In the recent years, sustainability concept has become the common interest of numerous disciplines. The word sustainability and the expression ''sustainable architecture'' are spreading in the world of design and architecture for two main reason functionality and formal, any object that is sustainable must be tired to its relationship with the environment through its appearance. The concept of green architecture, also known as “sustainable architecture” or “green building” is the theory, science and style of building designed and constructed in accordance with environmentally friendly principles.
Sustainable Architecture is architecture that seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of building by efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space and ecosystem at large. The idea of sustainability or ecological design is to ensure that our use of presently resource does not end up having determined effect to our collective wellbeing or making it impossible to obtain resource for other applied in the long run.
It was then converted to a museum in 1934, after which it has long been hailed as a symbol of the coexistence of Christianity and Islam, a cultural junction between East and West.
Designing sustainable architecture means taking a few fundamental elements into consideration: orientation, shading, sunlight created by preexisting elements, natural ventilation as well as the use of biomass, ambient assisted living or domestics and renewable energy system, all created and incorporated with materials studied specifically to interact with the environment and its characteristics. In 21st century sustainable design is the thoughtful interaction of architecture with electricity, mechanical, structural engineering in add to concern about the tradition, aesthetic of massing, proportion, scale, texture, shadow and light. All sustainable design is more of philosophy of a building than the perspective of building style.
Materials used in sustainable architecture are those that encourage good thermal performance, energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource management and save general construction costs. One of the main objectives of people who delve into sustainable architecture is to recycle almost everything they use. Architect kenneth frampton underlined this problem in his conversation with the architect and designer enzo calabrese, transcribed in the latter’s book “sustain what’s”. The use of new materials has set us back in some ways. what many architects don’t understand is materials can have different life and function from the one they originally had.
To achieve sustainability in architecture which begins with research, cultural or religious considerations, sketch drawings to explain your proposed design, energy efficiency over the lifetime of a building, choice of building material, well insulated building and waste management system.
Sustainable architecture is being used all over the world in development of building and some of this practices even became regulations within municipalities. Some of the examples of sustainable architecture is:
“THE BIRD’S NEST”-ECO-FRIENDLY ARCHITECTURE IN BEIJING
The national Olympic stadium, aka the “birds nest” was designed by Swiss architects Hezog and de Meuron for the 2008 Olympics. The facilities inside the stadium are all built as self-contained units which allow the exterior façade to remain mostly open, resembling a bird’s nest. The exterior allows for natural ventilation of the stadium, which is the most important aspects of its sustainable design.
“THE CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT-A SHINNING EXAMPLE IN MONTREAL”
The Centre for sustainable Development was built to serve as a model for anyone interested in learning more about environmentally conscious construction. Considered by many to be the greenest building in Canada. Here they used recycled glass for countertops, geothermal heating and cooling system, raised floor heating, it even features artwork on display that’s made from 100% organic materials.
“K2 APARTMENTS-LONG-LASTING SUSTAINABLE LIVING QUARTERS IN VICTORIA, AUSTRAILIA
The award winning K2 apartments in Australia is the most sustainable public housing development. Built in 2007, this apartment complex has estimated lifespan of 200 years and uses only renewable energy. Its structure consists of recycled timber and the complex rainwater collection/harvesting, re-use of grey water, solar water heating, photovoltaic panels. The Victorian state government’s office of housing stated that K2 apartments use 46% less gas, 55% less electricity, 53% less water than conventional apartments.
“BANK OF AMERICA TOWER-A-55-STOREY SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE MARVEL IN NEW YORK CITY”
This building is considered as one of the most energy efficient and ecologically friendly skyscrapers in the world. The building has its own power generation plant that produces 4.6 megawatts of clean energy top of that it uses co2 monitors, waterless urinals and low flow toilets in bathrooms and energy efficient LED lighting, the tower received a platinum LEED rating, boasts modern and it is column free office space.
There are many other examples of sustainable architecture. The sustainable architecture is architecture where there is not only use of materials and methods it’s the way in which the people who inhabit them live. Increase in number of people seek new symbolic relationships between their shelter and the broader ecology therefore sustainable architecture is the best way to satisfy human need and project environment.