forms: Deforester (n), Deforest (v)
Definition: It is clearing of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land. 

SHORTAGE [shawr-tij]
Forms: Pre-shortage (n)
Definition: A deficiency in quantity.

EMBODIED [em-bod-ee]
Forms: Embody (v), Embodier (n)
Definition: To give a concrete form to; express, personify, or exemplify in concrete form.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Braungart, M., McDonough, W., Bollinger, A. (2006). Cradle-to-cradle design: creating healthy emissions e a strategy for eco-effective product and system design. Page 1. Retrieved From

https://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP3530/readings/bestand.pdf

In this article, Braungart M.  shows eco-effectiveness and cradle-to-cradle strategies as an alternative design for zero emission and eco efficiency. Through datas, he can provides a lot of information about the effectiveness of these strategies.

[2] Jowit, J. (28 October 2008). World is facing a natural resources crisis worse than financial crunch. The Guardian. Retrieved From

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/oct/29/climatechange-endangeredhabitats

The main goal of this text is to inform what and how the world could be damaged if any change have been done. The author provides many predictions and perspectives about the next few years.

[3] Kokogiannakis, G. (February 2014). Support for the Integration of Green Roof Constructions Within Chinese Building Energy Performance Policies. Retrieved From

http://0-ac.els-cdn.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/S0360544213010463/1-s2.0-S0360544213010463-main.pdf?_tid=23441786-10f0-11e4-bace-00000aacb35d&acdnat=1405958609_26ef8b6867088b13f6cec3af8e68fc32

In this article, the author talks about how green roofs can be a economic and can generate energy savings. Moreover, he deals about issues such as how to use green roofs and their mechanisms, and the results of this in Chinese cities.

[4] Smith, J. D. (April 2006). Shipping Containers as Building Components. Page 3.

Retrieved from

http://www.containerhome.info/resourcem/Shipping-Containers-Building-Elements.pdf 

This source provides a bunch of information about shipping containers, such as how they could be used and where they could be implanted in UK, moreover, datas that help us to understand more the benefits of use of this alternative material for construction.

[5] Vijayalaxmi, J. (March 2010). Towards sustainable architecture – a case with Greentainer. Page 248. Retrieved From:

http://0-web.b.ebscohost.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=d4a8c077-c952-4a44-b1e6-130175d0b611%40sessionmgr110&vid=9&hid=117 

For the author, sustainable is not only recycling of material, but also reuse of them. This article approaches about shipping container as a reuse of material, and how it could be done.