2. Benefits of earth shelters
The advantages offered by earth shelters are based on certain features of underground space and the fact that they are secluded from the surface to some extent. 2.1 Benefits in terms of energy use
In general, the greater the percentage of surface area in contact with the earth and the deeper the building penetrates into the earth, the more the building will benefit in terms of energy conservation. However, for many functions direct access to the earth surface and window openings are essential for a variety of psychological, physiological, and safety concerns. Energy related benefits are
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With the earth covering most of the surface of a building, the structure can be made more airtight. In surface structures, up to 35% of heat loss can often be accredited to air infiltration, while for building surfaces in contact with the earth, infiltration is completely eliminated which results in reduction of both heating and cooling loads. However, too "tight" construction can lead to the build-up of indoor air pollutants, which as claimed by some experts can be far unhealthier than the worst outdoor urban smog. An earth shelter offers greater chance to control the rate of outside air supply to the interior of a building.
f. Reduction of heat gain
Radiant heat gain from the sun can be reduced by earth covered roofs. The massive earth layer on the building can absorb most of the radiation before it reaches the envelope. Since the window area of most earth shelters is minimized, a main source of heat gain is reduced considerably. Another very important element in reduction of heat gain from radiation is the use of plant materials. Plants can effectively cancel out most of the incoming radiation from the sun through process of evapotranspiration. This process requires a sufficient level of moisture in the ground to that allows plants to grow.
2.2Benefits with regards to land use and
One of the many problems that we seem to be having is the amount of No Kill Shelters in America. No kill Shelters are shelters in which the animals there are not treated like the “pound” or “dog house.” These shelters do not kill healthy or treatable animals and even if they are not treatable they reserve euthanasia for them as the last resort to trying to save the animals. However, many understand that these some of these dogs can be a menace to society, but every single animal should be able to live. We do not have many of these in this country or if we do we are use the animals for the testing of some of our products. One of the many benefits of No Kill Shelters is the promotion of adopting dogs. Many people do not adopt dogs but they go to breeders which is not a bad idea, but we have many dogs that get killed in pounds every day. Why do we Americans have the say so in when an animals wants to die? With everything there are pros and cons and some of these cons can be the overpopulation of animals , but we do not kill humans if one race/gender is becoming overpopulated. The
With the alarming growth in the energy costs and environmental concern in construction projects there is a continuous demand for sustainable buildings. LEED® evaluates the sustainable performance through a 69-point credit system which mainly emphasizes Indoor environmental quality, energy and atmosphere, sustainable sites, water efficiency, materials and resources and innovation in design (Azhar, Carlton, Olsen and Ahmad (2011)).
There have been many means and methods in the past decade, fostered to ensure that the construction of buildings, complexes and many enormous structures are made with energy saving measures such as heat dispersal during the summer, and to also ensure the promotion of environmental sustainability such as the control of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. And by the use of complex and highly innovative building materials like carbon fiber, such feet can be achieved.
absorb the energy from the sun, but it does absorb some of the heat energy
Indeed, the designer and engineers succeeded in their mention by having verity of solutions. One of the main methods is to keep the subway as close to the surface of the street as possible. This technique serve many aspects like the three objectives mentioned above. First, it decreases the distant needed to reach the subway train and then exit to streets; therefore, its handy attract the public to use this transportation. Additionally, time saving is important to the passengers, and the shorter the distance, the faster the serves. Finally, the ventilation circulation can be direct from the outdoor air though grilles in the sidewalk above without use of ducting or fans which decreases the financial budget. On the other hand, the usage of passive ventilation inside the subway cause air pollution. Since the steam and reek flow to the streets via the vents, the city get extra toxic waste that thrusts not only the passengers’ health care, but also the Pedestrians in the sidewalk, people inside the cars, and everyone uses the air conditioner (AC) inside the buildings will defiantly be affected negatively. Also, the risk of flooding, earthquakes, and other natural damages. The underground system had a threat to sink in flood water.
