Have you ever heard someone talking about Eco Buildings or Green Design and wondered “just what do these new age catchphrases mean”?

While they’re often thrown around like the latest cheap craze, these terms actually represent something much bigger – the future of energy production and architecture according to many industry leaders.

Green building design represents an unprecedented era of construction methods – an era characterized by awareness of our interactions with the environment.

Below we’ll look at four major green building techniques being used to achieve impressive energy savings, cost savings, pollution reductions, and increased worker productivity.

These methods were introduced and refined through cooperation between architects, designers, and environmental-scientists, and are today being used to create healthier, smarter building spaces.

Daylighting

Natural lighting, or daylighting, simply uses the natural light of the sun in the most convenient manner, reducing the use of electric lights.

Normally this involves Energy Efficient Windows – designed and positioned strategically to let in the right amount of sunlight at the right time, creating a naturally lit building space.

Often, such windows will make up the majority of a wall – so sunlight is used instead of blocked by a concrete wall.

Open areas in a structure, such as large atriums, are another method for introducing natural lighting.

The use of special glasses, designed to let in the light while not letting in the heat, is a common feature in many green building designs.

Landscaping using trees to shade the windows is a method of ensuring that the building stays cool during hot summer days.

The same landscaping, as well as special glazing, can be used to ensure enough light comes through during the winter season, when heat and light are needed in abundance.

Studies have shown that natural lighting increases comfort and productivity in workplaces – as it’s easier for the eyes to focus with natural light.

In Xinyi district, Taipei, the Taipei101 building has seen wide-ranging benefits from using natural lighting principals.

The building’s design and energy efficiency has led to it being awarded the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certificate.

Using Green Building Materials

When it comes to green building design techniques, eco friendly construction materials are a major factor.

Materials such as bamboo, straw, lumber, recycled stone and metal, compressed earth blocks, and clay are all considered eco friendly – if sourced in an appropriate manner.

The main qualities that make materials “green” are non-toxicity, being recyclable, being renewable, and having a low embodied energy value.

Embodied energy values are the amount of energy that go into producing and delivering materials – such as energy-thirsty resource extraction and refinement of materials, or emission-producing transportation over long distances.

The main advantages of using such materials include minimization of waste, environmental conservation, and often reduction in cost.

Recent industry developments show that environmentally friendly materials can deliver equal or higher quality and performance to conventional materials – if the right material is selected for the right purpose, and installed correctly.

Buildings and homes found in the Findhorn Ecovillage are examples of buildings that utilize eco friendly material in their construction.

Findhorn’s high eco standards (like recyclable clay tiles for roofing), have made this village project a nature friendly habitat with a very low carbon footprint.

Water Conservation and Recycling Methods

Truly green designs must reduce the amount of water consumed.

This can be achieved through innovative recycling methods and proper conservation techniques.

Capturing, cleaning, and reusing rain water is a very common method. It not only reduces a building’s reliance on pipe delivered water, but it also reduces pressure on state sewerage networks.

Other methods, like reducing water used for toilets, are becoming popular as new designs show the possibilities of using the water that’s required without being wasteful.

Electricity Consumption and Production

Big buildings often demand a high electricity consumption for lighting, equipment, and heating needs.

In addition to those discussed above, there are a number of high-impact electricity-efficiency measures being implemented in modern buildings.

This includes the use of high tech windows that let in the light, keep in the heat on cold days, and prevent unwanted heat on hot days – reducing electricity used to power heaters and air conditioners.

Many buildings are taking it a step further and using solar panels to supply their own electricity.

Solar water heating further reduces a building’s electricity requirements, sometimes completely eliminating fossil-fuel electricity used to heat water.

Wind turbines and small-hydro power generation are other methods that are being employed in many eco buildings.

Why Green Building Design?

Conservation is becoming a big part of the way private and commercial buildings are being constructed today.

Green design techniques are not only environmentally friendly, but they also produce a more comfortable atmosphere to live and work in.

As a result of healthier and more enjoyable workplaces, many major companies have found they’re getting higher worker productivity and less sick days in green-designed buildings.

As well as a superior product, green design has recently proven to be profitable in many cases.

Lower energy bills and high tenant-demand are obvious, but an interesting revelation is that using a whole-system approach can actually cost less in the construction process. Natural lighting, ventilation, and passive heating for example, can eliminate the need to install expensive air conditioners and air ducts.

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This guest blog was contributed by Hamish Smit, an environment and design writer for http://exploringgreentechnology.com