As the environmental problems become more and more serious these years, especially that intense negative impact that buildings in modern cities bring to the cities, the concept of Green Building is being more and more important considered by local and federal government. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a green building is one that utilizes design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and the building's occupants. Besides the more and more advanced building structure and technology, the main goal of green building is to protect the health of the occupants, save energy and reduce pollution to environment. There are many certifications of green buildings to judge whether the building meets the standard of green buildings and what environmental performance level is this building at, to help government regulators, building professionals and consumers to see better how this building can be improved and what is its impact on human beings and environment. Such green building programs include Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB Green), etc. Among them, LEED is one of the most popular certification programs that give the building credits for its environmental performance. In this essay, I will discuss the costs and benefits of different types of building projects that were certified by LEED.
The engineers had hopes to design a way to make efficient shelters quickly. In order to do that, they had to develop a material that could be dried in thin layers, wetted in an uncontrolled method then, set without cracking, into a dependably strong form, thus, creating Concrete Canvas (www.nationalgeographic.com, 2013). One of the first applications of Concrete Canvas was by the British Military. They used the product to protect sandbags in Afghanistan. It was found that with the protection from CC, the sandbags were now able to stop on average 1,100 machine gun rounds fired into it (www.nationalgeographic.com, 2013). After seeing the ease of use of the material and its characteristics, the en...
In recent development, sustainability has become an integral concern in the performance of architectural principles and technology, in which conscious approaches to energy and ecological conservation involves strategies during the design, construction, and operation of buildings. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Building Sector is the largest contributor to most of the energy consumed: in the United States by itself, buildings consume 47.6% of all energy produced and is responsible for 44.6% of CO2 emissions in 2010 (“Problem…” 1). In terms of sustainability, initial decisions in the design process can significantly help deliver results. Evaluations and explorations through the impact of materials, such as concrete, wood, bricks, masonry, and steel, can help improve reductions in energy through its applicability to a building. While wood and steel are simply identified for their strength, durability, and functionality in structures, accentuating these materials’ embodied energies and recyclability offer a more comprehensive understanding of their overall impact in sustainability — and ultimately reveal how both have advantages and disadvantages depending on the context.
Although a home takes many years to begin to resemble a comfortable enviroment that we as humans set up to live within a sheltered structure; there are many problems that might be overt and some that we might not readily notice. In this essay I will examine some of the causes that make homes comfortable and bring us as a species closer to nature as well as the causes that might have a negative impact on our lives.
Another benefit of gardening is reducing the amount of energy required to heat and cool a home.
This Sustainable Architecture began long ago with scientists brainstorming and designing a new design for an eco-home that’s liable on decreasing massive numbers of en...
The water heater is very important because it supplies heat to the whole house. The benefits between hybrid water heaters and solar water heaters are they both have cash incentives which help homeowners save money and they both save resources.
“The building sector contributes up to 30% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions and consumes up to 40% of all energy” (UNEP). The building sector is one of the leading contributors to global warming and, as a result, is one of the leading contributors to melting ice caps, rising sea levels and the recent proliferation in extreme weather conditions. However, it does not just contribute to global warming; the building sector also contributes to urban pollution. In the US alone, the building sector generates hundreds of millions of tons of municipal solid waste each year. It is clear that the building sector must change if we are to survive as a species. Ultimately we need to convert our cities into “sustainable cities,” but a good start in that direction is a practice in the building industry known as Green Building. A Green Building is an environmentally sustainable building designed, constructed and operated to minimize its total environmental impact. Some of the main goals underpinning Green Building include reduced energy consumption, water conservation and recycling. Green builders do this by using renewable energy such as solar, wind or hydro, which provides the buildings with clean energy and zero carbon dioxide emissions. They manage water through water efficient irrigation systems, captured rain or site-recycled water for onsite landscaping. They also develop a waste management plan that diverts a substantial amount of solid waste from landfills to salvage facilities. A common assumption that many people make is that Green Building is very expensive. But the cost of a building, house or apartment complex that is Green depends on how “green” they want it to be. Prices can range from a mere one percent i...
"Green Building: Advantages & Disadvantages." Green Building: Advantages & Disadvantages. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
The beginnings of today's green revolution can be traced back to the environmental awareness of the 1960s and European design. New construction techniques have lead to the development of innovative materials and design concepts. Green buildings are designed, constructed and commissioned to ensure they are healthy for their occupants. Successfully designed green projects can involve an extensive array of factors, ranging from the resourceful use of materials, to careful consideration of function, climate, and location.